Sponne School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all students. We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. We are alert to the signs of abuse, neglect, exploitation and radicalisation and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice. We recognise that our school is part of a wider safeguarding system and work closely with the West Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Partnership and other agencies to promote the welfare of children. Where there are concerns, we have a duty to refer to the appropriate agency; contributing to the assessment of a child’s needs, and towards on-going action to meet those needs.

We maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ and will consider the wishes of, and at all times, what is in the best interests of each child. We understand that children can be abused by adults or by other children. We are committed to creating a culture of safety that minimises the opportunity for any form of abuse (including all forms of child on child abuse) through training, education and robust response procedures. 

Welfare of the child is paramount.  All students, regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, religion or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding children. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals should make sure their approach is child-centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.

When and what might I be concerned about?

Abuse, neglect, physical, emotional harm, exploitation and radicalisation can happen to any child, boy or girl, of any race, culture, ethnicity or sexuality. Many children are unable to disclose what is happening to them and rely on us to interpret their behaviour and spot signs of abuse. You may observe physical signs, notice changes in the child’s behaviour or presentation, pick up signs of emotional distress or have a child disclose a harmful experience to you.

A student may:

• have a bruise, burn or injury that seems suspicious
• show signs of pain or discomfort
• be unnaturally passive or withdrawn
• be unpredictable and challenging
• seem anxious, fearful or distressed
• provide an unlikely explanation for their injury or their behaviour

Harm to a child can be caused by:

• A parent/carer
• A family member/friend
• Another child
• A stranger
• A member of staff / volunteer

For further information on the different types of abuse and key indicators, please refer to our Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy:

What should I do if a child discloses that they are being harmed?

If you are concerned for a child’s health, welfare or safety in any way you must speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or one of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.

• Do not question the student or try to secure evidence. Your responsibility is to report your concern, not to investigate.
• If a student tells you something that suggests they are at risk of harm, allow them to tell you as much as they wish and let them know that you must pass the information on to the DSL.
• If you become concerned about a student’s immediate safety, notify the nearest member of staff and tell them why you are concerned.

The information you have may not be enough on its own for a Child Protection referral to the MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub), however it will help the Designated Safeguarding Leads to make a decision about risk of harm to the child and how to move forward to protect and support that student.

Designated Safeguarding Team

At Sponne School there is a team of Designated Safeguarding Leads. The school uses a secure safeguarding program to record and monitor all safeguarding concerns, which is reviewed regularly by the team. The safeguarding team meets every fortnight to review and discuss ongoing concerns and look at how we can support students. Please do not hesitate to contact us for ANY concern that you may have.

Designated Safeguarding Team

• Mrs Rebecca Chapman - Assistant Headteacher DSL
• Mrs Goodall – Inclusion Manager Senior DDSL
• Mr Massey – Headteacher Senior DDSL
• Mrs Underwood - Deputy Headteacher DDSL
• Mrs Notley – Assistant Headteacher DDSL
• Mrs Farrell – SENCO DDSL
• Mrs Broschat – Student Welfare Manager DDSL
• Mrs Brookbank - Pastoral Support Coordinator DDSL
• Mr Trusler – PLL for Year 7 DDSL
• Ms Turton - PLL for Year 8 DDSL
• Mr Hollamby – PLL for Year 9 DDSL
• Mr Deboo – PLL for year 10 DDSL
• Mrs Mort – PLL for Year 11 DDSL
• Miss Whitmore - Head of Sixth Form DDSL
• Mr John - Deputy Head of Sixth Form DDSL

What should I do if the alleged abuser is a member of staff or a Volunteer? (Whistle Blowing)

If your concern is about a staff member or volunteer, you should report this to the Headteacher immediately. The Headteacher will inform the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) according to policy. If your concern is regarding the Headteacher, you need to contact the Chair of Governors.

Local Contacts

See the Making Children Safer Contacts Directory for individual contacts.

Milton Keynes Referral Hub is : 01908 253169/70        Out of Hours: 01908 265545

Other agencies for support

National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC):
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/  
0808 800 5000

Childline:
http://www.childline.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx   
0800 1111

Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP):
http://ceop.police.uk/  
0870 000 3344

Helpful guides for staying safe online