Part 1 - Safeguarding information for the setting's community (including safeguarding on the curriculum)

The setting has appropriate policies and procedures in place and is accessible to members of the setting’s community.

• Education Settings Safeguarding Policies and National Guidance Checklist
• Statutory policies for schools and academy trusts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Staff are to have read this independently and there are records to indicate that they have signed to say they have read and understood the document.

Governing bodies or equivalent and their senior leadership ensure that mechanisms are put in place to assist staff to understand and discharge their roles.

This can include:

• protecting time,
• making reasonable adjustments,
• exploration of the document throughout the academic year.

• Keeping children safe in education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

There is evidence that all staff (including supply staff, volunteers, peripatetic staff) within the setting revisit systems which support safeguarding at least on an annual basis and has been ratified by the governing body (or equivalent). The policy is up to date with new versions of statutory guidance (Keeping Children Safe in Education, Working Together to Safeguard Children, and for early years providers Early Years Foundation Standards). This includes adherence to statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (Part 2, Safeguarding policies, and procedures). Opportunities have been provided for staff to contribute, feedback and shape safeguarding arrangements and the child protection policy. The setting’s response to child-on-child harm is set out clearly in this policy in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (Part 2).

There is evidence that the policy is updated at least annually and reflects changes and developments nationally and locally. The document reflects the setting’s own local processes and encompasses all that is set out in the AMBER. The policy is a live document which is accessible and regularly used by staff to reflect the setting's own practices.

The setting has referenced easy read/child friendly versions of the following commonly occurring issues:

• The setting’s response to harm and abuse.
• The setting’s response to child-on-child harm
• The setting's complaints process

The safeguarding and child protection policy is adequately cross referenced with other relevant policies and procedures.

• Keeping children safe in education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Model Policy

There is evidence that all staff (including supply staff, volunteers, peripatetic staff) within the setting are aware of systems and processes around the management of children’s behaviour. The policy includes measures to prevent bullying, including cyber bullying, prejudiced-based and discriminatory bullying. Responses to incidents of bullying should cross reference the safeguarding and child protection policy. The behaviour policy has been reviewed and updated to reflect the newest government guidance (see resources).

• Creating a culture: a review of behaviour management in schools - Tom Bennett’s independent review on behaviour in schools
• Behaviour and discipline in schools - statutory guidance for governing bodies
• Respectful school communities: self-review and signposting tool
• Use of reasonable force in schools
• Working together to improve school attendance
• Searching, screening and confiscation at school
• Keeping children safe in education
• School suspensions and permanent exclusion
• Bristol’s Belonging Strategy for Children and Young People: Vision Statement 2021 – 2024

There is evidence that all staff (including supply staff, volunteers, peripatetic staff) within the setting are aware of systems and processes around expectations around professional practice, how to keep themselves safe and how to raise a concern about another member of staff. The document is reviewed at least on an annual basis. The policy has been updated to reflect the setting’s response to low level concerns in line with the expectations of Keeping Children Safe in Education.

In addition to conditions set out in the AMBER: The setting’s policy is a live document which is implemented into practice and contributes towards a culture of safe working practice. There are mechanisms in place that allow the confidence to share concerns on a day-to-day basis and are effectively used. This includes:

• Training and CPD to know what a concern looks like.
• Supportive systems to share concerns easily.
• Opportunities for staff to discuss and provide feedback to leadership to facilitate dialogue and instil it.

• developing-and-implementing-a-low-level-concerns-policy.pdf (farrer.co.uk)
• Staff code of conduct: model and examples | The Key Leaders (thekeysupport.com)

There is evidence that all staff (including supply staff, volunteers, peripatetic staff) within the setting are aware of the systems, processes, and procedures for managing children who go missing from education within the attendance policy. This is reviewed and revisited with all staff at least on an annual basis through training and CPD. The attendance policy has been reviewed and updated to reflect the newest government guidance (see resources).

• Children Missing Education - Statutory guidance for local authorities and advice for other groups on helping children who are missing education get back into it.
• Education for children with health needs who cannot attend school - Statutory guidance for local authorities and departmental advice for others ensuring children with health needs receive education.
• School Admissions Code - Statutory guidance that schools must follow when carrying out duties relating to school admissions.
• Working together to improve school attendance - Replaces School attendance: guidance for schools non-statutory guidance to help schools, trusts, governing bodies, and local authorities maintain high levels of school attendance.
• School behaviour and attendance: parental responsibility measures - Statutory guidance for schools, local authorities, and the police on dealing with poor attendance and behaviour in schools.

