Safeguarding
Shepherdswell Academy carries out refresher safeguarding courses annually, which include PREVENT, FGM and Keeping Children Safe in Education. We revisit our safeguarding policy termly, and it is updated annually.
Emergency Designated Safeguarding Lead contact (outside of office hours only)
- Ruth Ryan - Headteacher - DSL Emergancy Contact Telephone Number 07500 559268
Please find below our school safeguarding policies.
Shepherdswell Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
Shepherdswell Safeguarding Policy COVID19 Addendum
Our safeguarding commitment
The Everyone’s Invited campaign has rightly served to focus our minds on the need to continue to work together to protect children.
We, at EMAT, believe that schools play a crucial role in teaching pupils about sex and relationships, equality and diversity and modern citizenship as well as preparing them for the modern world. This is enacted through each school’s culture, its curriculum, and all policies. We aim to give all pupils and staff a voice to enable them to act in a protective manner towards themselves and others. This includes developing a robust whistleblowing culture as well as fostering a culture of integrity and mutual respect.
We recognise that we have the responsibility of tackling sexual violence and harassment, instilling values in our stakeholders and encourage all to be driven by their strong moral compass. Like so much of education, our work must complement that undertaken by parents and carers so that young people receive a consistent message, and they can go about their lives free from harassment and abuse.
All of our schools will continue to engage with their stakeholders, listen to their concerns and signpost necessary support and provision within and beyond its schools. We ask that anyone who has experienced such behaviour, or who is suffering because of it, to report it to an appropriate adult either in the school or within the EMAT team so they can be supported, and steps can be taken to address the issue.
A dedicated NSPCC helpline is now available to support anyone who has experienced sexual abuse in educational settings or has concerns about someone or the issues raised. The dedicated NSPCC helpline number is 0800 136 663 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk.
Staff members can also seek support from Employee’s Assist on 08000 305 182.
If you are troubled about possible wrongdoing at work, please don’t keep it to yourself. Our Whistleblowing Policy is there to reassure you that it is safe and acceptable to speak up and to enable you to raise any concern you may have at an early stage and in the right way. If you feel unable to raise the matter with your manager, for whatever reason, please raise the matter with:
- EMAT Head of Governance & Compliance – Monica Juan – monica.juan@emat.uk
- EMAT Senior Workforce Planning & HRBP – Ruhena Mahmood – ruhena.mahmood@emat.uk
If you are unsure about raising a concern you can get free and independent advice from Protect helpline on 020 3117 2520 or by emailing whistle@protect-advice.org.uk.
Our Safeguarding Leads
- Ruth Ryan – Headteacher ruth.ryan@shepherdswell.emat.uk
- Richard Loader – Teaching and Learning Lead richard.loader@shepherdswell.emat.uk
- Colbie Robinson – Teaching and Learning Lead colbie.robinson@shepherdswell.emat.uk
- Elaine Noctor – Family Liaison Officer elaine.noctor@shepherdswell.emat.uk
- Kelly Avery – Children and Family Support Worker kelly.avery@shepherdswell.emat.uk
- Claudia Wade – Chair of Governors claudia.wade@emat.uk
- Chris Akpakwu – Safeguarding Governor governance@emat.uk
Other useful contacts:
Milton Keynes Safeguarding Board Policies and Procedures can be found here:
https://www.mkscb.org/policy-procedures/
Milton Keynes Council Strengthening Families information can be found here:
Other safeguarding links:
Safer MK - Working Together to keep Milton Keynes Safe
Milton Keynes Safeguarding Children Board (MASH)
MK ACT - helping people move on from domestic abuse in Milton Keynes
E-Safety Links:
Childnet - making the internet safer for children
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Website
Our Ethos
OUR ETHOS
The child’s welfare is of paramount importance. Our academies will establish and maintain an ethos where pupils feel secure, are encouraged to talk, are listened to and are safe. Children at our academies will be able to talk freely to any member of staff at our academies if they are worried or concerned about something. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding children. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals should make sure their approach is child-centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child. We recognise that staff at our academies play a particularly important role as they are in a position to identify concerns early and provide help for children to prevent concerns from escalating. All staff are advised to maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ where safeguarding is concerned. No single professional can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. If children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action. All staff and regular visitors will, through training and induction, know how to recognise indicators of concern, how to respond to a disclosure from a child and how to record and report this information. We will not make promises to any child and we will not keep secrets. Every child will know what the adult will have to do with any information they have chosen to disclose. Throughout our curriculum we will provide activities and opportunities for children to develop the skills they need to identify risks and stay safe. This will also be extended to include material that will encourage our children to develop essential life skills. At all times we will work in partnership and endeavour to establish effective working relationships with parents, carers and colleagues from other agencies as outlined in statutory guidance. All school and college staff should be aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases, multiple issues will overlap with one another The Trust recognises that staff involved in Safeguarding issues may find certain aspects distressing, so each Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) will offer support, advice and expertise to all school staff who raise safeguarding concerns.
