Safeguarding & Wellbeing

Witton Park Academy takes safeguarding very seriously. Our academy ensures that safeguarding is a key priority in all aspects of academy life, and that safeguarding is a key part of our curriculum content. We see safeguarding as being the responsibility of all members of our academy communities.

Please click the following link to view the latest ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) guidance from the Department for Education.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education

www.gov.uk/government/summary of changes

‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ is also available in other languages here: https://national.lgfl.net/digisafe/kcsietranslate
Witton Park Academy is not responsible for content on any external websites linked to from this site.

Who to contact

Tel:01254 264551.

For all safeguarding enquiries (including from external agencies) Please contact

Soconnor@witton.atctrust.org.uk and jmilburn@witton.atctrust.org.uk

Designated Safeguarding Lead – Miss S O’Connor (soconnor@witton.atctrust.org.uk)

Designated Safeguarding Lead – Miss J Milburn (jmilburn@witton.atctrust.org.uk)

Safeguarding Governor – Lisa Banks

If you have concerns about a child in the community, please see the key contacts below.

• Blackburn Social Care – https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/children-families-and-young-people/child-protection
• NSPCC – https://www.nspcc.org.uk
• Kooth – https://www.kooth.com
• Sharps – https://wittonparkac.thesharpsystem.com
  The Sharps system allows young people to report any incidents which occur within the school and local community anonymously and without fear.

Mental Health Lead – Miss J Milburn (jmilburn@witton.atctrust.org.uk)

At Witton Park Academy, we aim to promote positive mental health for every member of our staff and student body. We pursue this aim using both universal, whole Academy approaches and specialised, targeted approaches aimed at vulnerable students.

In addition to promoting positive mental health, we aim to recognise and respond to mental ill health. In an average classroom, One in Six children will be suffering from a diagnosable mental health issue (NHS Digital). By developing and implementing practical, relevant, and effective mental health policies and procedures we can promote a safe and stable environment for students affected both directly and indirectly by mental ill health.

 Safeguarding Curriculum

We want to ensure students become valuable and fully rounded members of society who treat others with respect and tolerance, regardless of background. We want to promote the basic British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. This ensures that students understand the importance of respect and leave school fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

Prevent

Prevent Risk Assessment

What to do if you are worried about a child

What to do if you are worried about a child
Please feel free to contact us if you are concerned about your own child or someone else’s. We have a dedicated team who will assess need, offer support and advice and make referrals to early help or other agencies.

If you are concerned that a child is being abused or neglected you can contact the Children’s advice and Duty service. Please follow this link: Children’s advice and duty service (CADS) | Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

If you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm then please contact the police on 999.

What to do if you think your child is being bullied.

Please contact your child’s tutor or year manager in the first instance. Alternatively please contact JCreadie@wittonpark.org.uk.

Here is our Anti-bullying policy

What to do if you are worried about your child’s mental health.

Please contact your child’s tutor or year manager in the first instance. We will then offer appropriate support either through our own support systems or support you to make an external referral.

What to do if you are worried about your child’s social media use.

The legal age that people can have a social media account is 13 for all social media, this includes snapchat and whatsapp. Please consider carefully if you are putting your child at risk if you allow them to have social media accounts below this age.

Please find below some handy links for helping your child be safe online:

Parents and Carers – UK Safer Internet Centre

Social media guides – UK Safer Internet Centre

Online Grooming

How does WPA keep your child safe online?

The school has a filtering system for all school devices and accounts.

Additionally we have a sophisticated monitoring system that alerts us to any searches or communications which are a concern.

Our monitoring system is called Lightspeed and more information can be found here

In addition we educate children about online safety in PSHE lessons.

Useful websites

Prevent – Report online material promoting terrorism or extremism.
https://www.gov.uk/report-terrorism

Take It Down – A free service that can help young people remove or stop the online sharing of nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images or videos taken of them when they were under 18 years old.
https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/

Report Remove – Created to help young people under 18 in the UK to confidentially report sexual images and videos of themselves and remove them from the internet.
https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/professionals/guidance/report-remove3/

Inclusive Digital Safety Hub – So you got naked online (SEND version), a guide for children and young people. This resource helps and advises young people who may find themselves in a situation where they (or a friend) have put a sexting image or video online and have lost control over that content and who it’s being shared with.
https://www.internetmatters.org/inclusive-digital-safety/so-you-got-naked-online-guide-for-young-people/

Social Care – Blackburn and Darwin

Monday to Friday: 8.45am to 5pm telephone: 01254 666400 Emergency out-of-hours (evenings and weekends) Telephone: 01254 587547

LADO – Blackburn with Darwin

Contact Details: 01254 585 184 Lado@blackburn.gov.uk

Police Department/Station

Blackburn ( Greenbank Station): 101 01772 614444

Counter Terrorism Policing North West: 101 01772 413398 LA Prevent Team: Concern@lancashire.pnn.police.uk

Anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789321

Other

Telephone Number

NSPCC Whistleblowing Helpline

0800 028 0285

Childline

0800 1111

Disclosure and Barring Service Address: PO Box 3961, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 4HF customerservices@dbs.gov

03000 200190

Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) Address: Cheylesmore House, 5 Quinton Rd, Coventry CV1 2WT misconduct.teacher@education.gov.uk

0207 593 5393

OFSTED

0300 1233 155

NSPCC FGM helpline 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 9am-6pm at the weekend. help@NSPCC.org.uk

0800 028 3550

DfE Prevent helpline counter.extremism@education.gsi.gov. uk

020 7340 7264

Attendance support services

https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-attendance