Safeguarding Policy
ROLE | NAME | CONTACT |
Designated Safeguarding Lead | George Thomason | 07450 983 069 |
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) | Tom Dawson (Headmaster) | 07876 351 304 |
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (Deputy DSL) | Adrian Logue (Deputy Headmaster) | 07904 681 090 |
LADO | Mandy Burrows (LADO Manager) Lorrisa Webber (Head of LADO Service) | 0208 8917370 or 07774 332675 07936 601423 |
RBWM MASH | 01628 683150 01344 786543 (Out of hours) MASH@rbwm.gov.uk | |
Achieving for Children (AfC) - RBWM | Jo Barnes (Educational Welfare Officer) Francesca Iorio (Inclusion Education Welfare Officer ) | 07345 488527 jo.barnes@achievingforchildren.org.uk 07775 406036 |
NSPCC | 0808 800500 |
Contents
4. What school staff should know and do 9
The role of staff at the school 10
What staff at the school need to know 10
What staff should do if they have concerns about a child 11
What school staff should do if a child is in danger or at risk of harm 13
Monitoring and Level of Need on MyConcern 14
Information Sharing & Shared Responsibility 14
What staff should do if they have concerns about safeguarding practices at the school 16
Hiring out of School Facilities 16
Steps to prevent child on child abuse 21
Managing and investigating child on child abuse 22
Supporting victims and perpetrators 22
Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children or harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) 22
Child abduction and community safety incidents 24
Children and the court system 24
Children who are absent from education/Children missing education 24
Children with family members in prison 25
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Child Criminal Exploitation 25
Modern Slavery and the National Referral Mechanism 25
Preventing radicalisation – the Prevent duty 28
6 Definition of harm and significant harm from Adoption & Children Act 2002 Section 10 30
Recognition of Significant Harm 30
Indicators of Abuse (From Windsor & Maidenhead Safeguarding Children Board) 30
The Parent or Other Adult Caregiver: 30
The Symptoms of Stress and Distress 30
Warning Signs of Radicalisation or Extremism 31
7 The Role of Teachers, support staff and volunteers 32
Areas of responsibility for the Designated Safeguarding Lead 32
Information Sharing and Managing the Child Protection File 33
8 All Staff: Helping a child who wants to tell you about his abuse 34
9 Allegations against School staff 36
Concerns that meet the harm threshold 36
Concerns that do not meet the harm threshold 37
11 Allegation of abuse by a pupil on another pupil. 38
13 Record keeping and storage 39
14 Teaching the boys how to stay safe 39
Annexe A: SAFEGUARDING – GUIDELINES FOR MEMBERS OF STAFF 41
Annexe B - Further information 43
Further information on child sexual exploitation 43
Further information on so-called ‘honour based’ abuse 43
Further information on Female Genital Mutilation 43
Further information on breast ironing 44
Further information on Child Criminal Exploitation 45
Further Information on Forced Marriage 45
Annexe C - Children Missing Education/Children who are Absent from Education 48
Definition of Children Missing Education 48
Child missing from school for more than four weeks 50
Transfer of information when a pupil changes school 50
Further Guidance on Reporting on Illness/Absence to the Local Authority 51
Annexe D - Low Level Concerns 52
What is a Low Level Concern? 52
Responding to Low Level Concerns 53
Recording Low Level Concerns 53
Annex E - 10 Key Points to Follow if you Suspect, or are Told of Abuse 55
ADDENDUM - Arrangements for Safeguarding during COVID-19 related school closure. 56
Designated Safeguarding Leads 56
Supporting Children not in School 57
Supporting Children in School 57
1. Policy statement
This policy applies to all staff and volunteers at Sunningdale School and will be supplied to parents and pupils on request and is available on the School’s website
- Our policy is set within the framework of: Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE), September 2025
- Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023.
- Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education 2019 (updated September 2025).
- Locally agreed inter-agency procedures from Windsor and Maidenhead Safeguarding Partnership.
- Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015, ‘Prevent Duty’
- Working together to improve school attendance 2024.
- Arranging Alternative Provision, Department of Education, 2025.
G.H.Thomason is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (07450983069), the Headmaster (T.A.C.N. Dawson 07876 351304) and the Deputy Safeguarding Lead (A.J. Logue 07904 681090) are the Deputies, in his absence. These persons are responsible for ensuring that mechanisms are in place to assist staff to understand and discharge their role and responsibilities as set out in Part 1 of KCSIE, September 2025.
All appointments to the staff or volunteers are checked in accordance with the Safer Recruitment Policy.
This policy is reviewed annually by the DSL and the deputy DSLs.
2. Aims
The School aims, in compliance with Section 10 of the Children Act 2004
- to improve the physical and mental health and the emotional well being of the young people in its care; to protect them from harm and neglect and to keep them safe from maltreatment.
- To provide pupils with relevant information, skills and attitudes to help them resist abuse and prepare for the responsibilities of adult life including home and family;
- To allow staff to be familiar with, and confident of, the appropriate Child Protection procedures and issues. This policy is intended to give clear guidance to all staff, teaching and support staff and volunteers, on signs that may indicate the possibility of abuse and the procedure to follow if a young person discloses or a member of staff suspects abuse;
- To ensure that all school staff provide a safe environment in which children can learn.
- To support children who have been abused, in accordance with their agreed Child Protection plans.
- To always act in the best interests of the child.
The school rejects all forms of corporal punishment.
3. Objectives
Skills and information will be delivered through the curriculum and through tutorials.
We try to create an environment and ethos in which young people feel secure and their points of view valued. They are encouraged to talk and they are listened to.
We provide a range of appropriate adults whom they may approach if they are in difficulties.
Staff treat pupils with respect and pupils are expected to treat each other and staff with respect.
We try to impress upon pupils the importance of rejecting violence as a means of resolving conflict.
We give pupils opportunities to understand stress and strategies for coping with it.
We include in the curriculum information on personal safety.
We operate clear policies on drugs, alcohol and substance misuse.
We ensure that we prevent radicalisation and extremism developing within the school
We provide Child Protection training regularly to School staff. All staff undergo initial training during the induction programme for new teachers.
Each member of staff must sign a specific register to say that they have read and understood the policy and that they have read at least Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education, accept their duty to cooperate with the School management in promoting Child Protection. Staff who work directly with children are also required to read Part B of KCSIE. In addition, staff are required to read the Staff Code of Conduct, the school’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and the School behaviour policy.
4. What school staff should know and do
Schools and colleges and their staff form part of the wider safeguarding system for children. This system is described in statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility and a whole school approach to safeguarding is the only way to ensure the safety of the boys at the school. Safeguarding and child protection must be at the forefront and underpin all relevant aspects of process and policy development. Ultimately, all systems, processes and policies should operate with the best interests of the pupils at their heart.
No single professional can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. If children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as:
- Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge
- protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online
- preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
- ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
Children include everyone under the age of 18.
If there is a safeguarding concern, children’s wishes and feelings should be taken into account when determining what action to take and what services to provide. Children and young people should know that their concerns will be treated seriously and they can safely express their views. Staff should be aware that children may not feel ready or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, exploited or neglected and they may not recognise their experiences as harmful. Staff should have a professional curiosity and speak to the DSL if they are concerned. It is important for staff to create a culture where pupils can speak out or share any concerns with staff.
Staff should be aware that children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or certain medical or physical health conditions, or who are lesbian, gay or gender-questioning can face additional safeguarding challenges both online and offline (KCSIE Sept 2025 para 202, 205-209).
The role of staff at the school
6. All staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn. All staff, including the proprietor, must receive appropriate training in safeguarding and child protection. The proprietor must also be aware of his obligation under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the local multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.
7. All school staff should be prepared to identify children who may benefit from early help. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges at any point in a child’s life, from the foundation years through to the teenage years. In the first instance staff should discuss early help requirements with the designated safeguarding lead. Staff may be required to support other agencies and professionals in an early help assessment.
8. Any staff member who has a concern about a child’s welfare should follow the referral processes set out later in this document.
What staff at the school need to know
8. All staff members should be aware of the systems within the school which support safeguarding. These include:
- the safeguarding policy;
- the behaviour policy;
- the staff Code of Conduct;
- the safeguarding response to children who go missing from education; and
- the role of the designated safeguarding lead (including the identity of the designated safeguarding lead and the deputy designated safeguarding leads).
9. All staff will receive regular safeguarding training and will receive updates as required but at least annually to provide them with the relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively. New staff will receive training as part of their induction. Staff meetings will be used to update staff on a regular basis on safeguarding matters. Staff training will be carried out at the start of every Michaelmas term and updated if guidance changes.
10. All staff should be aware of the early help process, and understand their role in it. This includes identifying emerging problems, liaising with the Designated Safeguarding Lead, sharing information with other professionals to support early identification and assessment and, in some cases, acting as the lead professional in undertaking an early help assessment. Any child may benefit from early help but all staff should be particularly alert to the potential need for early help for a child who:
- is disabled and has specific additional needs;
- has special educational needs (whether or not they have a statutory education, health and care plan (previously known as a statement));
- is a young carer;
- is showing signs of being drawn in to anti-social or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups;
- is frequently missing/goes missing from care or from home;
- is misusing drugs or alcohol themselves;
- is at risk of modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation;
- is in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child, such as substance abuse, adult mental health problems or domestic abuse;
- has returned home to their family from care;
- is showing early signs of abuse and/or neglect;
- is at risk of being radicalised or exploited;
- is a privately fostered child;
- Has experienced multiple suspensions, and is at risk of being permanently excluded from schools, colleges and in alternative provision or a pupil referral unit;
- Has a parent or carer in custody (previously it was 'family member in prison'), or is affected by parental offending;
- Is frequently missing/goes missing from education, home or care (the word ‘education’ has been added)
11. All staff should also be aware of the process for making referrals to children’s social care and for statutory assessment under the Children Act 1989, especially section 17 (children in need) and section 47 (a child suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm) that may follow a referral, along with the role they might be expected to play in such assessments.
12. If staff are unsure, they should always speak to the designated safeguarding lead.
13. All staff should read Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education, 2025. Teachers and matrons should also read Annexe B.
14. All staff should be aware that children may not feel ready or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, exploited, or neglected, and/or they may not recognise their experiences as harmful. This should not prevent staff from having a professional curiosity and speaking to the designated safeguarding lead if they have concerns about a child.
15. All staff should be aware of the importance of e-safety and be aware of their duty to report online abuse in the same way as they would any other form of abuse.
16. All staff, but especially the designated safeguarding lead (and deputies) should consider whether children are at risk of abuse or exploitation in situations outside their families. Extra familial harms take a variety of different forms and children can be vulnerable to multiple harms including (but not limited to) sexual abuse (including harassment and exploitation), domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse), criminal exploitation, serious youth violence, county lines and radicalisation.
17. All staff should complete appropriate Prevent training.
What staff should do if they have concerns about a child
If staff members have any concerns about a child they should act on them immediately. Wherever possible, there should be a conversation with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
If in exceptional circumstances, the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy) is not available, this should not delay appropriate action being taken.
If anyone other than the Designated Safeguarding Lead makes the referral they should inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead, as soon as possible. Staff should follow up on a referral should that information not be forthcoming.
If after a referral the child’s situation does not appear to be improving the Designated Safeguarding Lead (or the person that made the referral) should press for re-consideration to ensure their concerns have been addressed and, most importantly, that the child’s situation improves.
The online tool Report child abuse to local council directs to the relevant local children’s social care contact number. ( https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse-to-local-council )
Early Help
Early help is defined as ‘support for children of all ages that improves a family’s resilience and outcomes or reduces the chance of a problem getting worse’. (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023.)
If early help is appropriate the Designated Safeguarding Lead will support the staff member in liaising with other agencies and setting up an inter-agency assessment as appropriate.
If early help and or other support is appropriate the case should be kept under constant review and consideration given to a referral to children’s social care if the child’s situation doesn’t appear to be improving. Early Help Toolkit and self-assessment system can provide assistance to help schools with the early help process.
Children in Need
A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable level of health or development, or whose health and development is likely to be significantly or further impaired, without the provision of services; or a child who is disabled. Local authorities are required to provide services for children in need for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting their welfare. Children in need may be assessed under section 17 of the Children Act 1989.
Alternative Provision
If the boy required it, the school would consider placing a pupil with an alternative provision provider. As required in Arranging Alternative Provision, published by the Department of Education in 2025 (P.16), where a school places a pupil with an alternative provision provider, it continues to be responsible for the safeguarding of that pupil and should be satisfied that the placement meets the pupil’s needs.
Where possible, the school will look to collaborate closely with AP providers to maintain robust safeguarding practices, ensuring the safety and well-being of all pupils in alternative educational settings.
The school, where possible, will look to obtain written confirmation from the alternative provision provider that appropriate safeguarding checks have been carried out on individuals working at the establishment, i.e. those checks that the school would otherwise perform in respect of its own staff.
The schools should always know where a child is based during school hours. This includes having records of the address of the alternative provider and any subcontracted provision or satellite sites the child may attend.
The school should regularly review the alternative provision placements they make. Reviews should be frequent enough (at least half termly) to provide assurance that the child is regularly attending and the placement continues to be safe and meets the child’s needs.
Where safeguarding concerns arise, the placement should be immediately reviewed, and terminated, if necessary, unless or until those concerns have been satisfactorily addressed.
As required by the RBWM achieving for children, if a child at Sunningdale School is in Alternative Provision, the school will complete a notification for that and every child attending Alternative Provision via the following link.
What school staff should do if a child is in danger or at risk of harm
If a child is in immediate danger or is at risk of harm a referral should be made to children’s social care and/or the police immediately. Anyone can make a referral. Where referrals are not made by the designated safeguarding lead the designated safeguarding lead should be informed, as soon as possible, that a referral has been made.
Record Keeping
All concerns should be recorded using MyConcern. If a member of staff does not have access to MyConcern, they should write down their concerns and clearly state the time, day and date and sign the document.
Monitoring and Level of Need on MyConcern
The school operates the following Level of Need and monitoring system on MyConcern. The Level of Need and monitoring system are monitored and tracked by the DSL on a weekly basis. The Level of Need is numbered from 1-4, and are defined as follows:
Level of Need 1 (Green) - Low Level Concern and monitored by the pastoral tutor
Level of Need 2 (Yellow) - Medium level concern, monitored DSL and early intervention
Level of Need 3 (Amber) - Referral / MASH advice
Level of Need 4 (Red) - MASH Action
If a pupil’s Level of Need exceeds 1, they will be monitored on MyConcern, by the DSL. Monitor and Level of Need will be reviewed by the DSL on a weekly basis.
Information Sharing & Shared Responsibility
Information sharing is vital in identifying and tackling all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation. All staff must make sure that they are proactive in the sharing of information as early as possible with the relevant bodies. Failure to do so may increase the risk to the child. Schools and colleges have clear powers to share, hold and use information for these purposes.
All safeguarding data should be stored on MyConcern to ensure that it complies with GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
The Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR do not prevent the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe. Fears about sharing information must not be allowed to stand in the way of the need to safeguard and promote the welfare and protect the safety of children. Data from MyConcern can be shared with the relevant authorities without consent where there is good reason to do so and where the sharing of that information would enhance the safeguarding of a child.
The DSL should keep written records of all concerns, discussions and decisions, including the rationale for those decisions. This will be held on the MyConcern portal or in the Low-Level Concerns. This should include where referrals were or were not made to another agency such as LA children’s social care or the Prevent program.
It would be better to share information which helps protect a child than to withhold information and subsequently put a child at risk.
In order to create a child-centred approach, all practitioners should work in partnership with parents and carers as far as possible. Effective partnership working with parents and carers happens when practitioners build strong, positive, trusting, and co-operative relationships. Protecting children from abuse, neglect and exploitation requires multi-agency join up and cooperation at all levels. (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023)
Online Safety
The school takes online safety very seriously. Pupils can only access the internet through their school Google accounts and under supervision from a member of staff. The internet is filtered using high level filtering software, which is monitored by a third party, Project 5. The School has also implemented a filtering and monitoring system, ContentKeeper (Ativion), which filters all content accessed or produced by the pupils. In addition to this, the school monitors the emails of both pupils and staff through BARK. All staff need to be aware that the boys’ content is filtered and monitored by the DSL. The filtering and monitoring system is reviewed regularly, and at least annually. Moreover, the proprietor should regularly review the standards and discuss with the service providers what more needs to be done to support schools in meeting this standard. These include but are not limited to the following:
- effective monitoring strategies in place that meet their safeguarding needs.
- block harmful and inappropriate content without unreasonably impacting teaching and learning.
The school also has access to ‘plan technology for your school service’ to selfassess against the filtering and monitoring standards and receive personalised recommendations on how to meet them. Where necessary, the school considers the guidance for the Cyber security standards for schools and colleges, to help improve resilience against cyber-attacks.
The school follows DfE guidance on the safe use of generative AI in schools to ensure any use of AI technologies is ethical, appropriate, and does not compromise safeguarding.
The school ensures boys, staff and parents receive training and/or information about online safety delivered by an external specialist.
Where there is a risk to the well-being of staff or pupils from incidents occurring outside the school, the school would take appropriate action.
The breadth of issues classified within online safety is considerable, but can be categorised into four areas of risk:
- content: being exposed to illegal, inappropriate, or harmful content, for example: pornography, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, anti-Semitism, radicalisation, extremism, AI-generated content, deepfakes, grooming online, misinformation, disinformation (including fake news) and conspiracy theories.
- contact: being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users; for example: peer to peer pressure, commercial advertising and adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit them for sexual, criminal, financial or other purposes.
- conduct: online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm; for example, making, sending and receiving explicit images (e.g. consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and/or pornography, sharing other explicit images and online bullying, and
- commerce: risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing and or financial scams. If you feel your pupils, students or staff are at risk, please report it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (https://apwg.org/).
The school also uses the 360 safe website, an online safety self-review tool for schools.
The Use of Mobile Phones
Staff
Personal mobile phones may be used to take photographs and short videos by staff, however, they must be deleted from the personal device within 24 hours of the image or video being taken. Any images and/or short videos must be stored on the school’s internal photo sharing platform called Synology or the shared google drive. Staff are permitted to take images for the use of the school website and/or all school marketing platforms. Photos taken must be taken in a public place. Staff must never take pictures where pupils change, including the use of phones in the pupils boarding areas. Staff must also adhere to the school’s policy on mobile phones and cameras, this can be found in the Code of Conduct section of the Staff Handbook. These rules include and relate to the use of wearable technology/devices also.
Pupils
Pupils are not allowed access to their mobile phones during their time at Sunningdale. However, there are cases where pupils may use their phones to contact family members, either domestically, or more commonly in a boarding school, when their family reside abroad. Pupils' phones are handed in when they arrive at school and they are stored in a locked cupboard, controlled by the Head Matron. Phones are handed out by the matron on duty and pupils are discreetly supervised for appropriate use of their phones. If pupils are not calling, then they must hand in their phone.
What staff should do if they have concerns about safeguarding practices at the school
We ask all staff to read the policy carefully and raise any concerns they have at the time of reading. We also ask all staff to raise any concerns about poor or unsafe practice and potential failures in the school’s safeguarding regime.
Historical Allegations
If the school were to receive any historical allegations, these would be referred to the police at the earliest opportunity.
Private Fostering
Private fostering occurs when a child under the age of 16 (under 18 for children with a disability) is provided with care and accommodation by a person who is not a parent, person with parental responsibility for them or a relative in their own home.
When the arrangements come to the attention of the school (and the school is not involved in the arrangements), they should then notify the local authority to allow the local authority to check if the arrangement is suitable and safe for the child.
The school will notify local authorities of the arrangement as soon as possible after the arrangement has been made. School staff should notify the Designated Safeguarding Lead when they become aware of private fostering arrangements.
Hiring out of School Facilities
When the School hires/rents out (or offers without charge) facilities/premises to organisations or individuals (for example to community groups, sports associations, and service providers to run community or co-curricular activities) it ensures that appropriate arrangements are in place to keep children safe. The headmaster is the proprietor of the school and also a DDSL and undertakes the necessary vetting and communication for safeguarding purposes. Should any allegation arise during use by outside organisations, then the normal School safeguarding protocols will apply, and the DSL (or appropriate DDSL) will inform the LADO as part of the management of the allegation.
When the school hires out its premises to an organisation, it will seek reassurance that, where the activities involve Under 18’s, they have appropriate safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures, and that there are arrangements in place to link with the school on such matters. In the event that an allegation is received to an external hirer, we will follow our usual procedures, including informing the LADO.
5 What is Child Abuse?
All school staff should be aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases multiple issues will overlap with one another.
Abuse: a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others (e.g. via the internet). They may be abused by an adult or adults or another child or children. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults or by another child or children. The school has firewalls in place to filter inappropriate content and alerts are sent to the DSL.
Children with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities can face additional safeguarding challenges as other barriers can exist when recognising abuse and neglect in this group of children.
This can include:
- assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child’s disability without further exploration;
- children with SEN and disabilities can be disproportionately impacted by things like bullying without outwardly showing any signs; and
- communication barriers and difficulties in overcoming these barriers,
- cognitive understanding - being unable to understand the difference between fact and fiction in online content and then repeating the behaviors in schools or colleges or the consequences of doing so.
Any reports of abuse involving children with SEND will therefore require close liaison with the DSL and/or DDSL’s and SENCO.
Physical abuse
A form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
Signs of Physical Abuse
Physical abuse may result in the symptoms described below. Aside from direct physical contact, physical abuse can also be caused when a parent or caregiver feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after. Signs of physical abuse include:
- Bruises on legs before a child is mobile
- Black eyes without bruising to the forehead
- Finger-tip bruising and bruises in various stages of healing
- Cigarette type burns anywhere, patterned burns (irons), rope burns. Contact burns in abnormal sites.
- Lacerations to the body or mouth
- Multiple fractures. Evidence of old fractures. Any fractures to children under two years old
- Fading injuries noticeable after an absence from school
- Seems frightened of parents, does not want to return home at the end of the day
- Shrinks markedly (backs away) at the approach of adults
- Suffers from frozen watchfulness
- Constantly asks in words/actions what will happen next
Emotional abuse
The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.
Signs of Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child's development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature inappropriate expectations being imposed on children, relative to their actual development or age. Signs of emotional abuse displayed by children include:
- Excessive behaviour, such as extreme aggression, passivity or become overly demanding
- Children who self-harm, for instance by scratching or cutting themselves
- Is either inappropriately adult or infantile
- Children who persistently run away from home
- Children who show high levels of anxiety, unhappiness or withdrawal
Sexual abuse
Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.
