Our Commitment To Safeguarding

At AFNORTH International School, our first priority is the safety and welfare of our pupils.  We have clear systems and processes in school to ensure all members of our school community understand their duties and responsibilities in safeguarding our children.  Our staff are committed to ensuring our children are safe, happy and nurtured at all times.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all practitioners should make sure their approach is child-centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child. No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. 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.

Designated Safeguarding Leads

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Sheena Macleod

Our Deputy DSL is Peter Brown

Our SGC member with a safeguarding responsibility is Dr Shona Johnston // WO Julian Spalding

All members of the safeguarding team can be contacted via the school office.

Safeguarding in practice

We actively undertake our safeguarding commitment in a number of practical ways – these include:

Our staff

• are DBS checked as part of the recruitment procedures in place
• are made aware of our safeguarding policies & procedures during their induction
• attend annual safeguarding update training
• have photographic ID and use key code entry

Our children

• actively engage with a PSHE curriculum that teaches them how to look after themselves and to keep safe and identifies safe adults, beyond the family, to confide in at times of distress or danger
• are taught on-line safety as part of the curriculum

Site safety

• External gates have security guards at all times
• Please inform us if a child is absent from school. We will contact home, on the first day, if we have an unexplained absence
• We ask all visitors to sign in and be accompanied by a member of staff whilst in school. Visitors are provided with safeguarding information on arrival and a copy can be found below.
• Personal mobile phones and recording devices are not permitted in the classrooms while children are present.
• Some visiting professionals do not always need to be accompanied by staff, if we have confirmed with their employer that they are DBS checked
• There is a school nurse on site and many staff hold a Paediatric First Aid Certificate

MyConcern

Sometimes we need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child’s welfare.  We use MyConcern (an online reporting tool) to record logs or concerns about children which may contribute to safeguarding information.  These may include behaviour, attendance, information shared by parents etc.  We will ensure that our concerns about our children are discussed with parents/carers at an appropriate point, unless we have reason to believe that this would be contrary to their welfare.

Resources for parents and children

• Online Safety

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

• Staying Safe from Harm

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/underwear-rule/

• Child Line Resources

https://www.childline.org.uk/

• Bullying

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/bullying-and-cyberbullying/

Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing