Schools have a duty of care to report any concerns if a child or young person may be at risk of suffering harm, neglect or abuse. It is a requirement that each School in the country designates a senior member or members of staff to have special responsibility for child protection and safeguarding.

The safeguarding leads have been trained in accordance with legislative requirements and deal with all these matters with professionalism and confidentiality. The School Designated Safeguarding Lead is Ms Jackson (Assistant Headteacher Inclusion). The School Safeguarding Leads/Deputies are Ms Gooden (Headteacher and whole School safeguarding), Mr Kennedy (Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5) and Mrs Corker (Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5). Additionally, Key Stage Leaders and Pastoral Managers have received advanced safeguarding training.

Students and families will be signposted to both internal and external interventions and support as appropriate.

The School has a legal responsibility to collate basic information for a student and to pass this information onto the relevant agencies if requested. In the event of an investigation into possible child abuse, to protect the welfare of a young person, the School has a legal duty to co-operate with the investigating agencies and to ensure the welfare of the young person. Whilst the School will always attempt to work in partnership with parents and try to ensure that parents are fully informed of and participate in any action concerning their child, if there is a conflict of interest, the welfare of the child must be the paramount consideration.

Should you wish to discuss the issue of child protection, please contact the School and ask to speak with Ms Jackson.