Signs of Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving the children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. Signs of sexual abuse displayed by children include:
- Difficulty walking or sitting
- Pain/itching/bleeding/bruising/discharge to the genital area/anus
- Urinary infections/sexually transmitted diseases
- Persistent sore throats
- Eating disorders
- Self mutilation
- Increased absence from school
- Refuses to change for gym or participate in physical activities
- Exhibits an inappropriate sexual knowledge for their age
- Exhibits sexualised behaviour in their play or with other children
- Lack of peer relationships, sleep disturbances, acute anxiety/fear
- School refusal, running away from home
Neglect
The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment); protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers); or ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Signs of Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs. This is likely to result in the serious impairment of the child's health or development. Signs of neglect include:
- Frequent absenteeism from school
- Begs or steals money or food
- Lacks needed medical or dental care, immunizations or glasses
- Lacks appropriate clothing, e.g. for weather conditions, shoes are too small, ill-fitted clothes
- Clothes are consistently dirty
- Teeth are dirty, hair quality is poor and contains infestations
- Hands are cold, red and swollen
- Increased absence from school
- The parent of adult caregiver has failed to protect a child from physical harm or danger
Affluent Neglect
Whilst affluent neglect is not mentioned in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025, affluent neglect refers to the neglect experienced by children in wealthy families. It can be harder to recognise, as it often takes the form of unmet emotional needs rather than physical deprivation. Examples include:
- Limited parental availability due to work, travel or lifestyle commitment
- Over-reliance on domestic staff or au pairs in place of parental involvement
- Excessive pressure to succeed academically, socially, or in extracurricular activities without emotional support
- A lack of clear boundaries, supervision, or interest in the child’s wellbeing
- Providing materially for children while being emotionally unavailable or unresponsive
Safeguarding Issues
All staff should have an awareness of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm. Behaviours linked to issues such as drug taking, alcohol abuse, unexplainable and/or persistent absences from education and sexting (also known as youth produced sexual imagery) put children in danger.
Child on Child Abuse
All staff should be aware that safeguarding issues can manifest themselves via child on child abuse. Sunningdale has a zero tolerance policy to abuse. It can happen at school or away from school or online. Child on child abuse is most likely to include, but may not be limited to:
- bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying);
- abuse in intimate personal relationships between peers;
- physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm (this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages physical abuse);
- sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault; (this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages sexual violence);
- sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, which may be standalone or part of a broader pattern of abuse;
- causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touch themselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party;
- consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery);
- upskirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without their permission, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm; and
- initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group and may also include an online element).
Steps to prevent child on child abuse
At Sunningdale, we encourage boys to talk openly about any concerns they may have. The role of the tutor is very important in helping to identify child on child abuse. All staff have a responsibility to help pupils understand what child on child abuse is.
It is essential that all staff understand the importance of challenging inappropriate behaviours between peers, many of which are listed above, that are actually abusive in nature. Downplaying certain behaviours, for example dismissing sexual harassment as “just banter”, “just having a laugh”, “part of growing up” or “boys being boys” can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours, an unsafe environment for children and in worst case scenarios a culture that normalises abuse leading to children accepting it as normal and not coming forward to report it.
Managing and investigating child on child abuse
If there is an allegation of child on child abuse, the Designated Safeguarding Lead should be informed. All incidents must be responded to immediately, recorded in detail, and reported to the DSL. A discussion will then follow as to whether or not the case should be referred to children’s social care. The details of the allegation will be investigated but it is essential that this is done in a way that does not put the alleged victim at risk of further abuse.
Supporting victims and perpetrators
Support will be offered to victims and perpetrators and any other child affected by child on child abuse. All parties will be offered counselling from the school counsellor. The school will also liaise with the families where appropriate.
Child on child abuse is more likely to be carried out by boys on girls but all child on child abuse is unacceptable and must never be passed off as ‘banter’, ‘just having a laugh’ or ‘part of growing up’. It is also not acceptable to pass it off as ‘boys will be boys’. It is also important to note that child-on-child abuse may be taking place even if it’s not being reported.
Sunningdale is committed to do all it can to prevent child on child abuse. We do this through our PSHE programme, through the tutor system, by encouraging pupils to talk to someone if they have concerns and through our Six Qualities.
Supporting LGBT pupils
Children who are LGBT can be targeted by other children. A child who is perceived by other children to be LGBT (whether they are or not) can be just as vulnerable as children who identify as LGBT. Pupils have the ability to self refer to the school counsellor to discuss issues that are causing them concern.
Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children or harmful sexual behaviour (HSB)
There is concern nationally relating to a culture of misogyny and sexual harassment in many schools and the DfE and Ofsted have reviewed school procedures. Schools are now required to have clear mechanisms for pupils to report concerns within school that are signposted and prevalent.
It is important that schools and colleges are aware of sexual violence and the fact children can, and sometimes do, abuse other children in this way and that it can happen both inside and outside of school/college. When referring to sexual violence in this advice, we do so in the context of child-on-child sexual violence.
Hackett defines harmful sexual behaviors (HSB) expressed by children and young people under the age of 18 years old that are developmentally inappropriate, may be harmful towards self or others and/or be abusive towards another child, young person or adult.
Sexual violence and sexual harassment are not acceptable and Sunningdale takes a zero-tolerance approach to abuse.
The initial response to a report from a child is incredibly important. How the school responds to a report can encourage or undermine the confidence of future victims of sexual violence and sexual harassment to report or come forward. Any school that failed to recognise, acknowledge or understand the scale of harassment and abuse, or downplayed some behaviours, might actually lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviour.
Part 5 of the statutory guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 sets out how Sunningdale will manage reports of child-on-child sexual violence and harassment. Part 5 of KCSIE should be read in conjunction with a further Department for Education (DfE) guidance document, updated in September 2021:
Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges
This document is read and understood by the DSL and DDSL and will be referred to as needed, particularly if a report of child-on-child sexual violence or sexual harassment is made. It contains detailed information on:
- what sexual violence and sexual harassment constitutes.
- important context to be aware of, including: what is consent, power imbalances, and developmental stages.
- Harmful sexual behaviour (HSB), including that a child displaying HSB may be an indication that they are a victim of abuse themselves.
- Related legal responsibilities for schools.
- Advice on a whole-school approach to preventing child-on-child sexual violence and sexual harassment.
- More detailed advice on responding to reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment, including safeguarding and supporting both the victim(s) and alleged perpetrators(s).
If a report is made, the designated safeguarding lead will take the lead in how the report is dealt with, given the high-profile nature of the report. Where the DSL is unavailable, the Deputy DSL will lead. On a case-by-case basis, there will be consideration made as to the gender of the DSL or Deputy, so that the victim feels comfortable with how the investigation is managed.
When it comes to action to manage the report, the needs and wishes of the victim will take centre stage. Considerations should include how the investigation proceeds and what support the victim requires. Support should also be provided to alleged perpetrators and any other pupils who may be involved.
Where a report of rape, assault by penetration or sexual assault is made, children’s social care and the police will be informed. Before doing so, this will be discussed with the victim and their parents/carers, explaining why it is important for other agencies to know and how these agencies will be able to support the victim. Other allegations will be managed within the school and/or with support from children’s social care providers.
KCSIE 2025 sets out the steps the school will take to manage the students involved, including the writing of risk assessments, separating the students in lessons, investigating the report and supporting the victim and alleged perpetrator.
Our school also has access to, and will utilise where necessary, the ‘Stop Now’ tool.
The tool uses a traffic light system to categorise the sexual behaviours of young people and is designed to help professionals:
- Make decisions about safeguarding children and young people.
- Assess and respond appropriately to sexual behaviour in children and young people.
- Understand healthy sexual development and distinguish it from harmful behaviour.
Child abduction and community safety incidents
Child abduction is the unauthorised removal or retention of a minor from a parent or anyone with legal responsibility for the child. Child abduction can be committed by parents or other family members; by people known but not related to the victim (such as neighbours, friends and acquaintances); and by strangers. Other community safety incidents in the vicinity of a school can raise concerns amongst children and parents, for example, people loitering nearby or unknown adults engaging children in conversation. As children get older and are granted more independence (for example, as they start walking to school on their own) it is important they are given practical advice on how to keep themselves safe. At Sunningdale we engage with parents and try to build children’s confidence, rather than simply warning them about all strangers. Further information is available at: www.actionagainstabduction.org
Children and the court system
Children are sometimes required to give evidence in criminal courts, either for crimes committed against them or for crimes they have witnessed. There are two age appropriate guides to support children, for 5-11-year olds and 12-17 year olds, which explain each step of the process, support and special measures that are available. Making child arrangements via the family courts following separation can be stressful and entrench conflict in families. This can be stressful for children and Sunningdale is aware of its responsibilities when this situation arises in a family. The Ministry of Justice has launched an online information tool with clear and concise information on the dispute resolution service.
Children who are absent from education/Children missing education
In line with statutory guidance Working together to improve school attendance (DfE 2024), all staff should be aware that children going missing from school, particularly repeatedly, can act as a vital warning sign of a range of possible safeguarding issues. This may include abuse, neglect and exploitation, which may involve sexual abuse or exploitation and child criminal exploitation. It may indicate mental health problems, risk of substance abuse, risk of travelling to conflict zones, risk of female genital mutilation or risk of forced marriage. Early intervention is necessary to identify the existence of any underlying safeguarding risk and to help prevent the risks of a child going missing in future. All staff should be aware of Annexe C of this policy which refers to Children Missing Education.
Children with family members in prison
Approximately 200,000 children in England and Wales have a parent sent to prison each year. These children are at risk of poor outcomes including poverty, stigma, isolation and poor mental health. The National Information Centre on Children of Offenders, NICCO, provides information designed to support professionals working with offenders and their children, to help mitigate negative consequences for those children.
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Child Criminal Exploitation
Both CSE and CCE are forms of abuse and both occur where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance in power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child into sexual or criminal activity. Whilst age may be the most obvious, this power imbalance can also be due to a range of other factors including gender, sexual identity, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic or other resources. In some cases, the abuse may involve an exchange for something the victim needs or wants and/or will be to the financial benefit or other advantage (such as increased status) of the perpetrator or facilitator. The abuse can be perpetrated by individuals or groups, males or females, and children or adults. The abuse can be a one-off occurrence or a series of incidents over time, and range from opportunistic to complex organised abuse. It can involve force and/or enticement-based methods of compliance and may, or may not, be accompanied by violence or threats of violence. Victims can be exploited even when activity appears consensual and it should be noted exploitation as well as being physical can be facilitated and/or take place online.
Although Sunningdale is a school for boys, it is important to note that the experience of girls who are criminally exploited can be very different to that of boys. The indicators may not be the same, however staff should be aware that girls are at risk of criminal exploitation too. It is also important to note that both boys and girls being criminally exploited may be at higher risk of sexual exploitation.
CSE is a form of child sexual abuse and can affect any child, who has been coerced into engaging in sexual activities. This includes 16 and 17 year olds who can legally consent to have sex. Some children may not realise they are being exploited e.g. they believe they are in a genuine romantic relationship.
Modern Slavery and the National Referral Mechanism
Modern slavery encompasses human trafficking and slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour. Exploitation can take many forms, including: sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery, servitude, forced criminality and the removal of organs. Further information on the signs that someone may be a victim of modern slavery, the support available to victims and how to refer them to the NRM is available in the guidance Modern slavery: how to identify and support victims
Cybercrime
Cybercrime is criminal activity committed using computers and/or the internet. It is broadly categorised as either ‘cyber-enabled’ (crimes that can happen off-line but are enabled at scale and at speed on-line) or ‘cyber dependent’ (crimes that can be committed only by using a computer). Cyber-dependent crimes include:
- unauthorised access to computers (illegal ‘hacking’), for example accessing a school’s computer network to look for test paper answers or change grades awarded.
- denial of Service (Dos or DDoS) attacks or ‘booting’. These are attempts to make a computer, network or website unavailable by overwhelming it with internet traffic from multiple sources.
- making, supplying or obtaining malware (malicious software) such as viruses, spyware, ransomware, botnets and Remote Access Trojans with the intent to commit further offence, including those above.
Children with a particular skill and interest in computing and technology may inadvertently or deliberately stray into cyber-dependent crime.
If there are concerns about a child in this area, the designated safeguarding lead (or a deputy), should consider referring into the Cyber Choices programme. This is a nationwide police programme supported by the Home Office and led by the National Crime Agency, working with regional and local policing. It aims to intervene where young people are at risk of committing, or being drawn into, low level cyberdependent offences and divert them to a more positive use of their skills and interests.
