St Wilfrid's School is committed to safeguarding all its students, staff, and visitors. Safeguarding is of paramount importance and we have a moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all our students, by providing a caring, positive and safe environment, whereby the personal, social, physical and moral development of the individual child is supported.
St Wilfrid’s ensures that safeguarding legislation and guidance are adhered to and taken into account when revisiting policies and procedures. Child protection and safeguarding procedures apply to all staff, volunteers and governors, and any adult visiting the school site and are consistent with the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play in safeguarding children. School staff form part of the wider safeguarding system for children and all of our staff have an equal responsibility to act on any suspicion or disclosure that may suggest a child is at risk of harm.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) - Ross Bovingdon
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) - Helen Clack
MASH
If you believe that urgent action is needed because, for example, a child is in immediate danger or needs accommodation, phone the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 0345 155 1071 and give as much information as you can.
OPERATION ENCOMPASS
We work with Operation Encompass to ensure that there is early reporting to schools that a child or young person has been exposed to domestic abuse or violence.
Prevent relates to the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 which came into force on 1 July 2015. Since 1 July 2015 there has been a duty on schools to have ‘due regard to the need to Prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. This is called the Prevent duty.
At St Wilfrid’s:
All our staff have completed whole school Prevent training and understand the importance of the Prevent strategy.
All our staff understand the duty they have to ensure British values are embedded into our curriculum and pastoral care to support healthy discussion and debate and to promote tolerance.
All our staff understand that any concerns around potential radicalisation and/or extremism should be treated as a safeguarding issue and reported to our safeguarding team.
Our safeguarding team understand the South West Prevent Strategy and how to make a referral.
Early Help is the extra support your family can get if you need it. It may be that you want to prevent a problem, or change things for your family before the problem becomes more serious.
It is not a specific service or team, it’s an approach that brings together people from a range of services and teams who will work together with your whole family to help improve the situation for everyone.
It can offer support to families from pre-birth to adolescents with all sorts of issues from parenting, employment and school attendance to emotional wellbeing or anti-social behaviour.
If you are worried about a child or young person in Devon and want to speak to someone, or if you are a child or young person worried about your own safety please contact the MASH on 0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gov.uk and give as much information as you can. If you or someone else needs immediate help call 999.
Pupil Expectations
Behaviour
Act kindly; treat others as you would like to be treated.
Be polite at all times remembering to say please and thank you.
Don’t interrupt when others are talking.
Respect everyone’s right to a positive working atmosphere where everyone can learn.
Follow requests at the first time of asking.
Environment
Respect the school buildings, the learning spaces and the resources in school.
Walk sensibly around the school creating a calm environment.
At the start of lessons
Arrive to lessons on time, wearing your uniform correctly.
Bring the correct equipment to all lessons.
Put your planner and equipment on your desk and be ready to learn.
Stand behind your chairs until the teacher tells you to sit.
During lessons
Be aspirational about what you can achieve; have high expectations of yourself and others.
When work is difficult, be resilient and solve problems.
Put 100% effort into your learning at all times.
Contribute fully by asking and answering questions.
Listen carefully.
Make sure homework is recorded clearly and accurately in your planner.
At the end of lessons
Pack away calmly. Ensure the learning space is left as you would wish to find it.
Stand behind your chairs and wait to be dismissed.
Leave your lessons calmly and when instructed by the teacher.
Out of school
Remember you are representatives of St Wilfrid’s at all times; be respectful to others and their property.
Model good behaviour whilst travelling to and from school.
School uniform rules apply.
Online Safety
What to do if you experience Online Safety concerns
1) Don’t post any personal information online – like your address, email address or mobile number.
2) Think carefully before posting pictures or videos of yourself. Once you’ve put a picture of yourself online most people can see it and may be able to download it, it’s not just yours anymore.
3) Keep your privacy settings as high as possible
4) Never give out your passwords
5) Don’t befriend people you don’t know
6) Don’t meet up with people you’ve met online. Speak to your parent or carer about people suggesting you do
7) Remember that not everyone online is who they say they are
8) Think carefully about what you say before you post something online
9) Respect other people’s views, even if you don’t agree with someone else’s views doesn’t mean you need to be rude
10) If you see something online that makes you feel uncomfortable, unsafe or worried: leave the website, turn off your computer if you want to and tell a trusted adult immediately.
SEXTING
It’s not okay for someone to pressure you to send a nude.
Feeling pressured can include:
feeling like you owe someone something
worrying that they won’t like you as much if you don’t
being asked over and over again
not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings
worrying about getting into trouble or being hurt if you don’t
being offered money or a gift
anything else that makes you feel like you have to send a nude.
If someone won’t stop messaging you or asking you for nudes, blocking and reporting them can help to keep you and other young people safe.
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE OR THE WAY SOMEONE HAS BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH YOU ONLINE?
