Student-Friendly Safeguarding Policy

Keeping You Safe in School

Biddulph High School is our Academy and we want it to be a safe place. All adults in school will do everything they can to make sure you are protected and happy. To help them do this they have lots of rules to follow. This policy is to help you understand what Safeguarding means to you and to help you decide what could be a ‘problem’ and whom you should talk to.

The school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead is:

 

Mrs Emma Moss

Assistant Headteacher

The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is:

 

Mrs Sonia Dyson

Safeguarding & Student Welfare Co-ordinator

Staff in the Academy know that Safeguarding means that they should:

• Protect you from harm
• Make sure nothing stops you being healthy or developing properly
• Make sure you are safely looked after
• Make sure you have the best life chances and can grow up happy and successful.

Staff agree that to make sure they look after you they will:

• Make the Academy a friendly, welcoming and supportive place to spend time in – somewhere you want to be
• Be there for you to talk to if you need to and know who to ask for help
  Give you safe messages in your lessons to help you learn how to look after yourself both online and in the real world
• Have all the right rules in place to look after you. They will follow these rules all of the time (these rules are sometimes called policies).

Abuse

When someone hurts you it can be called abuse. This is when someone does something to you that is harmful, unpleasant or painful like:

• If someone deliberately hits you, hurts you, injures you or humiliates you in different ways
• If someone says or does something that makes you feel bad about yourself or hurts your feelings which makes you feel scared, sad, upset or frightened
• If someone shouts, threatens, hits or hurts someone you love whilst you are around which makes you scared, unhappy or worried
• If someone doesn’t take proper care of you so you feel abandoned, lonely or neglected. You might not be able to eat or wash regularly, or you might not be able to come to school every day or on time
• If someone touches any part of your body in a way that you don’t like
  If someone makes you look at things which make you feel ashamed, embarrassed, uncomfortable or guilty. They may ask you to keep it a secret or give you. 

ABUSE IS NEVER OK. IF YOU ARE BEING OR HAVE BEEN ABUSED

YOU MUST REMEMBER – IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT

YOU MUST ALWAYS TELL SOMEONE AND THEY WILL HELP IT TO STOP

In and Out of School 

All of the staff at Biddulph High School will do their best to make sure the building is safe for you to learn in and spend time in. We will make sure that we know who everyone is in the school by asking visitors to sign in at reception. You will always know who a visitor to the school is because they will have signed in at reception and will display the printed badge they receive. People that we do not know will never be allowed to spend time with you on your own and will not be allowed to walk around the school without a member of staff. The buildings, outside areas and fields will be as safe as they can be for you so that you don’t hurt yourself, although accidents can happen if you are not careful!  Staff will look after you if the fire alarm goes off and you should know what to do and where to go. When you leave school to go on a trip somewhere, the staff will make sure they can keep you safe wherever you are going.

What we will do

At Biddulph High we will help you in the following ways:

• We will do our best to spot if there is a problem. All of the staff in the school have had training and advice in this
• We will work with other people (including the people at home) to help protect you and work together to help support you in any problems you may have
• We will listen to you if you want to talk to us and need our help. We will always take you seriously
• We will support and encourage you and will respect your wishes and

At Biddulph High School you can talk to any member of staff, but you should know that there are a number of staff who are responsible for making sure you are safe and well cared for. It is important that you know:

• It is never your fault if someone is hurting or abusing you
• There is always someone who can help you
• If someone is hurting you, they might also be hurting someone else so it is important that you tell someone to make it stop
• Every child should enjoy their right to a happy and safe

DO NOT BE SCARED TO TELL SOMEONE STRAIGHT AWAY – WE WILL ALWAYS LISTEN

Tips for Keeping Yourself Safe

Bullying

If you think a student or a grown up is bullying you or someone you know you must tell your parents/carers, a teacher or someone you can trust as soon as you can. It won’t stop unless you do.

Saying funny things to you

If a student or a grown up says something to you, or you hear something that you do not like or that upsets you, you must tell your parents/carers, a teacher or someone you can trust.

Touching You

Your body belongs to you and not to anyone else. This means all of your body. If someone touches you on a part of your body like your bottom, chest or anywhere else you do not like, it is not ok.  You must tell your parents/carers, a teacher or someone you can trust as soon as possible.

Hitting, Punching or Smacking You

If a student or a grown up hits you, punches or smacks you or hurts you in any way, you must tell your parents/carers, a teacher or someone you can trust as soon as you can.

Secrets

Secrets such as surprise parties are fun, but some secrets are not good and should never be kept. Bullying should not be kept a secret and no-one should ask you to keep a kiss, hug or touch a secret. You must tell your parents/carers, a teacher or someone you can trust as soon as you can.  Do not keep a secret.

Presents

Presents are a good thing to get, but you should not take a present from anyone without checking with your parents/carers first. Most of the time it will be ok, but sometimes people try and trick children into doing something by giving them presents (like sweets, money or phones). This is sometime called a bribe. If it does not seem right, tell someone as soon as you can.

On the Computer or your Mobile Phone

Computers and mobile phones help us all to share things and talk to our friends or family, but they can also make it easier for bullies and other people that want to hurt you to get close to you. It is important to know how to keep yourself safe on your computer, your phone and on websites. We have an online safety policy which is there to protect you. If you are unhappy with any comments or photographs you’ve seen on your computer or mobile then you can also contact www.thinkuknow.co.uk as well as adults in school.

Useful Numbers and Websites

Childline Number:  0800 1111

Childline Website:  Childline

Think U Know Website:  Think U Know

NHS – Combined Wellbeing Website:  NHS – Combined Wellbeing