The welfare of our children and their safety is the overriding consideration of the school at all times. As with all schools, we have a legal duty to look out for signs of abuse in children and report any concerns to the Social Services at the Local Authority, who will carry out the necessary investigations. We follow the procedures and guidelines set out in the London Child Protection Procedures.
Holly Park School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to two satisfactory references and a satisfactory enhanced DBS check.
The Safeguarding Team are:
- Designated Safeguarding Lead Maria Michael (Deputy Head)
- Deputy Designated Lead Ann Pelham (Headteacher)
- Deputy Designated Lead Eve Mehtar (AHT)
- Deputy Designated Lead Emily Sampson (AHT)
- Deputy Designated Lead Diana Kelly (Children’s Co-ordinator)
- Deputy Designated Lead Kathy Puzey (Learning Mentor)
- Deputy Designated Lead Sarah Walton (EYFS Lead Practitioner)
- Safeguarding Team Sally Thomas (Designated leader for LAC)
The Designated Teacher reports to the Senior Management Team and the Staffing and Pupil Welfare Governor sub-committee.
The chair of governors, Clare Hegarty, is the governor responsible for safeguarding.
Here is the Holly Park Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
All staff receive appropriate initial child protection training and regular updating, as well as being supervised and supported in the work they do. All staff and some Governors received updated training in 2022. Information is available on how to obtain advice, support and help if there is a concern that a child is being harmed in any way.
Holly Park follows Safer Recruitment of staff procedures. Interview panels always include members who have completed Safer Recruitment training. All staff are required to complete an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check before they can work in the school.
The school maintains a single central record that contains all of the data required by Ofsted.
Here are the Holly Park safeguarding audits:
All adults should be aware of the DfE booklet: Keeping Children Safe in Education
Further information about safeguarding children in Barnet can be found on the Barnet Safeguarding Children Board website: http://www.barnet.gov.uk/bscb/
On Duty DSL Cover for HPS Breakfast Clubs and EYFS After School Club
Breakfast Clubs (7.45am – 8.45am):
- Maria Michael
EYFS After School Club (3.30pm – 6pm):
- Monday – Maria Michael
- Tuesday – Eve Mehtar
- Wednesday – Diana Kelly
- Thursday – Emily Sampson
- Friday – Ann Pelham
Holly Park School has a range of policies and procedures for paid and voluntary staff to ensure the safety and well-being of children and young people. Please see the policy section of the website.
The responsibility for introducing, implementing, and maintaining the Safeguarding Policy rests with the Governors. They formally review the policies in line with the monitoring review system.
Here is the Holly Park policy on Looked After Children Policy
Extremism and Radicalisation
As part of our safeguarding ethos we encourage pupils to respect the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
We ensure that partisan political views are not promoted in the teaching of any subject in the school and where political issues are brought to the attention of the pupils, reasonably practicable steps have been taken to offer a balanced presentation of opposing views to pupils.
Radicalisation is defined as the act or process of making a person more radical or favouring of extreme or fundamental changes in political, economic or social conditions, institutions or habits of the mind.
Extremism is defined as the holding of extreme political or religious views.
There are a number of behaviours which may indicate a child is at risk of being radicalised or exposed to extreme views. These include;
- Spending increasing time in the company of other suspected extremists.
- Changing their style of dress or personal appearance to accord with the group.
- Day-to-day behaviour becoming increasingly centred on an extremist ideology, group or cause.
- Loss of interest in other friends and activities not associated with the extremist ideology, group or cause.
- Possession of materials or symbols associated with an extremist cause.
- Attempts to recruit others to the group/cause.
- Communications with others that suggests identification with a group, cause or ideology.
- Using insulting to derogatory names for another group.
- Increase in prejudice-related incidents committed by that person – these may include;
- physical or verbal assault
- provocative behaviour
- damage to property
- derogatory name calling
- possession of prejudice-related materials
- prejudice related ridicule or name calling
- inappropriate forms of address
- refusal to co-operate
- attempts to recruit to prejudice-related organisations
Although incidents involving radicalisation have not occurred at Holly Park School to date, it is important for us to be constantly vigilant and remain fully informed about the issues which affect the local area, city and society in which we teach.
Staff are reminded to suspend any ‘professional disbelief’ that instances of radicalisation ‘could not happen here’ and to be ‘professionally inquisitive’ where concerns arise, referring any concerns through the appropriate channels.
Our curriculum is “broad and balanced”. It promotes respect, tolerance and diversity. Children are encouraged to share their views and recognise that they are entitled to have their own different beliefs which should not be used to influence others.
Our PSHE provision is embedded across the curriculum. It directs our assemblies and underpins the ethos of the school. We strive to equip our pupils with confidence, self-belief, respect and tolerance as well as setting high standards and expectations for themselves.
Children are regularly taught about how to stay safe when using the internet and are encouraged to recognise that people are not always who they say they are online. They are taught to seek adult help if they are upset or concerned about anything they read or see on the internet.
As a community school we are committed to the development of community cohesion and the prevention of extremism and radicalisation both within our school’s physical boundaries and within our local, national and global environments.
We are also committed to respond to community concerns or local disturbances in a positive way which supports British democratic society.
At Holly Park we promote British Values
Prevent Strategy
As part of Holly Park’s commitment to safeguarding and child protection we fully support the government’s Prevent Strategy.
What is the Prevent Strategy?
The Prevent Strategy is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It:
- responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
- provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
- works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Female genital mutilation (sometimes referred to as female circumcision) refers to procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice is illegal in the UK.
An estimated 137,000 women in the UK are affected by female genital mutilation (FGM). However, the true extent is unknown, due to the “hidden” nature of the crime. The girls may be taken to their countries of origin so that FGM can be carried out during the summer holidays, allowing them time to “heal” before they return to school.
There are also worries that some girls may have FGM performed in the UK. FGM is usually carried out on young girls between infancy and the age of 15, most commonly before puberty starts.
If you suspect that a child has been withdrawn from school to undergo FGM, or becomes aware that this practice has taken place, they must report it to the headteacher. The Serious Crime Act 2015 states that teachers have a mandatory duty to report to the police cases where they discover that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out.
The Barnet MASH team can provide support and referrals can be made to them by any parents who have a concern about a child
The NSPCC have a helpline for anyone who is worried a child may be at risk. Calls can be made anonymously to the free 24 hour FGM helpline on 0800 028 3550 or by e-mailing fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk
Parents may be interested in a short film called – These are our Friends (a film made by young people who speak out against FGM) which can be found on this website.
Similarly there is another film on the same website called A Change has Begun (a film with survivor led accounts)
There is also a useful clip on Youtube for primary aged pupils called My Body My Rules (focusing on children having the right not to be harmed and to be kept safe)
The British Somali Community (BSC) is a women’s led organisation with in depth knowledge, expertise and experience of FGM. They can be contacted at info@britishsomali.org