Make a report to one of CEOP's Child Protection Advisors
Criminal exploitation is also known as ‘county lines’ and is when gangs and organised crime networks groom and exploit children to sell drugs. Often these children are made to travel across counties, and they use dedicated mobile phone ‘lines’ to supply drugs.
Advice for young people
County Lines gangs groom young people by giving gifts and money – learn how to spot the signs before you become part of a gang.
LGBTQ
Intercom Trustis a lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans+ charity working across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and the wider South West, providing:
Help and Support
Advocacy
Counselling
Training
Information
Support Groups
Online Directory
Community Surveys
Conferences
Consultancy
Mermaidssupports children and young people up to 20 years old who are transgender and/or gender diverse, and their families, and professionals involved in their care.
YoungMinds is working in partnership with BBC Learning to launch The Mind Set, the UK’s first national peer-to-peer coaching network for GCSE pupils. The Mind Set provides information and support on how to manage exam stress.
Get Revising can help you study for your exams – GCSE, AS, A2, International Baccalaureate. Features include a unique revision timetable creator, interactive revision cards, games, and a shared resource library created by members.
If you are self-harming, there is help available and it is important to get the support you need.
Many young people who self-harm do so privately away from other people and do not want to talk to other people about it, sometimes for fear of how people will react, thinking that they might not understand. If you can talk to someone, this may help how you are feeling.
People to talk to
Parents
Grandparents
Auntie/uncle or other relative
Friend
Parents’ friend
Brother or sister
Mentor
Teacher
Youth Worker
If you don’t feel like you can confide in anyone, then go and talk to your GP/School Nurse and seek medical help.
Relationships can make you feel amazing. But they can also leave you feeling stressed out and upset. Get advice if you’re having problems with relationships.
Eating Problems An eating disorder is when a person has an unhealthy attitude to food, which can take over their life and make them ill. It can involve eating too much or too little, or becoming obsessed with weight and body shape. However, there are treatments that can help, and people can recover from an eating disorder.
Eating problems can happen because of lots of different things
Domestic abuse is when a grown-up threatens, bullies or hurts another adult in the family. Sometimes it’s called domestic violence. And it can happen in any family. It can be very hard to deal with but remember that it’s never your fault.
Female genital mutilation, or FGM, is a painful and illegal process that involves cutting and removing a girl’s external genitalia. If you’re worried about FGM there are places to get support and advice.
Find advice and support for parents, children and young people on anxiety, self-harm, depression, eating disorders, temper tantrums, sleep , ADHD, ASD and more
The YoungMinds crisis messenger service provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support, you can text YM to 85258.
Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to adopt increasingly extreme political, social, or religious ideals. This can eventually result in condonation or support of terrorism.
Extremism is the holding of political, religious, ideological ideas or actions that are outside the parameters of the moderate mainstream and not normal, reasonable or acceptable to most people. It is important to understand that extremism in itself is not illegal but it can act as a pathway to terrorism.
Terrorism is the use or threat of action where the use or threat is designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public or a section of the public, and the use or threat is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.
Radicalisation can be really difficult to spot. Signs that may indicate a child is being radicalised include:
isolating themselves from family and friends
talking as if from a scripted speech
unwillingness or inability to discuss their views
a sudden disrespectful attitude towards others
increased levels of anger
increased secretiveness, especially around internet use.
Children who are at risk of radicalisation may have low self-esteem, or be victims of bullying or discrimination. Extremists might target them and tell them they can be part of something special, later brainwashing them into cutting themselves off from their friends and family.
However, these signs don’t necessarily mean a child is being radicalised – it may be normal teenage behaviour or a sign that something else is wrong. If you notice any change in a child’s behaviour and you’re worried, you can call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or call the national police Prevent advice line 0800 011 3764, in confidence, to share your concerns with our specially trained Prevent officers.
We’re here to protect children from harm. It can be hard to know when extreme views become something dangerous. And the signs of radicalisation aren’t always obvious. We’re providing support to adults worried about the radicalisation of a child.
Counselling/Support
If you’re experiencing a personal crisis, are unable to cope and need support, text Shout to 85258.
If your life is in imminent danger, please call 999.
YMCA Exeter– Children and Young People’s Wellbeing Service. A free psychological wellbeing service for 5-18-year-old offering support and intervention for low mood, anxiety and behavioural difficulties. The team of Wellbeing Practitioners use CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) techniques and goal-setting to build up emotional wellbeing and resilience in young people and their families. To speak to someone on the team Tel: 01392 410530 or email:wellbeing@ymcaexeter.org.uk Find out more at the website:
The YoungMinds crisis messenger service provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support, you can text YM to 85258.
Cruse Bereavement Care was founded in 1959 and is a national charity providing free advice, information and support to adults, young people and children who are struggling to cope with grief arising from bereavement, whenever or however the death occurred.
