Safeguarding
Smithdon High School recognises the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help all our students to feel safe, secure and respected; encourage them to talk openly, and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to. All our staff at Smithdon High School act as positive role models.
Our safeguarding team with the pastoral team work to ensure our students are safe, happy and thriving.
There will always be a member of staff that students will be able to talk to; but staff cannot keep secrets. Staff have a duty of care to ensure all students are safe, which means that they may need to share information with other agencies and organisations to make sure students and families get the best support possible.
Our full child protection policy is available on this website in our policy section.
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding covers all aspects of keeping children safe at Smithdon High School. Promoting the welfare of children is defined as:
- protecting children from maltreatment;
- preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development;
- ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;
- taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
As a school there are set government guidelines which we have to adhere to regarding the safeguarding of our children. Some of these are listed below:
- Department of Education - Keeping Children Safe in Education
- Department of Education - Keeping children safe in education: for school and college staff (part 1)
- Working Together to Safeguard Children
All staff and visitors are expected to treat each other with respect and to behave in a professional manner. All staff are required to wear their staff lanyards and badges at all times. All Visitors and Volunteers are always required to sign in and out and wear a visitor badge .
All external visitors who wish to meet with students must have a current, Enhanced DBS certificate. External agencies must provide Smithdon HIgh School with the name of the person(s), together with their DBS certificate number and issue date before meeting with students. No student will be seen alone unless we have verification of documentation.
Operation Encompass
We are an Operation Encompass school. Encompass has been set up to help schools provide support to children who have been present at incidents of domestic violence. Smithdon High School will be taking part in a jointly run operation with Norfolk County Council and Norfolk Police. The school will receive a confidential phone call from the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub before 9am in the morning after any domestic incident where a child at our school had been involved, present or witnessed.
The information is given to the school's Key Adults who are: Ms R Bazeley-Smith and Mrs Gibbins, they will then enable support to be given depending on the needs and wishes of the child. We are keen to offer the best support possible to our pupils and we believe this is going to be extremely beneficial to all those involved. For more information on Operation Encompass please click on the link: https://www.operationencompass.org/
Further support for domestic abuse can be found:
- https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/safety/domestic-abuse/how-to-get-help/get-help-now
- National Helpline 24hrs - 0808 2000 247
- Norfolk Police - non-emergency - 101
- Respect helpline for perpetrators - 0808 802 4040
- Victim Support - 0808 1689 111
- Men's Advice Line - 0808 801 0327
- Leeway - 0300 561 0077
- Elder Abuse - 0808 808 8141
- Childline - 0800 1111
- Galop - 0800 999 5428
What to do if you are worried about someone’s safety or wellbeing
If you have any concerns or are worried about your child’s or anybody else’s safety or wellbeing you can contact any of the members of staff listed below:
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Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Ms R Bazeley-Smith 01485 536113 safeguarding@smithdonhigh.org.uk |
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Alternate DSL Mrs A Gibbins 01485 534541 |
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Lead DSL Mr D Ward |
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Deputy DSL Ms T Bucke |
All reports of any concerns should be channelled through the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
If you are concerned about a child in Norfolk and want to speak to someone outside of school hours, please know that everyone can contact CADS on 0344 800 8020. Or NSPCC to make an anonymous referral: 0808 800 5000.
If your concern is about a staff member or volunteer you should report this to the Headteacher: Mrs A Gibbins on: 01485 534541 or head@smithdonhighschool.org.uk.
If your concern is about the Headteacher you should inform the Chair of Governors, via the school office on 01485 534541.
Safeguarding Children
For information regarding our safer schools partnership with the Norfolk Constabulary and ways to help protect and safeguard your child. Please click on the links below:
Internet Safety
You will also find on this page information on Safeguarding your children whilst using the Internet and other Social Media outlets.
