What is Safeguarding?

At King Solomon Academy we want every child to be happy, healthy and safe at school and at home. We place a significant importance on safeguarding within the school as we recognise the impact of having a stable environment for children to flourish. We appreciate that there are occasionally challenges within a family which may make it more difficult to provide a safe and secure environment for children. When these challenges arise, we work with families and external agencies to aim to return the home and family environment to one of safety as soon as possible.  

All of our staff have been trained to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. We have eight members of staff in school who have received advanced safeguarding training. This means they are trained to respond should a child tell us something concerning, or should we have reason to believe that a child is unsafe. Our staff are trained in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together to Safeguard Children, the statutory guidance which all schools in the UK must adhere to. All staff have been trained to recognise signs of Radicalisation, Female Genital Mutilation, Child Sexual Exploitation and many other specific risks in accordance with government requirements.   

If we are worried about a child or a family we have a duty to act and in some cases we will be required to share our concerns more widely. The team of professionals we work with are here to support families. If we need to ask you or your family further questions to clarify anything which we have noticed or are worried about, please do not be alarmed. We have a duty to do so and we are always acting in the best interests of the child. Anything we discuss will be confidential and shared only on a strict ‘need to know’ basis.  

We work with Social Services, Early help, Housing, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Parenting Support Services and the Police, alongside many other smaller organisations. The group of professionals working with the school and families aims to ensure the best outcomes for pupils. When families engage with all of the support they are offered we can often notice a transformation in their children. External agencies and KSA work together every day and our links with local authorities are built on trust. We achieve the most dramatic positive changes for children when families, school and other agencies are open and honest with each other in the interests of the children.   

Please see below for useful links for parents. You will also find relevant staff and parent safeguarding briefings on topical or urgent issues uploaded here: 

Protecting children from abuse online

Expert advice on keeping children safe online

General advice on all issues affecting young people

Westminster’s Safeguarding Children’s Board website All local authorities have a Safeguarding Children’s Board. The one which is relevant depends on with local authority the child mainly resides in.  

Friendly, confidential drugs advice

Government publications on safeguarding children

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

PDF icon Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy 23-24.pdf
 

What to do if you are worried about a child

If you are worried about a child or an issue in the local community please email parents@Kingsolomonacademy.org or if it is of a confidential nature, email Imogen Colmans on i.colmans@Kingsolomonacademy.org and/or Beth Humphreys for a primary related concern on e.humphreys@kingsolomonacademy.org or Tim Mvula for secondary concerns, on t.mvula@kingsolomonacademy.org

Follow this link to learn more about Keeping Children Safe in Education.