Safeguarding & eSafety
BackAt ICHS our approach to safeguarding is child-centred and we consider the best interests of the student at all times. The overview below shows our commitment to ensuring we provide a safe environment in which students can learn.
- Mr Knowels is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), he provides support to staff members to carry out their safeguarding duties and liaises with other agencies such as housing, police and social care teams. Mr Macaulay is our deputy safeguarding lead and our designated senior leader for mental health. Mr Bassan is also a deputy safeguarding lead.
- Mr Knowels and Mr Macaulay / Mr Bassan work together with the Directors of Student Development both on a day to day basis and through regular meetings to discuss any ongoing safeguarding or welfare concerns, offering support and guidance where necessary.¯
- The Senior Leadership Team, Directors, Heads of Student Development and several key members of the support staff team are trained to safeguarding lead standards.
- All staff members receive safeguarding and child protection training which is regularly updated. In addition, all staff members receive safeguarding and child protection updates.
- A central record is kept of all adults who either work in the school or who help as volunteers with details of DBS checks in place.
- Any visitors to the school are required to report to the office and sign in when on site. Visitors are given different coloured lanyards, depending on their safeguarding clearance level, and are expected to wear their ID badge at all times on the school site.
- Senior members of staff and governors involved in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff have received recognised training in safer recruitment, and have put in place appropriate procedures to ensure that appropriate checks have been made before appointments are taken up.
- All staff, including non-teaching staff, know the procedures for reporting safeguarding or welfare concerns.
- Safeguarding team members represent the school at local and cross-borough meetings with external agencies to ensure that practice is informed by the latest information.
- All students understand the importance of safeguarding issues and have been introduced to the members of the safeguarding team through assemblies and by posters that are displayed around the school.
- Students are aware of how to report safeguarding or welfare concerns about themselves or others including anonymous reporting through our SHARP system.
- All students are aware of the importance of e-safety and have received guidance from the Computing department and through assemblies, pastoral time and personal development lessons. This includes safe use of the internet.
- Workshops, guest speakers and small group interventions are used to help guide and inform students on current trends or possible dangers in a local, national and international context.
- ICHS shares a school police officer who makes regular visits to our school site, helping to guide students, answer questions or resolve issues before they escalate.
- The school is actively involved in the Operation Encompass initiative that helps to support families where domestic violence or abuse is present.
- Regular safeguarding, internet safety and wellbeing information is shared with parents via our school newsletter.
- Our pastoral team are always available to students and their parents to hear concerns and provide safeguarding advice.