Keeping children Safe
In our school, we expect that all children will be in the care of an adult at all times – both at school and at home. However, we teach the children to be aware of their own safety, and how to act in risky situations, in the following contexts:
- E.safety
- Medicine safety and risky rubbish
- Fire safety
- Road safety and car safety
- Safer buildings and safer strangers
- Personal safety
- Sun safety
- Radicalisation
In addition to these areas, all adults respond to opportunities to reinforce pupils’ understanding of risks and staying safe when opportunities arise in discussion or conversation.
Links are made with other areas of learning and study whenever possible:
- When children visit the Park, teachers remind them about risky rubbish. When children are taken on school visits, they are reminded about road safety, using the Green Cross Code. They are also reminded about what to do if they get lost, using the Safer Stranger, safer buildings approach.
- Our Forest School teachers teach the children about the risks of fire. After every Fire Drill, the children are reminded that if they see a fire they should tell an adult or call 999, but should never attempt to put the fire out themselves. During our topic on the Fire of London in Year 2, teachers use resources from The London Fire Brigade.
- Safety in the home, including the risk of medicines and household chemicals, is looked at when topics relating to health are covered (Funnybones in Y1, and Healthy lifestyles in Y2).
- In Y2, PANTS materials are used to discuss personal safety and privacy.
- All staff have been informed about the PREVENT strategy, and the signs of radicalisation. Respect for the Faiths and cultures of others is actively promoted through our school rules and values.
- All staff have had e-safety training, and each year group is taught about keeping safe online.
All staff are aware of their responsibilities for safeguarding children when they are in school, and also for teaching them to stay safe when they are not in school.
Risky Rubbish and out in the park.
Children must be reminded not to pick up or touch anything that does not belong to them, in case it is dangerous or dirty. They are reminded to tell an adult if they see anything that is unusual, but not to touch it at all. Year 2 teachers will use the following websites to consider all types of risky rubbish and how to keep safe when out and about. You might like to look with your child.
www.juniorcitizen.org.uk/kids/riskyrubbish/
www.safetynetwork.org.uk/node/109
Safety in the home, including Medicines and household chemicals.
This is a great interactive game that takes the players up through several levels of identifying hazards – lots of opportunities to talk about keeping safe (British Red Cross website).
After every Fire Drill, the children are reminded that if they see a fire they should tell an adult or call 999, but should never attempt to put the fire out themselves. During our topic on the Fire of London in Year 2, teachers will use resources from The London Fire Brigade to teach about Fire Safety in more depth.
The underwear rule – PANTS (NSPCC). Taught specifically during the Funnybones topic in Y1, when they are naming body parts etc
Green Cross Code, and being seen at night.
Safer strangers safer buildings.
There are lots of resources on this subject which can be accessed through the website above. There is a film to watch about a 6 year old called Teigan who uses the code when she gets lost.
This topic is ideal for reception children in the early summer – with lots of slip, slop, slap posters etc.
All schools have a duty to contribute to the prevention of radicalisation which could lead to terrorism or extremism. This is part of our safeguarding duty. All staff are aware of the signs of vulnerability or radicalisation and know how to refer their concerns.
Signs of vulnerability
There are no known definitive indicators that a young person is vulnerable to radicalisation, but there are number of signs that together increase the risk. Signs of vulnerability include:
- underachievement
- being in possession of extremist literature
- poverty
- social exclusion
- worrying comments on traumatic events
- worrying comments on global or national events
- religious conversion
- change in behaviour
- extremist influences
- conflict with family over lifestyle
- confused identify
- victim or witness to race or hate crimes
- rejection by peers, family, social groups or faith
Recognising Extremism
Early indicators of radicalisation or extremism may include:
- showing sympathy for extremist causes
- glorifying violence, especially to other faiths or cultures
- making remarks or comments about being at extremist events or rallies outside school
- evidence of possessing illegal or extremist literature
- advocating messages similar to illegal organisations or other extremist groups
- out of character changes in dress, behaviour and peer relationships (but there are also very powerful narratives, programmes and networks that young people can come across online so involvement with particular groups may not be apparent.)
- secretive behaviour
- online searches or sharing extremist messages or social profiles
- intolerance of difference, including faith, culture, gender, race or sexuality
- graffiti, art work or writing that displays extremist themes
- attempts to impose extremist views or practices on others
- verbalising anti-Western or anti-British views
- advocating violence towards others
Referral Process
Staff and visitors to the school must refer all concerns about children and young people who show signs of vulnerability or radicalisation must be passed to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (Robert Waiting).