Local resources and guidance

• Children Missing Education BCC guidance and reporting form. 

Click here for the Local Authority Attendance Toolkit. 

There is evidence to suggest that Safeguarding responsibilities rely on only one person.

There are explicit statements in relevant policies which are regularly reviewed regarding the joint ownership of the responsibility of safeguarding arrangements across the whole setting’s community. Staff can understand what safeguarding is (using the updated statutory definition) and their own role in safeguarding children. The setting has taken steps to become a ‘trauma informed’ setting and is aware of the impact of the manifestation of trauma from adverse childhood experiences particularly when it comes to the management of behaviour.

• Basic Safeguarding Awareness - To be completed by all education staff.

All staff (including supply staff, volunteers, peripatetic staff) are competent about triaging concerns and can take timely responses to prevent harm. The safeguarding and child protection policy indicates when staff can and should make referrals/call emergency services if going through the Designated Safeguarding Lead would lead to a less timely response, or if they disagree with the decision not to make a referral.

All staff (including supply staff, volunteers, peripatetic staff) are able to refer concerns to Children’s Social Care (First Response or other Local Authority equivalent), the Emergency Duty Team (out of hours) and Adult Social Care (Care Direct or other Local Authority equivalent) if required. This should include developing competence around being able to make decisions to contact emergency services via 999 when a child is at immediate risk of harm or requires urgent medical attention.

In addition to conditions set out in the AMBER: The setting has a robust safeguarding team to provide accessible and timely advice and guidance. There is also an open non-judgemental culture where staff can openly disagree with decisions around whether to make a referral or not. There are mechanisms to facilitate staff to take timely action if required. This could include accessible posters in staff rooms (such as in the Local Authority’s model safeguarding/child protection policy).

The safeguarding and child protection policy has been adapted from a model policy and references local services and procedures. 

The safeguarding and child protection policy has been adapted and/or is aligned to the Local Authority/Local Safeguarding Partnership’s model safeguarding/child protection policy. The setting’s policy is customised and adapted to reflect the setting’s own local resourcing.

• Model Safeguarding Policies and procedures Bristol (bristolsafeguardingineducation.org)
• Welcome to the South West Child Protection Procedures

All staff (including supply staff, volunteers, peripatetic staff) receive annual safeguarding training once an academic year which repeats basic awareness content. Training includes how to keep children safe online for a connected world.

• Bristol Safer Schools App (bristolsafeguardingineducation.org)
• Basic Safeguarding Awareness - To be completed by all education staff.

All staff have received training on their induction highlighting basic safeguarding awareness. This has included understanding the difference between safeguarding and child protection, identifying neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and how to keep children safe online for a connected world.

In addition to conditions set out in the AMBER: There are robust records to indicate whether staff have completed training or require it after a practice concern. Basic awareness is only repeated as and when required. The setting can provide and gain access to basic awareness training for staff who may require repeat training. Annual refreshers are differentiated and build on knowledge to allow for colleagues to reflect on current and updated topics. The setting uses the Local Authority's annual refresher training package to ensure that topics are contextualised. 

• Basic Safeguarding Awareness - To be completed by all education staff.
• Essential Training for Schools and Organisations | SWGfL

The setting’s Designated Safeguarding Lead has undertaken local training through the Local Safeguarding Partnership (and or through the Local Authority) around a range of specific safeguarding topics outlined in Annex B of Keeping Children Safe in Education. The Designated Safeguarding Lead provides advice and guidance in their setting if required.

The setting has developed a sustainable knowledge base and ensured that specialist training is not isolated in one post or position (development of safeguarding champions as subject matter experts).

• Bristol Safeguarding in Education Training schedule
• Keeping children safe in education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Welcome to the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership website. Training (bristolsafeguarding.org)

The setting has at least one member of staff who has attended additional training and CPD around all three topics. This member of staff has authority and capacity to effect change and to ensure compliance with statutory expectations set out in the documents.

In addition to conditions set out in the AMBER: The setting has developed a sustainable knowledge base (through use of subject matter leads/champions) and all staff have a basic awareness of these topics. Knowledge is updated at least on a 3-yearly basis through CPD/networks, reading and research. Those who have attended training have the time, authority, and capacity to cascade knowledge to the setting’s community, coordinating with safeguarding on the curriculum.

• Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• The right to choose: government guidance on forced marriage - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Domestic Abuse Act 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Information and resources

• So-called ‘honour’-based abuse (including Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage) & domestic abuse.

All members of staff have had training around sexual violence, sexual harassment, and harmful sexual behaviour and how this relates to the setting’s safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures for responding to child-on-child harm. There is evidence that staff are familiar with the statutory expectations in relation to responding to sexual violence and sexual harassment (Part 5 of Keeping Children Safe in Education). The Designated Safeguarding Lead is aware of the local services and the South West Survivor Pathway. 

For Early Years providers - staff are aware and have access to the NPSCC resources around PANTS. 

In addition to conditions set out in the AMBER: The setting has a member of staff who has undertaken additional local CPD/training to understand local procedures and services in line with expectations from the Child Sexual Abuse pathway. The setting has ensured that those colleagues who have responsibility for safeguarding, special educational needs and disability and managing behaviour have:

• undertaken advanced training (Brook Traffic Light toolkit) to ensure a trauma informed, proportionate, and safeguarding approach to incidents of sexual abuse and sexual harassment

Relevant members of staff are able to navigate the Child Sexual Abuse Response Pathway and are able to manage risk in line with Part 5 of Keeping Children Safe in Education.

• Keeping children safe in education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Welcome - SARSAS Survivor Pathways

Information and resources: 

• CPD: Brook Sexual Behaviours Traffic Light Tool (RSE) Course
• Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) - Topical Safeguarding Resources
• PANTS resources for schools and teachers | NSPCC Learning

The setting has provided training historically to all members of staff through a whole school programme (Or access to the Home Office E-learning). There is limited evidence that this has been refreshed at least on an annual basis.

In addition to conditions set out in the AMBER: The setting provides at least annual updates on Prevent to reflect local and national considerations. Topics are informed by the setting’s Prevent self-assessment to ensure relevancy and application to setting’s community and cohort of children. This is integrated within the wider development and effectiveness of the setting’s safeguarding culture. The setting attends locality-based meetings to inform intelligence and understanding of its community. 

• Information and resources: Preventing Radicalisation
• http://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/
• Prevent Education Workforce Training

The setting has a policy regarding teaching safeguarding on the curriculum (or differentiated for early years) that is reviewed on an annual basis. The policy covers teaching about online safety. The setting has appointed a RSHE/PSHE lead who has reviewed the curriculum in line with statutory guidance Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education, or the Early Years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework (for early years settings)

In addition to conditions set out in the AMBER: The setting’s policy, since 2020, has been co-constructed with the setting’s community to incorporate duties from the statutory guidance. This includes:

• staff,
• children,
• the parenting community.

• Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The setting has reviewed the teaching of the protected characteristics and taken measurable actions to implement changes.

There are mechanisms to ensure curriculum delivery is responsive to the needs of the setting’s community by reviewing localised data (e.g., healthy schools’ data, pupil voice, safeguarding trends, parent/carer consultations). The curriculum is planned and delivered so that children develop age-appropriate knowledge and understanding around respect for all people during their time at the setting.

• Inspecting teaching of the protected characteristics in schools - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The setting can evidence protected time on the setting’s timetable to ensure children are taught to make sense of their feelings, are listened to, and develop a sense of trust in adults whom they can turn to for help and advice. The setting has systems in place (which are well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible) for children to confidently report worries, knowing their concerns will be treated seriously. The setting has systems in place for children to report concerns anonymously. Action has been taken to build trusted relationships which facilitate communication.

In addition to conditions set out in the AMBER: The setting regularly revisits developing trusted relationships with adults throughout the academic year through a holistic RSHE/PSHE curriculum with protected time on the setting’s timetable. The effectiveness of the setting’s systems in place for children to report concerns has been reviewed with children through feedback. The Designated Safeguarding Lead/Safeguarding Team has taken measurable action to develop a culture of listening for children and consider their wishes and feelings amongst all staff. This includes understanding any difficulties that children may have in approaching staff about their circumstances. The setting uses data to identify current trends and concerns and can address these quickly to provide students with appropriate guidance and support to enable them to keep safe.

• Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education - GOV.UK