Concerns about the safety of a child?

Everyone has a responsibility for protecting and safeguarding children, not just the ‘professionals’.

If you think a child or young person is being abused or mistreated or you have concerns about the safety or welfare of a child, you must speak to someone immediately.

You can ring the Integrated Front Door (previously MASH) on 01234 718700 (office hours) or 0300 300 8123 (out of hours).

If a child is in immediate danger or left alone, call the Police on 999.

You can also speak to our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Callum Brown (Headteacher) by contacting the school office.

Further advice and support for parents related to safeguarding can be found on our page, "Advice, Support and Useful Links."

Prevent

Oakley Primary Academy recognises and welcomes its duty under Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, 2015, in the exercise of its functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. You can view our Prevent Action Plan by clicking here.

Meridian Trust Prevent Guidance

Safety Information for Visitors

We hope that your visit will be enjoyable, informative and safe. Please help us by reading and complying with the guidance contained within this webpage, which is intended to ensure your health and safety whilst at Oakley Primary Academy. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of staff who will be happy to help.

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy 2023-24

Security

All visitors and contractors coming into the Academy must sign in at Reception using our electronic system. Please ensure your visitors pass and lanyard are clearly visible at all times.

Contractors

• Contractors must ensure that they follow any health and safety guidelines that may apply.
• Contractors working within school hours must hold a valid DBS enhanced disclosure certificate and produce a copy or details thereof.

Mobile Phones/Photographs

We operate and promote a ‘phone free environment’ at Oakley Primary Academy. Visitors may not use mobile phones anywhere on site, including taking photographs of the Academy, staff or students.

Fire and Evacuation

• Your host will explain what to do in the case of emergencies and fire alarms

• The alarm is a continuous bell. You must leave the building by the nearest fire exit

• Stay with your host as they will escort you to the assembly point (School Field) and ensure that you are recorded as present

• Do not take any personal risks

• You must not re-enter the building until told it is safe to do so.

Lockdown Procedure

• The school has a lockdown procedure that is used in emergencies only. This only happens when there is an immediate threat to staff and student safety
• Please follow staff guidance if a lockdown situation does occur and await further instructions from staff who will take you to the nearest safe place.

First Aid

If you need first aid or feel unwell, please report to the Academy’s Reception where you can be seen by a qualified first aider. A list of current first aiders can be found on the inside of the office door.

Smoking and Vaping

Bedford Academy operates a no smoking policy. Please do not smoke or vape anywhere on the Academy site. If you do wish to smoke, then please leave the school site and away from any school signage.

Car Parking

• All vehicles and their contents are left at the owner’s risk
• Please be aware that space is very tight and if you do block someone in please inform the office upon arrival.

BEDFORD BOROUGH ENCOMPASS

Oakley Primary Academy has signed up with the Borough to be part of a school notification service where incidents of abuse have been reported to Bedfordshire Police from households where children reside and are on roll.
Please click on the link below for further details and if you have any queries, please contact Callum Brown at school on 01234 822104.

https://www.operationencompass.org/

SAFEGUARDING

OFSTED definition:

• Protecting children from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of children's health or development
• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

It is everyone's responsibility to RECOGNISE and RESPOND to any concerns about the welfare of a child or young person.

Safeguarding Guidance for Staff and Visitors to the Academy

Adults visiting or working on the Academy site play an important part in the life of the school. Please observe the following guidelines:

• Do not give any personal information to students, such as your mobile number or email address
• Do not give students details of your personal social network accounts or engage in any communication with students using social networking sites.

If a student makes a disclosure to you, do not promise confidentiality; explain that you will need to talk to someone else. Inform the designated senior person for child protection.

If you have any concerns that a student may be at risk of harm, report it immediately to the Designated Persons or the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for child protection,
who can be contacted at reception.

Designated Persons at Oakley Primary Academy

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is Callum Brown (Headteacher), the Deputy Safeguarding Leads are Anna Collis and Julie Atherton.

The role of the DSLs is to ensure students are safe by responding to safeguarding alerts and following these through to ensure appropriate action is taken.

This includes proactively working with students, families and external agencies to ensure students’ needs are identified and met. DSLs are all appropriately trained and attend regular meetings to ensure everyone is working together to safeguard the students at Oakley Primary Academy.

Contact Information

Oakley Primary Reception: 01234 822104

Integrated Front Door (previously MASH): email: multi.agency@bedford.gov.uk or call 01234 718700 (office hours) or 0300 300 8123 (out of hours)

Safeguarding Children Board-Bedford Borough Council: www.lscb@bedford.gov.uk

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO): lado@bedford.gov.uk or call 01234 276693

NSPCC Whistleblowing: help@nspcc.org.uk or call 0800 028 0285

If there is a child protection emergency or an allegation made against a member of staff, you must pass this on to the Academy Principal: cbrown@oakleyprimary.academy

If an allegation is made against the Headteacher, the Chair of Governors must be informed, 
please write to: Chair of Governors, Kevin Barton c/o Oakley Primary Academy, Station Road, Oakley, MK43 7RE or email LJones@cmatrust.net

If an allegation is made against the Chair of Governors, please contact: CEO of CMAT, Mark Woods, mwoods@cmatrust.net

If you have an emergency safeguarding issue and cannot contact the school, contact the police directly on 101

Child Protection

Safeguarding and Child Protection Statement

Schools* are strongly advised to inform parents/carers of their safeguarding and child protection procedures and the requirement to refer concerns to Social Care. The following information can be used in the school’s brochure/prospectus and on websites:

Under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 (as amended), *the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, the Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015, and the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (as amended) to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

We will endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued.

The school will therefore be alert to signs of abuse and neglect and will follow the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Partnership Board’s procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support and protection.

Parents/carers should know that the law requires all school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Parents/carers should know that records of safeguarding concerns may be kept about their child. They should be informed that school staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with them including referrals to other agencies.

Local procedures state that “Consent should always be sought from an adult with parental responsibility for the child/young person before passing information about them to Children’s Social Care, unless seeking consent would place the child at risk of significant harm or may lead to the loss of evidence for example destroying evidence of a crime or influencing a child about a disclosure made.” This includes allowing them to share information without consent, if it is not possible to gain consent, if it cannot be reasonably expected that a professional gains consent, or if to gain consent would place a child at risk.

Where there is a need to share special category personal data, the Data Protection Act 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows professionals to share information.

In accordance with legislation and local Information Sharing protocols, we will ensure that information is shared securely and sensitively. Information will only be shared with other services where it is deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure that children and young people are safe and receive the right service. In all circumstances, the safety of the child will be the paramount concern.

Schools will contact Children’s Social Care when they have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later shown to be unfounded. Parents/carers will appreciate that the member of staff in the school with responsibility for child protection (known as the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) was carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acting in the best interests of all children.

Under Section 3 (5) of the Children Act 1989, any person who has care of a child “may….do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the purpose of safeguarding promoting the child’s welfare”. This means that on rare occasions, a school may need to “hold” a child in school whilst Social Care and the Police investigate any concerns further.

* The word ‘school’ is used throughout but this would include all educational settings e.g. Academies, Pupil Referral Units, Further Education establishments and Independent schools.

Thank you for helping to keep Oakley Primary Academy safe.