Student Safeguarding

Every year there are students at Pensby who find themselves in some very difficult places, there are students here that have seen and heard things that no one should see – we want to make sure that you know what you should do if ever you feel unsafe.

Pensby High School is our school and we want it to be a safe place. The adults in Pensby High School will do everything they can to make sure you are protected and happy. To help them do this we have rules to follow. This policy is to help you understand what Safeguarding means to you and to help you decide what could be a “problem” and whom you should talk to.

As adults in school we see Safeguarding as:

• Protecting you from harm – telling you how to protect yourself
• Making sure nothing stops you being healthy or developing properly – in school or out of school
• Making sure you are safely looked after
• Making sure you have the best life chances and that adults or other students do not stop you getting to where you can.
• They agree that to make sure they look after you they will:
• Make the school a friendly, welcoming and supportive place to spend time in – somewhere you want to be
• Be there for you to talk to if you need to
• Make sure you know who to ask for help
• Give you safe messages in your lessons to help you learn how to look after yourself both online and in the real world
• Have all the right rules in place to help look after you. They will follow these rules all of the time (these rules are sometimes called policies).

Abuse – we have a legal duty to report and help to stop any form of abuse

When someone hurts you it can be called abuse. Not everything that happens to you is on purpose or aimed to hurt you, but if it is not intentional you can still ask for it to stop and we will help to stop it.

Abuse is when someone does something to you that is harmful, unpleasant or painful such as:

• If someone deliberately hits you, hurts you, injures you or humiliates you
• If someone says or does something that makes you feel bad about yourself or causes you to doubt how much you mean to others. If someone makes you feel scared, sad, upset or frightened
• If someone shouts, threatens, hits or hurts someone you love whilst you are around which makes you scared, unhappy or worried – it doesn’t have to happen to you
• If someone doesn’t take proper care of you so you feel abandoned, lonely or neglected. You might not be able to eat or wash regularly, or you might not be able to come to school every day or on time
• If someone touches you in a way that you don’t like or makes you look at things which make you feel ashamed, embarrassed, uncomfortable or guilty. They may ask you to keep it a secret and give you presents so you do not say anything. If things are said to you or about you that are of a sexual nature which embarrasses you and makes you feel uncomfortable.

Abuse is never ok and if you are being, or have been abused you must remember – it is not your fault. You should always try to tell someone and they will help to stop it. Also remember that sometimes students harm other students (this is known as peer on peer abuse) and this is also wrong and you should report this to somebody you can trust.

In and out of school

All of the staff at Pensby High School will do their best to make sure the building is safe for you to learn in and spend time in. We will make sure that we know who everyone is in the school by asking visitors to sign in at reception. You will always know who a visitor to the school is because they will have signed in to school and will be wearing a blue plastic wallet with a slip from reception. People that we do not know will never be allowed to spend time with you on your own and will never be allowed to walk around the school without a member of staff. The building, outside areas and fields will be as safe as they can be for you so that you don’t hurt yourself, although accidents can happen if you are not careful!

Staff will look after you if the fire alarm goes off and you should know what to do and where to go. When you leave school to go on a trip somewhere the staff will make sure they can keep you safe wherever you are going, you need to listen and follow instructions.

What we will do

At Pensby High School we will help you in the following ways:

• We will do our best to spot if there is a problem. All of the adults in school have had safeguarding training
• We will work with other people (including the people at home) to help protect you and solve any problems you may have
• We will listen to you if you want to talk to us and need our help. We will always take you seriously
• We will support and encourage you and will respect your wishes and views.
• We will talk to you about these issues in form time, in assemblies and in PSHE so you are aware of who you should go to if you or somebody you know is being abused.

At Pensby High School you can talk to any member of staff, but you should know that there are a number of staff who are responsible for making sure you are safe and well cared for, and they are listed below.

People in school who can help you are:

Mrs Davies is the school’s designated lead for safeguarding

Mr Flanagan, Mrs Gauntlett, Mrs Price, Mrs Challinor, Mrs Holmes, Mrs Sullivan, Mrs O’Hare, Mr Woodward-Booth, Mrs Hardwick, Mr Booth and Mr Davies are also trained to act as the school lead for safeguarding.

If it is easier please talk to your

• Form Tutor
• Anyone in the pastoral team or in the student support centre
• Any other adult in school It is important to know …….
• It is never your fault if someone is hurting or abusing you
• There is always someone who can help you
• If someone is hurting you, they might also be hurting someone else so it is important that you tell someone to make it stop
• Every child should enjoy their right to a happy and safe childhood.

DO NOT BE SCARED TO TELL SOMEONE STRAIGHT AWAY – WE WILL ALWAYS LISTEN

Tips for keeping yourself safe

Bullying – If you think a student or a grown up is bullying you or someone you know, you must tell your mum or dad, a teacher or someone you can trust as soon as you can. It won’t stop unless you do

Saying funny things to you – If a student or a grown up says something to you, or you hear something that you do not like or that upsets you, you must tell your mum or dad, gran or grandad, a teacher or someone you can trust

Touching you – Your body belongs to you and not to anyone else. This means all of your body. If someone touches you on a part of your body like your bottom, chest or anywhere else you do not like, it is not ok. You must tell your mum or dad, a teacher or someone you can trust as soon as possible – this will never be tolerated within school, please tell us if anything like this ever happens

Hitting, punching or smacking you – If a student or a grown up hits, punches or smacks you or hurts you in any way, you must tell your mum or dad, a teacher or someone you can trust as soon as possible

Secrets – Secrets such as surprise parties are fun, but some secrets are not good and should never be kept

Bullying should not be kept a secret and no-one should ask you to keep a kiss, hug or touch a secret. You must tell your mum or dad, a teacher or someone you can trust as soon as you can. Do not keep a secret.

Presents – Presents are a good thing to get, but you should not take a present from anyone without checking with your parents first. Most of the time it will be ok, but sometimes people try and trick children into doing something by giving them presents (like sweets, money or phones); this is sometimes called a bribe. If it does not seem right, tell someone as soon as you can.

On the computer or your phone – Computers and mobile phones help us all to share things and talk to our friends or family, but they also make it easier for bullies and other people that want to hurt you to get close to you. It is important to know how to keep yourself safe on your computer, your phone and on websites. Pensby High School has an e-safety policy which is there to protect you. If you are unhappy with any comments or photographs you’ve seen on your computer or mobile then you can also contact www.thinkuknow.co.uk as well as adults in school.

Useful Numbers and websites

Childline 0800 11 11