Safeguarding

The DSL in each School, supported by its Safeguarding Team, is responsible for the day-to-day care and safety of its pupils and community. Posters with DSL and DDSL information are displayed across all school sites. We use a software package, CPOMS, in every school to record concerns, information and actions to ensure leaders and managers keep pupils safe.

 
The Headteacher of each school submits a termly safeguarding report to the LGB on Safeguarding and answers to Governors’ questions. These identify safeguarding issues and also report on training, updates and Trust feedback from school monitoring visits.

 
Each School has a dedicated part of their website to highlight their Safeguarding work as well as links to CEOPS and Online Safety advice. 

Each of our schools provides a robust challenge for all visitors, with safeguarding information and signposting to the DSL team highlighted on arrival.  

Each school provides all the adults employed by the setting, governors and unsupervised visitors with up-to-date training annually. They also provide ‘refresher’ training and updates on Safeguarding, Child Protection, the Prevent Strategy and other relevant safeguarding training. 

In accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education, the Trust and its schools follow safer recruitment processes. For any appointments made to the Trust or at any of our schools, a very stringent process of pre-employment checks is fully completed before staff or other adults are allowed to start work. This focus is included in job descriptions and in the interviews we conduct. The Single Central Record is updated following appointments and monitored by the safeguarding governor in each school and the Trust’s Central Team. 

The Trust DSL is available at all times to support the local safeguarding teams. There is a Trust DSL Network which meets half termly to talk through new initiatives, training opportunities, local issues and the wider perspectives involving child protection.  

The Trust DSL has oversight of all the schools’ CPOMS record of safeguarding data so that areas of need can be quickly identified, and support put in place. The Trust DSL reports to the Board of Trustees on all matters of Safeguarding who also receive reports from the Safeguarding Trustee. 

Currently, all our recently Ofsted inspected schools [last 12 months] have been deemed ‘Effective’ in terms of safeguarding. 

Trust Central Team and Trustees

All our staff and Trustees are required to undertake relevant safeguarding training, and this is regularly reviewed by the Trust DSL to ensure it is up to date. A training database for all staff and volunteers is maintained.