SafeGuarding

Keeping our children at Phoenix Infants safe is THE most important responsibility we have.

97% of our parents/carers feel their child is safe and happy at Phoenix Infants

(Parent Survey, July 2023.)

OfSTED says of our school:

"there is a strong culture for keeping pupils safe "

Our co-ordinated, whole-school, child-centred approach

'Everyone who works with children has a responsibility for keeping them safe. No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances and, 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.' (Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, p.11.)

our team

If you have any concerns regarding a child, please ask to speak to one of our safeguarding team below straight away:

Amanda Jarrett- Principal/DSL

Becky Austin- Vice Principal/DDSL

Kevin Bowskill - Vice Principal/DDSL

Georgina Tait - EYFS Lead/DDSL

You can also contact one of the following:

Slough Children First: 01753 875362 (9am to 5pm) or 01344 351999 (outside of these hours.)

NSPCC: 0808 800 5000

Police: 999 (where you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm.)

inter-agency collaboration

Information sharing and specialist support are vital to effective safeguarding.

We work very closely with Slough Children First and the Early Help Hub, as well as local primary care specialists, SEBDOS (a traded service which provides schools with the support, advice and training to enable them to meet the needs of pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs - SEMH) and other educational settings.

Information is shared with onward educational settings within 5 working days, and a professional dialogue is also held between those responsible for safeguarding. This is to ensure the continued ongoing safety of all Phoenix pupils.

Operation Encompass

The school is also an Operation Encompass school. Operation Encompass is a partnership between the police and education.

Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools, prior to the start of the next school day, when a child or young person has experienced domestic abuse. As a school we have ensured that a member of our staff, (Designated Safeguarding Lead) known as a Key Adult, has been trained in the Operation Encompass procedures allowing us to then use the information that has been shared, in confidence, to support the child/ren in our care.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 identifies children who experience domestic abuse as victims of domestic abuse in their own right. We are keen to offer the best support possible to all our pupils and we believe this will be extremely beneficial for all those involved.

training for all staff

Developing a secure understanding of safeguarding and processes starts with having high expectations of ourselves and those we work with. We must all embody our school values as well as ensure induction is carried out effectively and reviewed regularly (induction for permanent staff is individually tailored.)

Every year, all staff receive annual update training. Ongoing training is also provided based on identified needs. 'Safeguarding' is a standing item on the school's weekly Whole Staff Briefing emailed by the Principal, and the safeguarding team shares regular information from such specialists as Andrew Hall. Quizzes/surveys are also given to staff to ensure the effectiveness of the training provided.

All staff have a secure knowledge of our safeguarding policies and Keeping Children Safe in Education (2023.)

As part of our training, our system for recording, reporting and retaining incidents/communication - CPOMS - is also reviewed. Our DSL team monitor and review CPOMS entries weekly to ensure systems are effective.

All staff are also provided with weekly health and safety updates as part of Whole Staff Briefings which have included information about the school sites, transition points throughout the school day and medical awareness. Health and safety is also a standing item on ALL team meeting agendas (year groups, inclusion etc.)

Staff have also been provided with the contact details of POSH (Professionals Online Safety Helpline) to support them with any online safety concern they may have as ensuring digital well-being is a crucial part of our safeguarding responsibilities.

SUPPORT FOR OUR CHILDREN

(Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, p.10.)

Our pupil surveys demonstrate that our children enjoy coming to school and feel safe with us. They also know who their trusted adults are.

Our work in school via weekly assemblies, daily collective worship, our curriculum (see below) and pastoral care, including ELSA and LEGO Therapy with children, and meetings with parents/carers, ensures our children are provided with the knowledge to know what's right, how they're feeling/why and what they need to do in certain circumstances.