Note that Cyber Choices does not currently cover ‘cyber-enabled’ crime such as fraud, purchasing of illegal drugs on-line and child sexual abuse and exploitation, nor other areas of concern such as on-line bullying or general on-line safety. Additional advice can be found at: Cyber Choices, 'NSPCC-when to call the police' and National Cyber Security Centre - NCSC.GOV.UK
Domestic abuse
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2021. The Act introduces the first ever statutory definition of domestic abuse and recognises the impact of domestic abuse on children, as victims in their own right, if they see, hear or experience the effects of abuse. The statutory definition of domestic abuse, based on the previous cross-government definition, ensures that different types of relationships are captured, including ex-partners and family members. The definition captures a range of different abusive behaviours, including physical, emotional and economic abuse, and coercive and controlling behaviour. Under the statutory definition, both the person who is carrying out the behaviour and the person to whom the behaviour is directed towards must be aged 16 or over and they must be “personally connected” (as defined in section 2 of the 2021 Act).
Domestic abuse can encompass a wide range of behaviours and may be a single incident or a pattern of incidents. That abuse can be, but is not limited to:
- Physical or sexual abuse;
- Violent or threatening behaviour;
- Controlling or coercive behaviour;
- Economic abuse (adverse effect of the victim to acquire, use or maintain money or other property; or obtain goods or services); and
- Psychological, emotional or other abuse.
Children can be victims of domestic abuse. They may see, hear, or experience the effects of abuse at home and/or suffer domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse). All of which can have a detrimental and long-term impact on their health, well-being, development, and ability to learn.
National Domestic Abuse Helpline Refuge runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, which can be called free of charge and in confidence, 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247.
Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass operates in all police forces across England. It helps police and schools work together to provide emotional and practical help to children. This ensures that the school has up to date relevant information about the child’s circumstances and can enable immediate support to be put in place, according to the child’s needs.
Operation Encompass does not replace statutory safeguarding procedures. Where appropriate, the police and/or schools should make a referral to local authority children’s social care if they are concerned about a child’s welfare.
More information about the scheme and how schools can become involved is available on the Operation Encompass website. Operation Encompass provides an advice and helpline service for all staff members from educational settings who may be concerned about children who have experienced domestic abuse.
The helpline is available 8:00 to 13:00, Monday to Friday on 0204 513 9990 (charged at local rate).
Homelessness
Being homeless, or being at risk of becoming homeless, presents a real risk to a child’s welfare. The designated safeguarding lead (and any deputies) should be aware of contact details and referral routes into the Local Housing Authority so they can raise or progress concerns at the earliest opportunity. Indicators that a family may be at risk of homelessness include household debt, rent arrears, domestic abuse and anti-social behaviour, as well as the family being asked to leave a property. Whilst referrals or a discussion with the Local Housing Authority should be progressed as appropriate, and in accordance with local procedures, this does not, and should not, replace a referral into children’s social care where a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm.
Female Genital Mutilation
All staff who have any concerns about female genital mutilation should speak to the DSL or DDSL. If any teacher, in the course of their work, discovers that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under the age of 18, they MUST report this to the police.
Although boys at Sunningdale will not be directly affected by this, they may have sisters or other acquaintances who are at risk.
Serious Violence
All staff should be aware of indicators, which may signal that children are at risk from, or are involved with serious violent crime. These may include:
- increased absence from school,
- a change in friendships or relationships with older individuals or groups,
- a significant decline in performance,
- signs of self-harm or a significant change in wellbeing,
- signs of assault or unexplained injuries.
Unexplained gifts or new possessions could also indicate that children have been approached by, or are involved with, individuals associated with criminal networks or gangs.
Risk factors which increase the likelihood of involvement in serious violence could include:
- being male,
- having been frequently absent or permanently excluded from school,
- having experienced child maltreatment
- having been involved in offending, such as theft or robbery
Preventing radicalisation – the Prevent duty
Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 requires all schools to ‘have due regard, in the exercise of their functions, to prevent people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.’ This is known as the 'Prevent Duty' and guidance can be found here: Revised Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales. DfE advice for schools, of June 2015, states that: ‘School staff should use their professional judgement in identifying children who might be at risk of radicalisation and act proportionately’.
Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person legitimises support for, or the use of, terrorist violence, terrorism or forms of extremism. There is no single way of identifying an individual who is likely to be susceptible to radicalisation into terrorist.
Sunningdale is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils. As a school we recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation is no different from safeguarding against any other vulnerability. Staff should be alert to changes in children’s behaviour which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection. All staff are expected to uphold and promote the fundamental principles of British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. The DSL is the school’s Prevent Duty lead.
All of our staff undergo online Prevent Awareness training or Prevent training delivered in person and/or online to support them in identifying radicalisation and in understanding what steps they need to take to protect the children and families in our school. Prevent Awareness training is reviewed biannually.
We use the curriculum to ensure that children and young people understand how people with extreme views share these with others, especially using the internet. Staff should be alert to changes in children’s behavior, which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection. .
Prevent referrals
Members of staff who have concerns about a boy will make these concerns known to the DSL at the earliest opportunity. The DSL will then make a judgement as to whether or not it is appropriate to make a referral.
Channel Awareness
Channel is a programme which focuses on providing support at an early stage to people who are identified as being vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. This training package is for anyone who may be asked to contribute to, sit on, or even run a Channel Panel. It is aimed at all levels, from a professional asked to input and attend for the first time, to a member of staff new to their role and organising a panel meeting. https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/channelawareness
Additional support
The DfE has published further advice for schools on the Prevent duty, to complement the Prevent guidance. There are two learning modules, in addition to the Channel Awareness link immediately above.
- The training link below offers an introduction to the Prevent duty and explains how it aims to safeguard vulnerable people from being radicalised, supporting terrorism or becoming terrorists themselves.
http://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk
- The package below builds on the Prevent awareness eLearning training. It is designed to make sure that when we share a concern that a vulnerable individual may be being radicalised, that the referral is robust, informed and with good intention, and that the response to that concern is considered, and proportionate
https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/preventreferrals
- Educate Against Hate - Prevent Radicalisation & Extremism is a government website designed to support school teachers and leaders to help them safeguard their students from radicalisation and extremism. The platform provides free information and resources to help school staff identify and address the risks, as well as build resilience to radicalisation.
Mental Health
Schools have an important role to play in supporting mental health and wellbeing, to safeguard pupils. All staff should be aware that mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation.
If a member of staff has a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding concern, immediate action should be taken. That member of staff must report their concern to the DSL or DDSL.
Sunningdale is aware of the impact of mental health on a pupil's life. Several staff have been trained as mental health champions and the DSL is the mental health lead. Mental health training is also provided to all staff via the child protection refresher course, provided on TES Educare. Staff must raise concerns with the DSL, who should liaise with the school’s mental health lead and external services as required.
Where pupils are unable to attend school, due to their mental health, the school will support their learning and needs. Staff are trained in the procedures for identifying possible mental health problems. We have procedures in place for supporting mental health for pupils who are at home because they’re following clinical and/or public health advice, for example:
- Delivering support over the phone
- Ensuring our school counselor is available
- Joining lessons online
- Transparent communication with parents.
If the student's needs surpass the support available within the school, the DSL should refer them to external mental health services. This may involve liaising with local authority children's social care or other specialised mental health support agencies. These may include, but are not limited to: Local authority children’s social care, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), General Practitioners or Local Mind Services.
Upskirting
‘Upskirting’ typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without them knowing, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm. It is now a criminal offence and the perpetrator can face a sentence of up to two years in prison. Anyone of any gender can be a victim.
6 Definition of harm and significant harm from Adoption & Children Act 2002 Section 10
Ill treatment or the impairment of health or development (impairment suffered from seeing or hearing the ill treatment of another).
‘Development’ means physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development;
‘Health’ means physical or mental health;
‘Ill treatment’ includes sexual abuse and forms of ill treatment which are not physical
NB: The Adoption & Children Act 2002 s120 amended the definition of HARM to include those instances where a child may witness domestic violence.
Recognition of Significant Harm
Any allegation of a sexual nature, or parents whose behaviour may present risk because of:
Domestic violence, drug & alcohol abuse and mental health problems; any physical injury caused by assault or neglect which requires medical attention. Repeated incidents of physical harm. Any contact with a person assessed as presenting a risk to children, or children who live in low warmth, high criticism environments, and children who suffer from persistent neglect; children who may be involved in prostitution. Other circumstances where professional judgement and/or evidence suggest a child’s health, development or welfare may be significantly harmed.
Indicators of Abuse (From Windsor & Maidenhead Safeguarding Children Board)
The Parent or Other Adult Caregiver:
- Denies existence of or blames the child for the child's problems at home or at school
- Sees and describes the child as entirely worthless, burdensome or in another negative light
- Unrealistic expectations of the child i.e. demands a level of academic or physical performance of which they are not capable
- Offers conflicting or unconvincing explanation of any injuries to the child
- Appears indifferent to or overtly rejects the child
- Refuses offers of help for the child's problems
- Isolated physically/emotionally
It is important to recognise that the different types of abuse often occur simultaneously. For instance where a child is physically abused, they often suffer emotional abuse as well. If you perceive a combination or repetition of any of the signs of child abuse then please contact the relevant social services office immediately.
Recognition of Abuse
Be open to possibilities; be aware – if you don’t believe it is possible you will never see it, don’t jump to conclusions and look for credible nonabusive explanations, but recognise you may need to seek advice to evaluate the facts. BUT don’t let your preconceptions of the family skew your judgement.
The Symptoms of Stress and Distress
An abused child will usually show signs of stress and distress. Possible signs of abuse include, but are not limited to, those listed below. Many of these may of course have nothing to do with abuse, but are worth consideration in trying to understand the child's behaviour.
- A fall off in school performance.
- Aggressive or hostile behaviour.
- Difficulties in relationships with peers.
- Excessively affectionate or sexual behaviour towards adults or other children.
- Regression to more immature forms of behaviour.
- Self harming or suicidal behaviour.
- No reasonable or consistent explanation for a pupil’s injuries, or a pattern of injuries
- Disturbed sleep.
Warning Signs of Radicalisation or Extremism
- Parental reports of change in behaviour, friendships or actions and requests for support.
- Voicing opinions drawn from extremist ideology or narrative
- Use of extremist or hate terms to exclude others or incite violence
- Racist language and targeting certain groups or individuals
- Recent conversion and following a conservative strand of the faith. It must be understood that this may also be reasonable behaviour.
7 The Role of Teachers, support staff and volunteers
The person responsible for safeguarding, known as the Designated Safeguarding Lead, at Sunningdale is Mr George Thomason.
Areas of responsibility for the Designated Safeguarding Lead
Managing referrals
- Refer all cases of suspected abuse to the local authority children’s social care and:
- The designated officer(s) for child protection concerns (all cases which concern a staff member),
- Disclosure and Barring Service (cases where a person is dismissed or left due to risk/harm to a child); and/or
- Police (cases where a crime may have been committed).
- NPCC - When to call the police provides useful advice about when the police should be called and what to expect when this happens.
- Act as a source of support, advice and expertise to staff on matters of safety and safeguarding and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies.
- Referrals should normally be made by telephone but the following RBWM form can be used: Safeguarding referral form
Training
- The Designated Safeguarding Lead should receive appropriate training carried out every two years in order to:
- Understand the assessment process for providing early help and intervention, for example through locally agreed common and shared assessment processes such as early help assessments.
- Be aware of what the local early help process is and how and where to access support.
- Have a working knowledge of how local authorities conduct a child protection case conference and a child protection review conference and be able to attend and contribute to these effectively when required to do so.
- Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the school’s safeguarding policy and procedures, especially new and part time staff
- Be alert to the specific needs of children in need, those with special educational needs and young carers.
- Be able to keep detailed, accurate, secure written records of concerns and referrals.
- Obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses.
- Encourage a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings, among all staff, in any measures the school or college may put in place to protect them.
- Be aware of the importance of online safety and monitor the filtering system, ContentKeeper (Ativion) & Bark, which analyses all content accessed or produced by the pupils, including their school emails and that of staff.
- Ensure that all staff receive training on how filtering and monitoring is in use at the school. It is the role of the DSL and Deputy DSL to analyse the filtering and monitoring system information and to pass relevant concerns onto the appropriate member of staff.
- Staff and/or teachers also receive training from Karl Hopwood through internet talks and TES Educare courses.
- Regularly review the filtering and monitoring system with the headmaster/proprietor.
Raising Awareness
The Designated Safeguarding Lead should ensure the school’s policies are known and used appropriately:
- Ensure the school’s safeguarding policy is reviewed annually and the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly, and work with proprietors regarding this.
- Ensure the safeguarding policy is available publicly and parents are aware of the fact that referrals about suspected abuse or neglect may be made and the role of the school or college in this.
- Link with the local Safeguarding Partnership (RBWM) to make sure staff are aware of training opportunities and the latest local policies on safeguarding. This is the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
- Where children leave the school, ensure their child protection file is transferred to the new school or college as soon as possible. This should be transferred separately from the main pupil file, ensuring secure transit and confirmation of receipt should be obtained.
On-line safety
- The DSL is the On-line safety lead.
- In this context, the role of the DSL is to ensure that the school has systems in place to protect the pupils when they are on-line.
- To understand the filtering and monitoring systems and processes in place.
- Raise awareness of the importance of staying safe online amongst pupils, staff and parents
Information Sharing and Managing the Child Protection File
The designated safeguarding lead is responsible for
- Ensuring that child protection files are kept up to date.
- Information should be kept confidential and stored securely.
- It is good practice to keep concerns and referrals in a separate child protection file for each child.
- Records should include: a clear and comprehensive summary of the concern, details of how the concern was followed up and resolved, a note of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome.
Teachers have a statutory duty to pass on any Child Protection concerns
and to follow these School (and local safeguarding partnership) procedures (Education Act 2002 & Children Act 2004):
- Be alert to signs of abuse and Prevent concerns
- Take immediate action in the child's best interest by reporting any evidence of abuse or non-accidental injury to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
- Know the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and School procedures.
- Enquire about the progress of individual cases in which they are/have been involved.
- Thereafter accept their restricted role as the case becomes the province of other agencies.
- Record accurately in writing information that may be required in safeguarding procedures. This note should record the time, date, place and people who were present as well as what was said. All evidence, for example scribbled notes, mobile phones with text messages, clothing, and computers, must be safeguarded and preserved. Also make a note of what happened next.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead must receive training every two years. All staff require training in child protection (updated every two years) and temporary and voluntary staff who work with children must be made aware of the arrangements for safeguarding children. This will be provided by the Designated Safeguarding Lead who will receive training from the local social services department or an external welfare agency acceptable to the local safeguarding children board.
All staff must receive induction training.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and anyone can make a referral to children’s social care.
Departmental advice: ‘What to do if you are worried a child is being abused- Advice for practitioners’ provides more information on understanding and identifying abuse, neglect and exploitation. Examples of potential signs of abuse, neglect and exploitation are highlighted throughout the advice and will be particularly helpful for school and college staff. The NSPCC website also provides useful additional information on types of abuse and what to look out for.
RBWM Mash have produced threshold guidance to help with referrals. This can be found here: Multi Agency Threshold Guidance
Trusted Adults
Risks can be compounded where children lack trusted adults with whom they can be open. It is therefore vital that staff endeavour to reduce the additional barriers faced and create a culture where they can speak out or share their concerns with members of staff.
All staff at Sunningdale are trusted adults. Although, to promote an holistic approach, pupils are encouraged to speak to their pastoral tutor or any other trusted adult to raise concerns if they occur.
In addition, Sunningdale offers the support of an independent person (listener). The independent person is someone, other than a parent, outside the staff, and those responsible for the leadership and governance of the school, who children may contact directly about personal problems or concerns at the school. This person may be known as the ‘independent person’ (listener). Children are made aware who this person is, through posters and verbal announcements, they are made aware of how to contact them and feel comfortable talking to them. The person is easily accessible during drop-in weekly drop-in sessions open to all.
The independent person is Mr Roger Wood.
8 All Staff: Helping a child who wants to tell you about his abuse
Staff should remember that the priority is to protect the child. The matter should be taken seriously. React calmly, listen carefully, observe but do not judge. Don’t stop the child who is freely recalling significant events. Reassure the child that s/he has done the right thing in telling you. Indicate the action you will take and make it clear that you will have to tell the designated member of staff (no secrets). If the child comes back to talk at a later stage he should be told that you cannot comment or advise as that might affect his/his security, but you can listen. Bear in mind these 'must nots':
- Do not drag the child to the designated person – this would be abusive in itself!
- Do not yourself contact the parents
- Do not interrogate the child or ask leading questions
- Do not speak to anyone about whom allegations are made, including colleagues
- Do not promise confidentiality
- Do not ask a child outright if he or others have suffered abuse
- Avoid criticising the alleged perpetrator
- The following guidelines may be helpful. Please also refer to ‘Safeguarding - Guidelines for Members of Staff’. (Annexe A and/or Annex E)
All staff should be able to reassure victims that they are being taken seriously and that they will be supported and kept safe. A victim should never be given the impression that they are creating a problem by reporting abuse, sexual violence or sexual harassment. Nor should a victim ever be made to feel ashamed for making a report.
Important:
Bullying can develop into physical or sexual abuse – as can idiosyncratic punishments introduced by individuals: make sure you are aware of the school’s procedures.
Be vigilant for early warning signs – such as favouritism, development of excessive one – to –one contact, increased involvement with changing or showering.
Openly discuss within the staff group issues such as acceptable and unacceptable touching.
Openly discuss with pupils issues such as times of day or week, and locations in school, that are high risk for bullying or illicit activities.
Reporting Procedure
A member of staff needs only reasonable cause for concern in order to act. One
sentence from the child indicating abuse or non-accidental injury provides you with
reasonable grounds and is sufficient for you to act. This may also apply if clear
information comes from a sibling or another adult. Any suspicions will be reported to the LADO. If there are concerns under Prevent guidance, the Channel Police Practitioner, DI Prevent, Pete Oliphant will be informed.
We do not require parental consent to refer any case to social care or the police.
In the case of a criminal act, it must be reported directly to the police.
9 Allegations against School staff
Concerns that meet the harm threshold
These relate to:
- a member of staff or volunteer who has behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child;
- possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child,
- behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she may pose a risk of harm to children;
- behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children.
Teachers and all School staff must protect themselves, and staff should bear in mind that even perfectly innocent actions can sometimes be misconstrued. Children may find being touched uncomfortable or distressing for a variety of reasons. It is also important not to touch pupils, however casually, in ways or on parts of the body that might be considered indecent.
Occasionally false allegations of abuse are made. To avoid as far as possible such an allegation, and situations which may give rise to misinterpretation, Staff should be guided by the following advice:
- Avoid whenever possible unobserved situations of one to one contact with a child. If they are unavoidable, always keep a door open and try to ensure you are within the hearing of others.
- Do not offer to transport children alone in your car without seeking advice and telling another colleague that this is what you propose to do.
- Do not engage in or allow any sexually provocative games whether based on talking or touching or engage in ‘horseplay’ involving children.
- Never make suggestive remarks or discriminatory comments to a child.
- When supervising children changing their clothes for sport or for any other reason or when on duty in the boarding houses be aware that children may be uncomfortable, vulnerable and/or anxious with you seeing them when they are not fully dressed. Give children as much privacy as is possible and practical in these situations.
- Avoid ‘favouritism’ and singling out ‘troublemakers’.
- Never communicate via social media sites with a pupil or allow them to be ‘friends’.
- Never trivialise child abuse.
- Report any situation which might be misconstrued as quickly as possible to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
The Sexual Offences Act (Amended) 2004 states that it is a criminal offence for a person aged 18 or over in a position of trust in a school to engage in any sexual activity with a person under the age of 18 (in that school) irrespective of the age of consent, even if the basis of their relationship is consensual.
In circumstances which involve an allegation against a member of staff, the responsibility for dealing with the matter lies with the Headmaster.
Staff who hear an allegation of abuse against another member of staff should report the matter immediately to the Headmaster, unless the Headmaster is the person against whom the allegation is made. In that case the allegation must be reported directly to the LADO.
Contact Details for LADO: Mandy Burrows -
01628 796693 or 01344 786543 (Out of hours)
Immediate suspension of the member of staff is only one of a number of options, which will be considered. Others include leave of absence, or providing a classroom assistant or colleague to be present in contact time. A member of staff in such circumstances will be advised of appropriate support, for example from his/his trade union, or a colleague contact.
In the event of an allegation being made against a teacher, the Headmaster will immediately and at least within one working day refer the matter to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) 01628 796693. Allegations against staff do not need to be referred to Children’s Services: where the allegation relates to the use of reasonable force; where the allegation is demonstrably false. If there is any uncertainty as to whether a referral should be made, the school will seek advice from the LADO.
In the event of an allegation being made against a teacher and the Headmaster is unavailable, staff should report the concern to the designated safeguarding lead who will report the matter to the LADO within one working day. The DSL’s duty will be to refer the concern but not to investigate it.
In the event of allegations of abuse being made against the Headmaster, allegations should be made directly to the designated officer at the local authority, (LADO).
In the event of allegations made against the proprietor, allegations should be reported to the designated officer at the local authority, (LADO).
If the allegation is substantiated and the person is dismissed or the person resigns the Designated Safeguarding Lead will need to inform the DBS and if the member of staff is a teacher will need to refer the matter to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).
In the event that allegations are made against a school staff member, the school will provide adequate support where possible. This may take the form of counseling or providing appropriate legal support where applicable.
All staff must be aware of and comply with the Staff Code of Conduct.
Concerns that do not meet the harm threshold
If the Headmaster is wholly satisfied that the child or children is/are not at risk of significant harm and that a reportable criminal offence has not been committed he will consider the separate need for disciplinary action. In that case an investigation at School level would be necessary.
A low-level concern is a concern that does not meet the threshold outlined above but it is still significant. A low-level concern is any concern that an adult working at the School may have acted in a way that:
- is inconsistent with the staff code of conduct, including inappropriate conduct outside of work;
- does not meet the allegations threshold or is otherwise not considered serious enough to consider a referral to the LADO
Examples of low-level concerns could include:
- being over friendly with children;
- having favourites;
- taking photographs of children on their mobile phone other than for publicity purposes;
- engaging with a child on a one-to-one basis in a secluded area or behind a closed door;
- using inappropriate sexualised, intimidating or offensive language.
Any member of staff who has concerns of this nature must discuss them with the Headmaster.
Please see annexe D for further information.
10 Whistleblowing
Staff should familiarise themselves with the School’s Whistleblowing Policy. It is particularly important in the context of Child Protection. Staff have a statutory duty to report concerns that a child is at risk of abuse, is being, or has been abused, to the Designated Safeguarding Lead. This is because the interests of the child are paramount. However, fear of reprisal is a real issue for staff in reporting abuse by colleagues. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 provides protection against victimisation for persons who, acting in good faith, raise concerns about a wide variety of malpractices in the public interest.
When establishing the validity of any cause for concern care will be taken
- to protect the whistleblower;
- to avoid alerting anyone about whom a concern has been raised;
- to avoid alerting other colleagues who may warn the subject of the concern;
- to record the information;
- to keep all records secure and confidential.
11 Allegation of abuse by a pupil on another pupil.
This relates to a pupil who has behaved in a way that has harmed another child, or may have harmed another child; possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to another child.