Please click on the links below for further information
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Web Address |
Description |
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A link to the CEOP site, which provides parents with advice on Internet safety. |
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A direct link to the 'Parents' and Carers' Guide to the Internet, including keeping your child safe online |
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| https://www.bbfc.co.uk/about-classification |
Welcome to Parents BBFC - the website which allows parents to make an informed decision about what films their children watch and the games they play. |
| Pocket Guide to Social Media Safeguarding | An A-Z Pocket Guide of Social Media Apps produced by the Norfolk Constabulary for parents. |
| Sexting Leaflet | A guide produced by the Norfolk Constabulary on the consequences of sexting. |
| Child Safety On Line | Social Media Guide for Parents |
Internet Watch Foundation - IWF
The Internet Watch Foundation work to minimise the availability of online sexual abuse content.
Specifically:
- Child sexual abuse content* hosted anywhere in the world.
- Non-photographic child sexual abuse images hosted in the UK.
The majority of their work focuses on the removal of child sexual abuse images and videos. Working internationally to make the Internet a safer place. Further information on the work of the IWF can be found by clicking here.
IWF’s Self-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Campaign
This campaign launched in April 2021 backed by the UK Home Office and Microsoft, aims to empower girls, and warn their parents and carers about the risks posed by online predators targeting children.
The IWF's aim is to build resilience to the threat of self-generated sexual abuse of children, thereby reducing the number of incidences.
Further information and video presentations about this campaign, and how we can increase the awareness of how to respond safely to requests online for self-generated child sexual abuse material; and for parents/carers to have an increased awareness of self-generated child sexual abuse online and feel motivated and equipped to protect their children, can be found by clicking here.
Further advice, guidance and support for students and parents
Just One Norfolk website: https://www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk
Phone: 0300 300 0123
A local resource providing advice on all aspects of life for a child/ young person. Specific information about emotional health for young people and parents. An App is also available.
Chat health: https://www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk/our-services/chathealth
Text: 07480 635060
ChatHealth is a confidential text messaging service that enables children and young people (aged 11-19) to contact their local public health nursing (school nursing) team. You can get in touch for advice about any aspect of your physical or emotional health.
Young Minds: https://youngminds.org.uk/
Lots of information about young people’s mental health, with various resources available. Parents’ helpline also available.
Kooth: https://www.kooth.com/
Kooth has helpful articles, personal experiences and tips from young people and our Kooth team. There are discussion boards where you can chat or join a conversation with the friendly Kooth community. Lots of topics to choose from! You can also chat to the kooth team about anything that’s on your mind. Message kooth or have a live chat.
Childline website: https://www.childline.org.uk/
Phone: 0800 1111
Get help and advice about a wide range of issues, call us, talk to a counsellor online, send Childline an email or post on the message boards.Lots of advice for children, young people and parents/ carers. Plenty of ideas for activities too.
Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/
Phone: 116 123
Email: jo@samaritans.org
We're waiting for your call. Whatever you're going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. We're here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
Phone: 0800 1111
Call us or email help@nspcc.org.uk.
Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/
Phone: 0300 123 3393 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except for bank holidays)
Text: 86463
Mind offers information and advice to people with mental health problems.
Children In Employment - Whilst still in Education
The law states that any person wishing to employ a child must apply to the Local Authority (LA) for a work permit. The application must be signed by the parent and employer and in some instances the child’s school is also asked to sign the form. Employing any child without a work permit is an offence and an employer may be prosecuted. Children may not also be covered by relevant employment insurance.
Legislation is clear in that any employment should not have a detrimental impact or prevent a child from obtaining the full benefit of their education. Throughout the country most schools’ opinions are sought before the Local Authority issues a work permit, either by asking them to sign the same form or by sharing their concerns via email.
Below are a series of leaflets aimed at children, schools and parents and employers which help to explain the rules around child employment and the types of work children can and cannot do, along with the contact details for Norfolk County Council Children's Services Department.
Have You Got a Part Time Job? - Children's Leaflet
Do your Children Have Jobs? - Parent/School Leaflet
Do yo Employ Children? - Employer Leaflet
Further information can be found by visiting our web site at www.norfolk.gov.uk/children-and-families/children-in-employment-and-entertainment.