Safeguarding
Safeguarding & Child Protection
All staff receive appropriate training at regular intervals. We have excellent recruitment procedures; every member of staff has full checks as do visitors, regular volunteers, supply teachers and contractors who work in school hours. We have policies and practices that focus on ensuring the health and well-being of the children, for example: risk assessments before every class trip, an annual safety check of our playground, a medicine in school policy.
We have well-established ways of monitoring and responding to incidents of concern, for example: unexplained absences, difficult behaviour and significant changes in physical or emotional appearance. The ethos of the school is open so that staff, parents and children feel able to share concerns. Parents who volunteer on a regular basis (at least once a week) will be asked to undertake full DBS checks.
How can parents help with keeping children safe?
- Make sure all addresses and contact numbers are up to date
- If someone different is picking your child up, please let us know
- Be at school on time every day at 8.45 am and 3.15/20 pm
- Notify the school about your child’s absence every day of absence – unexplained absences are a key trigger for concern
- Take full note of the advice to parents/carers if you are accompanying a class trip and ensure that you attend the briefing meeting
- Share any concerns you may have about another child with a member of staff or one of the designated child protection team
Child Protection Team:
Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mr Rob Pepper (Head Teacher)
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mrs Kirsty Cochrane (Pastoral Support Advisor)
Level 3 Trained: Mrs Hannah Ocean Deputy Headteacher
Level 3 Trained: Miss Zofia Rumistrzewicz, Assistant Head/SENDCo
Level 3 Trained: Mrs Christine Ward, Teaching Assistant
All Child Protection staff can be contacted via the school office: 01752 894163
Email: admin@stowford.devon.sch.uk
Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) Tel: 0345 155 1071
(The MASH Parent Fact Sheet can be found in the links below)
Make a request for support or report a child safety concern
If you are a parent or carer, a member of the public, a child or young person or a professional you can now use the online form to make a request for support for early help or to report a child safety concern.
If you are worried about the safety of a child in Devon and want to speak to someone, or if you are a child worried about your own safety, please contact the MASH team on 0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gov.uk.
If a child is at immediate risk contact the police on 999.
Safeguarding - One Minute Guides
Devon Education Services have produced a series of 'One Minute' Guidance documents which are quick reference guides that provide important safeguarding information.
Please click here to access the One Minute Guides.
e-safety:
At Stowford, we take the e-Safety of our young people very seriously and aim to deliver a high quality curriculum which will equip them with the skills and the integrity needed to stay safe online in the modern world. If you have any questions or require any further support please see your child's class teacher, our computing lead (Mr JDavid Vear) or any of the safeguarding officers.
Please click on the links below for further information:
https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/
https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/parents-and-carers
http://www.vodafone.com/content/digital-parenting.html
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/articles/keeping-your-under-five-safe-online/