If there is any suspicion that this may have happened, the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) must be consulted and appropriate advice must be followed.
The school should not contact the parents of either child before speaking to the MASH.
12 Consultation/Referrals
If the Designated Safeguarding Lead receives allegations or has any suspicions of abuse, or needs advice, he will inform the Children’s Services department, within 24 hours, of his concerns. If the consultation/referral is by telephone a written confirmation will be made. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will also inform the DBS within one month. If the case meets the criteria for eligibility, the Children’s Services department will make background enquiries, including with the police. If the concerns appear well founded, a strategy discussion will follow, normally within two working days. At this point a decision will be taken either to proceed with an S47 enquiry/criminal investigation or not. If the concerns are substantiated and the child is deemed at continuing risk of significant harm, a Child Protection Conference will be convened.
If there is a risk of immediate significant harm to a child, a referral should be made to the children’s social care immediately.
Once a referral has been made to M.A.S.H, they will take over any investigation. It is not the role of the school to investigate any incidents of suspected child abuse.
If social workers decide to carry out a statutory assessment, staff should do everything they can to support that assessment (supported by the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy) as required).
At Sunningdale, we recognise that when a child has a social worker, it is an indicator that the child is more at risk than most pupils. This may mean that they are more vulnerable to further harm, as well as facing educational barriers to attendance, learning, behaviour and poor mental health. We will take these needs into account when making plans to support pupils who have a social worker.
If a crime may have been committed, the matter should be reported to the police.
13 Record keeping and storage
Child Protection records are kept securely by the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Records should include:
- a clear and comprehensive summary of the concern;
- details of how the concern was followed up and resolved;
- a note of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome.
The DSL should keep written records of all concerns, discussions and decisions, including the rationale for those decisions. This will be held on the MyConcern portal or in the Low-Level Concerns. This should include where referrals were or were not made to another agency such as LA children’s social care or the Prevent program. Access is only available to the DSL and his deputies.
14 Teaching the boys how to stay safe
Boys at Sunningdale are taught how to stay safe. We are sensitive to the specific needs and vulnerabilities of individual children, including children who are victims of abuse, and children with special educational needs or disabilities.
This teaching is done through the curriculum and with specific PSHE lectures, which includes the RSHE statuary requirements. We include advice on how to avoid radicalisation. Furthermore, the school engages with the NSPCC to run workshops on Speak Out. Stay Safe. Whilst varied pupils each receive opportunities to discuss safeguarding in termly reflection sessions run by the DSL.
We also pay specific attention to e-safety. The boys are taught how to avoid risks online in the PSHE curriculum and we also invite an outside speaker, Karl Hopwood, to come and talk to the boys, staff and parents about e-safety.
15 Looked after children
In cases where a boy is looked after by a local authority, the DSL will have overall responsibility for his welfare and will communicate with the local authority. It is essential that the DSL keeps up to date with contact arrangements and makes sure that staff are informed as to who is allowed or not allowed access. Consideration must also be made with regard to communication via telephone, email and post.
If staff have any concerns, they must inform the DSL.
16 Contextual Safeguarding
Safeguarding incidents and/or behaviours can be associated with factors outside the school or college and/or can occur between children outside the school or college. All staff, but especially the designated safeguarding lead (and deputies) should be considering the context within which such incidents and/or behaviours occur.
Annexe A: SAFEGUARDING – GUIDELINES FOR MEMBERS OF STAFF
All members of staff must be aware of the School’s Child Protection Policy and of the professional obligations laid upon them by the 1989 Children’s Act.
According to Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 (KCSIE), disclosure refers to when a child or young person shares information about abuse or harm they have experienced or are experiencing. All members of staff should be aware of the following steps to be taken should information come to light of the possibility of physical, sexual or other forms of abuse of any boy or concerns under Prevent legislation.
- Always stop and listen immediately to anyone who seems to wish to tell you about incidents or suspicions of abuse.
- Write brief notes of what you are told on the spot (these may help later if you have to remember exactly what was said) and keep your original notes, however rough and ready they may have been – and even if you write them up more fully later. If you are unable to write at the time, make notes of what was said as soon as possible afterwards. You should also record your own responses to what the boy has said, as exactly as possible, being careful to avoid making interpretations or assumptions about the meaning.
- Do not give a guarantee that you will keep what was said confidential. If you are told about abuse you have a responsibility to tell the appropriate people to get something done about it. If asked, explain that if you are about to be told something that needs to be sorted out you will have to tell those who can do so, but that you will tell only those who absolutely ‘need to know’. Reassure your informant that what he has said will be taken very seriously and that he has done the right thing by ‘telling’ and that he is not in trouble himself.
- Do not ask leading questions – just ask ‘what do you want to tell me?’ or ‘is there anything else you want to say?’
- If the boy says he has physical injuries do not attempt to examine these yourself.
- Immediately tell the DSL or DDSL what you have been told. Do not tell other adults or boys what you have been told.
- Discuss with the DSL or DDSL whether any steps need to be taken to protect the victim and the informant.
- Never attempt to carry out your own investigation of suspected alleged abuse by questioning the boy yourself or interviewing others. This is the responsibility of trained Social Services and Police staff. You could cause more damage and undermine possible criminal proceedings.
- As soon as possible (and certainly within 24 hours) the DSL or DDSL should refer the matter to the RBWM Safeguarding Partnership. Their requests must then be followed – they have a statutory duty to set up any necessary investigations.
- Remember that you have a duty to safeguard the welfare of the pupils. If you report an allegation or suspicion of abuse in accordance with this procedure and honestly believe that your report has not been acted on appropriately, you may inform the Headmaster or inform the Social Care Agency under the terms of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
- Prevent concerns will be referred to the Channel Police Practitioner, DI Pete Oliphant. The Anti-Terrorism Hotline is 0800 789 321
Never assume that abuse is impossible in the school or that an accusation against someone you know well is bound to be wrong.
The Windsor and Maidenhead Safeguarding Partnership ( https://rbwmsafeguardingpartnership.org.uk/) Child Protection Procedures can be found online at http://proceduresonline.com/berks/ . A link to this can be found on the Staff Common Area under Policies.
From Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm, Referral and Assessment / Children’s Social Care Duty Teams are available on 01628 683150. Out of office hours, the number to call is 01344 786543.
Visiting Staff
All visiting staff are required to sign in at the front office and carry a lanyard, which includes an ID. When visiting speakers come to Sunningdale, they must sign in at the front office, whilst also being supervised by a member of Sunningdale staff.
Annexe B - Further information
Further information on child sexual exploitation
Child sexual exploitation is a form of sexual abuse where children are sexually exploited for money, power or status. It can involve violent, humiliating and degrading sexual assaults. In some cases, young people are persuaded or forced into exchanging sexual activity for money, drugs, gifts, affection or status. Consent cannot be given, even where a child may believe they are voluntarily engaging in sexual activity with the person who is exploiting them. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact and can happen online. A significant number of children who are victims of sexual exploitation go missing from home, care and education at some point. Some of the following signs may be indicators of sexual exploitation:
- Children who appear with unexplained gifts or new possessions;
- Children who associate with other young people involved in exploitation
- Children who suffer from changes in emotional well-being
- Children who suffer from changes in emotional well-being;
- Children who misuse drugs and alcohol;
- Children who go missing for periods of time or regularly come home late; and
- Children who regularly miss school or education or do not take part in education.
Some additional specific indicators that may be present in CSE are children who:
- Children who have older boyfriends or girlfriends;
- Children who suffer from sexually transmitted infections, display sexual behaviours beyond expected sexual development or become pregnant.
The Lucy Faithfull Foundation in collaboration with the Home Office, has developed ‘Shore Space’, an online resource which works to prevent harmful sexual behaviour. Shore Space offers a confidential chat service supporting young people who are concerned about their own or someone else’s sexual thoughts and behaviour.
Further information on so-called ‘honour based’ abuse
So-called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA) encompasses crimes which have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or the community, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, and practices such as breast ironing. All forms of so-called HBA are abuse (regardless of the motivation) and should be handled and escalated as such. If in any doubt, staff should speak to the designated safeguarding lead. Professionals in all agencies, and individuals and groups in relevant communities, need to be alert to the possibility of a child being at risk of HBA, or already having suffered HBA.
Further information on Female Genital Mutilation
FGM is a form of child abuse that can lead to extreme and lifelong physical and psychological suffering to women and girls. The term FGM comprises all procedures involving the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non- medical reasons. In general, girls undergo female genital cutting from around the age of 3, though this may vary depending on the type of ritual / custom of the local village or region.
There are factors that may indicate a child may be at risk of FGM. As with all other aspects of safeguarding, they may form part of a collective picture of concern such as:
- The family originates from a community known to practice FGM and / or information isshared of intention to travel to their country of origin;
- A parent requests permission for a child to travel overseas for an extended period during the academic year;
- A parent seeks to withdraw their child from learning about FGM in the school / academy;
- A child expresses anxiety about a special ceremony or traditional custom;
- Another family member is known to have previously undergone FGM;
The immediate health consequences of FGM may include: - Fatality as a result of shock, haemorrhage or septicaemia;
- Infection due to insanitary conditions;
- Transmission of the HIV virus which can cause AIDS;
- Extreme levels of pain, fear, anxiety and discomfort.
FGM has many long-term physiological, sexual and psychological effects some of which include: - Kidney and or recurrent urinary retention / infection;
- Genital malformation, cysts, keloid scar formation;
- Delayed menarche (first menstrual cycle);
- Chronic pelvic complications;
- Sexual frigidity, pain during sex, lack of pleasurable sensation;
- Obstetric complications;
- Mental health difficulties, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Because of the nature and extent of both the initial and repeated cutting and suturing, the physicaleffects of Type III infibulation are greater and longer-lasting than for the other types of FGM.
The origins of FGM are unclear but there is historical evidence of the practice in ancient Egypt, Tsarist Russia and by pre-Islamic Arabs and African tribes. It is predominantly practiced in the African continent however, following migration, is also practised amongst immigrant communities in Europe, North and South America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. FGM is not an Islamic practice. It is a cross-cultural and cross-religious ritual.
Communities supporting FGM justify the practice for a variety of reasons. These may be:
- Sexual control of men over women;
- Preservation of virginity;
- Custom and tradition;
- Family honour;
- Hygiene or cleanliness;
- Mistaken belief that FGM is a religious requirement.
From October 2015, education professionals in England and Wales have a mandatory duty to report to the police if they know a girl aged under 18 years has undergone FGM. The duty requires the individual who becomes aware of the case to make the report. Unlike other safeguarding or child welfare concerns, the reporting duty cannot be transferred.
Further information on breast ironing
Breast ironing is a form of physical abuse. Also known as breast flattening, it is the pounding and massaging of a pubescent girl’s breasts, using hard or heated objects, to try to make them stop developing or disappear. Usually carried out by elder female family members on girls aged between 9 to 15, the practice is performed to make them appear child-like for longer with the rationale that this will protect them from sexual harassment, rape, pregnancy and forced marriage.
The practice does not stop the breasts from growing and often leads to significant health difficulties such as infection, abscesses, chest pain, breast malformation and breastfeeding difficulties.
Breast ironing is practised in African countries, particularly prevalent in Cameroon, with an estimated 3.8 million girls and women affected. The addition of breast ironing as a safeguarding topic in Keeping Children Safe in Education (2016) highlights the concern that this practice may be carried out by African communities resident in the UK. Indicators include:
- Chest pain or discomfort;
- Changes in behaviour;
- Withdrawal;
- Reluctance to undress in front of others.
Further information on Child Criminal Exploitation
Recent evidence shows an increase in children being targeted to act as money mules by fraudsters who wish to hide money from the authorities. Targeted through adverts on social media, video sharing sites and in some cases outside schools, children are offered money in exchange for moving the fraudsters money through their bank accounts. The fraud prevention service Cifas reported an upward trend of 4,222 cases as at July 2017 compared to 2,143 in the previous year. Most children are unaware that allowing their bank account to be used in this way is unlawful and carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. It is important for DSLs to be aware of this practice, ensure staff are also made aware and that children understand this practice is a form of exploitation.
