Safeguarding

Safeguarding during school closures, eg. due to Covid-19

At Bexley Grammar School we are committed to protecting children from harm. Safeguarding and the promotion of a child's welfare covers all aspects of the child's life; staff and volunteers in this organisation are committed to ensuring that all its actions in respect of a child are compatible with this aim.

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Mr S. Auckland (auckland_s@bexleygs.co.uk)

Mrs R. Mallin (mallin_r@bexleygs.co.uk)

Mr A. Skinner (skinner_a@bexleygs.co.uk)

Mr H. Gilmore (gilmore_h@bexleygs.co.uk)

Out of school hours:

If a child or young person is in immediate risk of harm or there is an imminent threat of harm to self or others, please call 999.

For any other urgent concerns relating to the safety or wellbeing of a child or young person, please contact your Borough's Children Services 'Front Door' team.

Bexley Grammar safeguards children by:

Adopting child protection guidelines through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers;
Sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents and carers, staff and volunteers;
Sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately;
Carefully following the procedures for recruitment and selection of staff and volunteers.
Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through support, supervision and training;
Reviewing our Safeguarding and Child Protection policy and good practice regularly;
Being aware that safeguarding incidents could happen anywhere and ensuring that staff are alert to possible concerns being raised in school.

Because of the day-to-day contact with children, school staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. The school will therefore:

Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to;
Ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried;
Include opportunities in the PSHE curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from harm or abuse.

Contextual Safeguarding expands the objectives of child protection systems in recognition that young people are vulnerable to abuse in a range of social contexts. At Bexley Grammar School we work closely with Bexley and Greenwich Children's Services, the Serious Violence Prevention Panel, our Safer Schools Officer and the Bexley Safeguarding Partnership to identify the issues particularly affecting our context.