County lines is another form of CCE. This is where gangs and organized criminal networks use intimidation, violence and weapons, including knives, corrosives and firearms to exploit children to transport and sell drugs. The children are also targeted to replenish stocks from borough to borough and transport money. Indicators include:
- Increased absence from school;
- Go missing from school or home and are subsequently found in areas away from their own;
- Have been the perpetrator or alleged perpetrator of serious violence (e.g. knife crime), as well as the victim.
Further Information on Forced Marriage
The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 makes it clear that marriage, with or without parental consent is not allowed before the age of 18.
Forced Marriage is when one or both parties do not consent to marriage but are subjected to physical and or emotional pressure to marry. This may be in the form of threats, violence or psychological pressure. Whatever form used, pressure which forces someone into a marriage is an abuse of their human rights. Forced marriage also applies to a marriage involving a person without the capacity to consent to the marriage, as defined in the Mental Capacity Act 2005, whether or not coercion or the above measures are used. This includes persons with physical or learning disabilities.
The term marriage applies to any religious or civil ceremony whether or not legally binding. It is important to distinguish between forced marriage and arranged marriage. In an arranged marriage, families may play an active role in selecting a partner for a family member however, both spouses fully consent to the marriage.
Forced marriage is not specific to one country or culture. Victims include people thought to beat potential risk of future forced marriage, those currently going through a forced marriage and those who have already been forced to marry. Women, men and children are at risk of forced marriage regardless of age or background. Research shows there is no predisposed group at risk of forced marriage, however often lesbian, gay, transsexual or transgender people may be forced into marriage as a means seen to protect family honour. Also persons with a physical or learning disability are at risk by being forced into a marriage in order to provide them with a carer. Some of the key motives for facilitating a forced marriage are:
- Controlling unwanted sexuality, including perceived promiscuity and sexual behaviour of women;
- Controlling unwanted behaviour e.g. alcohol / drug use, wearing make-up, behaving in what is perceived as a westernised manner;
- Preventing unsuitable relationships e.g. outside the ethnic, cultural or caste group;
- Protecting family honour (also known as izzat);
- Responding to peer group or family pressure;
- Attempting to strengthen family links;
- Achieving financial gain;
- Ensuring land, property and wealth remain within the family;
- Protecting perceived cultural ideals;
- Protecting religious ideals which are misguided;
- Ensuring care for a child or adult with SEND where parents / carers are unable to fulfill that role;
- Assisting claims for UK residence and citizenship
- Long standing family commitments.
Similar to domestic violence, those at risk of or trapped in a forced marriage commonly experience isolation and feel they have no one they can speak to or trust. They may be taken abroad without access to their passport, isolating them further from social contact or support. As such disclosure is rare. Victims within forced marriage relationships often suffer physical, emotional and sexual abuse including rape and forced pregnancy.
Forced marriage also has a negative effect on children within the marriage. Children are vulnerable as:
- They may experience direct harm as a consequence of the abusive setting;
- They may struggle to feel emotionally and or socially secure in settings outside the home;
- They may, from witnessing incidents within the home, think that physical violence or emotional abuse is justified when they are angry;
- They may suffer depression;
- They may develop low self-esteem in adulthood;
In addition, since February 2023 it has also been a crime to carry out any conduct whose purpose is to cause a child to marry before their eighteenth birthday, even if violence, threats or another form of coercion are not used. As with the existing forced marriage law, this applies to non-binding, unofficial ‘marriages’ as well as legal marriages
USEFUL CONTACT DETAILS
ROLE | NAME | CONTACT |
Designated Safeguard Lead (DSL) | George Thomason | 07450983069 |
Deputy DSL | Tom Dawson (Headmaster) | 07876 351304 |
Deputy DSL | Adrian Logue (Deputy Headmaster) | 07904 681 090 |
LADO | Mandy Burrows (LADO Manager) Lorrisa Webber (Head of LADO Service) | 0208 8917370 or 07774 332675 07936 601423 |
RBWM Local Safeguarding Children’s Board | 01628 683234 | |
DfE (non-emergency advice for staff and governors) | 0207 340 7264 | |
Prevent |
Other useful sources of information can be found at:
RBWM Multi Agency Threshold for Safeguarding the Child’s Journey
http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/public/social_threshold_and_priority_criteria.pdf
Safeguarding Cue Card
http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/public/ed_safeguarding-children-cue-card.pdf
If any deficiencies or weaknesses are identified in this safeguarding policy, it is essential that this should be remedied without delay.
The proprietor undertakes an annual review of the school’s child protection policies and procedure and of the efficiency with which the related duties have been discharged.
TRA - formerly known as NCTL
Annexe C - Children Missing Education/Children who are Absent from Education
Definition of Children Missing Education
For the purpose of the Statutory Guidance on Children Missing Education (2015), children missing education are defined as those who are not on a school roll or receiving suitable education otherwise than at school. Those who are regularly absent or have missed 10 school days or more without permission may be at risk of becoming 'children missing education'.
In line with statutory guidance Working together to improve school attendance (DfE 2024), the school works to maintain high levels of school attendance (WTTISA para 1) and where possible, the school must work with….children’s services where school absence indicates safeguarding concerns” (para 177).
More detail is provided in the Children Missing Education Procedure and this section should be read in conjunction with that Procedure.
Sunningdale has a Senior Attendance Champion (SAC) who is the DDSL, Mr Adrian Logue. Further information and details on this can be found in the Attendance Policy.
Recognition and Response
If a member of staff becomes aware that a child may have run away or gone missing, they should try to establish with the parents/guardians, what has happened. If this is not possible, or the child is missing, the DSL should, together with the boy’s tutor, assess the child's vulnerability.
From the first day that a child does not attend school and there is no explanation or authorisation of the absence, the following steps should be taken:
- A trained staff member will make contact with the parents/guardian (person with parental responsibility for the child) to seek reassurance that the child is safe at home;
- The outcome of the contact should be assessed and if there are any concerns a consultation should take place to consider the child's vulnerability.
In the following circumstances a referral to children's social care and /or the police should always be made promptly:
- The child may be the victim of a crime;
- The child is subject of a Child Protection Plan;
- The child is subject of s47 enquiries;
- The child is looked after;
- There is a known person posing a risk to children in the household or in contact with the household;
- There is a history of the family moving frequently;
- There are serious issues with attendance.
The answers to further questions could assist a judgement whether or not to inform LA children's social care and the police:
- In which age range is the child?
- Is this very sudden and unexpected behaviour?
- Have there been any past concerns about the child associating with significantly older young people or adults?
- Was there any significant incident prior to the child's unexplained absence?
- Has the child been a victim of bullying?
- Are there health reasons to believe that the child is at risk? e.g.
- Does the child need essential medication or health care?
- Was the child noted to be depressed prior to the child's unexplained absence?
- Are there religious or cultural reasons to believe that the child is at risk? e.g.
- Rites of passage or forced marriage planned for the child?
- Has the child got a disability and/or special educational needs?
- Have there been past concerns about this child and family which together with the sudden disappearance are worrying? e.g.
- Is there any known history of drug or alcohol dependency within the family?
- Is there any known history of domestic violence?
- Is there concern about the parent/carer's ability to protect the child from harm?
The length of time that a child remains out of school could, of itself, be an alerting factor of risk of harm to the child. Accordingly if a situation is not resolved within 3 days the Education Welfare Service should be contacted, then referrals should be made to the police and LA children's social care, as appropriate over the next two weeks.
Extended leave of absence can be authorised by the head teacher, at which point a return date is set. In these cases the timeline for enquiries starts from when the child does not attend school on the expected return date, not from the day the extended leave started.
Notifications and Actions
Day one
If the answers to any of the points set out in the previous section indicates that there are concerns about the child's safety then a referral should be made to the police and children's social care on day one. The education welfare service should be informed and requested to assist in locating the child.
Step one:
- Contact the local police station (24 hour response);
- Any suspicion/evidence of crime must be clearly stated;
- The circumstances and all available information regarding the child and family will be required.
Step two:
- The missing person report will be risk assessed and the local police response team will carry out immediate actions;
- The investigation will be progressed by the police response team, in conjunction with either the local Missing Persons Unit and/or the CID.
Step three:
- The missing person report will generate a notification to the police;
- The police will work with, and refer information to, the LA children's social care;
- LA children's social care, who must be contacted as soon as possible in these circumstances, will also liaise with the Child Abuse Investigation Team (CAIT) in order to identify, and act upon, any suspicion of child abuse or child related crime.
Step four:
The school must work in collaboration with Children's social care and the police and a safeguarding education representative should participate in any strategy discussions, s47 enquiries and Child Protection Conferences which may arise.
Reasonable enquiry:
If the judgement reached on day one is that there is no reason to believe that the child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, then the school may delay making a referral. The process of 'reasonable enquiry' has not been identified in regulations, however this includes school staff checking with all members of staff whom the child may have had contact with, and with the pupil's friends and their parents, siblings and known relatives at this school and others.
School staff should also make telephone calls to any numbers held on record or identified, sending a letter to the last known address, home visits by some school based staff and consultation with local authority staff.
Days two to twenty-eight
If the above response was unsuccessful, the school should contact their local authority CME Officer. The local authority should make enquiries by visiting the child's home and asking for information from the family's neighbours and their local community - as appropriate.
The LA CME team should also check databases within the local authority, use agreed protocols to check local databases, e.g. LA housing, health and the police; check with agencies known to be involved with the family, with the local authority the child moved from originally, and with any local authority to which the child may have moved.
The child's circumstances and vulnerability should be reviewed and reassessed regularly jointly by the school's nominated safeguarding advisor and the CME Officer in consultation with children's social care and the police as appropriate.
Child missing from school for more than four weeks
Where a pupil is absent from school without authorisation for twenty consecutive school days, the pupil can be removed from the admission register when the school and the local authority have failed, after jointly making reasonable enquiries, to establish the whereabouts of the child. This only applies if the school does not have reasonable grounds to believe that the pupil is unable to attend because of sickness or unavoidable cause.
Transfer of information when a pupil changes school
The Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/297) (as amended by SI 2001/1212 and SI 2002/1680) governs the transfer of information between schools.
- Regulation 10(3) states that 'The head teacher of the pupil's old school shall send the information within fifteen school days of the pupil's ceasing to be registered at the school'.
However:
- Regulation 10 (4) states that 'This regulation does not apply where it is not reasonably practicable for the head teacher of the old school to ascertain the pupil's new school or where the pupil was registered at his old school for less than four weeks'.
If the CME team or any other agency becomes aware the child has moved to another school the service should ensure all relevant agencies are informed so that arrangements can be made to forward records from the previous school. We will ensure that pupils who are expected to attend the school, but fail to take up the place will be referred to the local authority.
Lastly, Sunningdale makes a return to the local authority when a pupil's name is deleted from the admissions register and when a pupil joins the admissions register. (KCSiE 2025) See School Attendance policy for more information.
Families Moving House
In order to help keep absence low and to help the CME team. When the school is notified that a family has moved house, we record the following:
- The full name of the parent/carer with whom the pupil will live
- The new address
- The date from when it is expected the pupil will live at this address
- Inform the local authority (CME team) of the change of address.
Further Guidance on Reporting on Illness/Absence to the Local Authority
In compliance with statutory guidance for absence and/or illnesses, and to facilitate timely collaborative working across local safeguarding partners (Working together to Safeguarding Children). The school completes the attached Google form for any pupil that has been absent for 15 days or more this academic year (Consequently or Cumulatively) where the absence has been marked as either unauthorised (O) or illness (I). Further details of these expectations can be found in the School Attendance Policy, under the title Reporting Extended or Concerning Absence..
Annexe D - Low Level Concerns
Introduction
Concerns may arise in several different ways and from a number of sources. For example: suspicion; complaint; or disclosure made by a child, parent or other adult within or outside of the organisation; or as a result of vetting checks undertaken.
Sunningdale adopts a whole-school approach to safeguarding and actively promotes, and seeks to ensure, an open, transparent and trusting culture in which the school’s values and behavioural expectations are constantly lived, monitored and reinforced by all staff. All concerns about any adult working in any capacity (employed or voluntary) on behalf of the school will be dealt with promptly and appropriately.
Creating a culture in which all concerns about adults (including those concerns which do not meet the ‘harms threshold’ or ‘harms test’, as laid out in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025, Part 4, Section 2) are shared responsibly with the correct person, recorded and dealt with appropriately, is critical.
This should encourage an open and transparent culture and enable the school to identify concerning, problematic or inappropriate behaviour early, thus minimising the risk of abuse and ensuring that adults working in or on behalf of the school are clear about professional boundaries and the ethos and values of the school. It should also protect those working in or on behalf of the school from potential false allegations or misunderstandings.
What is a Low Level Concern?
The term ‘low level concern’ does not mean that it is insignificant, rather that the behaviour towards a child does not meet the ‘harms threshold’ or ‘harms test’ as set out in KCSIE 2025, Part 4, Section 1. A low level concern is any concern – no matter how small, and even if no more than causing a sense of unease or a ‘nagging doubt’ – that an adult working in or on behalf of the school may have acted in a way that:
- is inconsistent with the Staff Code of Conduct, including inappropriate conduct outside of work; and
- does not meet the allegations threshold or is otherwise not considered serious enough to consider a referral to the LADO.
Examples of low level concerns could include, but are not limited to:
- being over-friendly with children;
- having favourites;
- taking photographs of children on their own mobile phone and not uploading them onto the shared area
- engaging with a child on a one-to-one basis in a secluded area or behind a closed door; or,
- using inappropriate sexualised, intimidating or offensive language.
Such behaviour can exist on a wide spectrum, from the inadvertent or thoughtless, or behaviour that may look to be inappropriate, but might not be in specific circumstances, through to that which is ultimately intended to enable abuse. Any such concern (including those that do not meet the ‘harm threshold’ in KCSIE 2025, Part 4, Section 1) should be shared with the Headmaster (see below).
Sunningdale aims to:
- ensure that all staff are clear about what appropriate behaviour is, and are confident in distinguishing expected and appropriate behaviour from concerning, problematic or inappropriate behaviour, both in themselves and in others;
- empower staff to share any low level safeguarding concerns with the Headmaster and DSL;
- address unprofessional behaviour and support the individual to correct it at an early stage;
- provide a responsive, sensitive and proportionate handling of such concerns when they are raised; and
- help identify any weakness in the school’s safeguarding procedures.
Sharing Low Level Concerns
Low level concerns about any member of staff should be reported to the Headmaster. If the Headmaster is unavailable, the concern should be raised with the DSL.
Sunningdale seeks to create an environment in which staff are encouraged and feel confident to self-refer where, for example, they may have found themselves in a situation which could be misinterpreted, might appear compromising to others, or in which their own behaviour might have fallen below expected professional standards.
Where a low level concern relates to a person employed by an agency or contractor, that concern should still be shared with the Headmaster and recorded in accordance with the school’s low level concerns policy. The Headmaster should also inform the employer about the concern, so that any potential patterns of inappropriate behaviour can be identified.
Responding to Low Level Concerns
Concerns about safeguarding should be reported to the Headmaster. If the concern has been raised by a third party, the Headmaster should collect as much evidence as possible by speaking:
- directly to the person who raised the concern, unless it has been raised anonymously; and
- to the individual involved and any witnesses
The information collected will help the Headmaster to categorise the type of behaviour and determine what further action may need to be taken. All of this will be recorded along with the rationale for any decisions and action taken.
If there is a concern raised against the Headmaster, staff should report it to the LADO.
Recording Low Level Concerns
All low level concerns should be recorded in writing by the Headmaster. The record should include details of the concern, the context in which the concern arose, and action taken. The name of the individual sharing their concerns should also be noted; if the individual wishes to remain anonymous, then that should be respected as far as reasonably possible.
The school must keep these records confidential, and held securely in compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Records should be reviewed periodically so that potential patterns of concerning, problematic or inappropriate behaviour can be identified.
Where a pattern of such behaviour is identified, the school will decide on a course of action, either through its disciplinary procedures or where a pattern of behaviour moves from a concern to meeting the ‘harms threshold’, in which case it will be referred to the LADO.
Consideration will also be given to whether there are wider cultural issues within the school that enabled the behaviour to occur and, where appropriate, policies could be revised or extra training delivered to minimise the risk of it happening again. The school will retain information on low level concerns at least until the individual leaves its employment.
References
Only substantiated safeguarding allegations will be included in staff references. Low level concerns will not be included unless they relate to issues which would normally be included in a reference, such as misconduct or poor performance. Low level concerns relating exclusively to safeguarding (and not to misconduct or poor performance) will therefore not be referred to in a reference.
However, where a low level concern (or group of concerns) has met the threshold for referral to the LADO and is found to be substantiated, it will be referred to in a reference. Further information on the management of low level concerns may be found in the updated document: Developing and implementing a low-level concerns policy: A guide for organisations which work with children (Farrer & Co, 2021)
Annex E - 10 Key Points to Follow if you Suspect, or are Told of Abuse
1. Listening and Responding Appropriately - always stop and listen straight away to someone who wants to tell you about incidents or suspicions of abuse. Emphasising the importance of stopping and listening carefully.
2. It is important to take notes in a timely manner - if you can, write brief notes of what they are telling you while they are speaking. If you don’t have the means to write at the time, make notes of what was said as soon as possible afterwards. Notes should be timed and dated.
3. Do not give a guarantee that you will keep what is said confidential or secret – if you are told about abuse you have a responsibility to tell the right people to get something done about it. Say you will only tell people who absolutely have to know.
4. Don’t ask leading questions that might give your own ideas of what might have happened (e.g. “did he do X to you?”) – just ask open questions such as “what do you want to tell me?” or “is there anything else you want to say?”
5. Immediately tell the DSL or a DDSL (unless they are accused or suspected of abusing), then inform the Headmaster. If the Headmaster is unavailable or implicated, either inform the DSL or refer directly to the Local Authority or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) – don’t tell other adults or young people what you have been told.
6. Discuss with the DSL if you need to protect anyone involved immediately – either the person who told you or the subject of the alleged abuse. If the allegation concerns an adult and has been referred to the Headmaster, discuss protection issues with him and only with the DSL if the Headmaster chooses to.
7. Never attempt to carry out an investigation of suspected or alleged abuse by interviewing people. Specially trained people will do this – you could cause damage and spoil possible criminal proceedings.
8. As soon as possible, the DSL should refer the matter to the appropriate authorities (children’s social care services, the police (if necessary), and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for allegations against staff) and will use your notes to help. Where immediate protection is needed, the DSL must act without delay.
9. Staff must always adopt a ‘it could happen here’ mindset and remain vigilant to all safeguarding concerns. Never think that an accusation against someone you know well and trust is bound to be wrong. Staff should think it could happen here.
10. Be aware that disclosures can come from peers. Children often tell friends before they tell adults. Staff should take reports from pupils about their peers seriously and follow the same safeguarding procedures.
ADDENDUM - Arrangements for Safeguarding during COVID-19 related school closure.
INTRODUCTION
All stakeholders need to be aware that the unusual circumstances resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic create potentially hazardous situations. School closure has significant impact on safeguarding from several different angles.
The way the school is currently operating in response to coronavirus (COVID-19) is fundamentally different to business as usual, however, a number of important safeguarding principles remain the same:
- with regard to safeguarding, the best interests of children must always continue to come first
- if anyone in the School has a safeguarding concern about any child they should continue to act and act immediately
- The DSL and Deputy DSL will still be available, either by phone or video call
- it is still essential that unsuitable people are not allowed to enter the children’s workforce and/or gain access to children
- children should continue to be protected when they are online
Designated Safeguarding Leads
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mr G.H. Thomason
The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are Mr T.A.C.N. Dawson and Mr A.J. Logue.
In the event of school closure, the DSL and DDSL should be contacted using the contact numbers on the front of the Safeguarding Policy.
Vulnerable Children
Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those children and young people up to the age of 25 with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
There are no boys at the school who are currently classed as vulnerable.
Attendance
During the period that the school was closed, the school was not required to complete an attendance register. Absences from online lessons were, however, reported to the DSL so that they could be followed up.
On re-opening, attendance registers will be kept in accordance with usual guidelines.
In the event of further closure, the system used previously will resume.
Reporting a Concern
In the event of any further partial or full school closure, where staff have a concern about a child, they should continue to follow the processes outlined in the Safeguarding policy. Staff are reminded of the need to report any concern immediately and without delay. Where staff are concerned about an adult working with children in the school, they should report the concern to the Headmaster. If there is a concern around the Headmaster this should be reported to the DSL or directly to the LADO.
Safer Recruitment of staff
It remains essential that people who are unsuitable are not allowed to enter the children’s workforce or gain access to children. When recruiting new staff, Sunningdale will continue to follow the relevant safer recruitment processes, including, as appropriate, relevant sections in part 3 of KCSIE (September 2025).
In response to COVID-19, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) made changes to its guidance on standard and enhanced DBS ID checking to minimise the need for face-to-face contact. If further school closures were implemented, the school would follow due process.
Sunningdale will continue to follow the legal duty to refer to the DBS anyone who has harmed or poses a risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult. Sunningdale will continue to consider use GOV.UK (Check a teacher’s record) services for prohibition checks, directions, restrictions, section 128 checks, and the children’s barred list and make referrals to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) as per KCSIE (September 2025) and the TRA’s ‘Teacher misconduct advice for making a referral. During the COVID-19 period, all referrals should be made by emailing: Misconduct.Teacher@education.gov.uk
Online Safety
Sunningdale will continue to provide a safe environment for our entire community and this includes online. This includes the use of an online filtering system.
It is important that all staff who interact with children, including online, continue to look out for signs a child may be at risk. Any such concerns should be dealt with as per the Safeguarding policy and where appropriate referrals should still be made to children’s social care and, as required, the police.
All staff should consider the safety of pupils when they are asked to work online.
Supporting Children not in School
Sunningdale is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all its pupils. Negative experiences and distressing life events, such as the current circumstances, can affect the mental health of pupils and their parents/carers. Staff need to be aware of this in setting expectations of pupils’ work when they are at home.
Supporting Children in School
Sunningdale is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all its pupils and will continue to be a safe space for all children to attend and flourish. Sunningdale aims to create a culture where pupils can speak out or share any concerns with staff. Should we be required to care for children of critical workers and vulnerable children on-site, we will ensure appropriate support is in place for them. This will be bespoke to each child depending on the age and requirements of the child.
The Headmaster will ensure that appropriate staff are on-site and staff to pupil ratio numbers are appropriate, to maximise safety. Sunningdale will continue to follow Government guidance for education and childcare settings on how to implement social distancing and continue to follow the advice from Public Health England on handwashing and other measures to limit the risk of spread of COVID19.
Where Sunningdale has concerns about the impact of staff absence, such as the Designated Safeguarding Leads or first aiders this will be discussed by Senior Management.
Child on Child Abuse
Sunningdale recognises that during any school closure a revised process may be required for managing any report of such abuse and supporting victims. Where Sunningdale receives a report of child on child abuse or witnesses it within Google Classroom comments, we will follow the principles as set out within the Safeguarding Policy. All instances should continue to be recorded on MyConcern.
Updated 01/09/2025 GHT Page of