Safeguarding

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

We are fully committed to ensuring that consistent effective safeguarding procedures are in place to support children, families and staff at school. All concerns are passed through the members of staff who are trained as “Designated Safeguarding Leads” which make up the ‘Safeguarding Team’ in school. Here at Victoria Academy, the ‘Safeguarding Team’ consists of:

• The Designated Safeguarding Lead: Laurie Goulding
• Deputy Safeguarding Leads: Nicola Wright, Janine Pierce, Matt Connell
• Designated Safeguarding Governor: Cheryl Smillie

If you have any serious concerns about your child or any other pupil at Victoria Academy, please do not hesitate to contact ANY member of staff, who will know who to contact, or indeed direct you to for the most appropriate advice and help. To contact our DSL directly, please email mrsgoudling@victoria-academy.co.uk

Alternatively, if it is an emergency situation you can contact the police on 999, or you can contact the Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) on 0333 3732724.

At Victora Academy, we ensure our pupils are safe through a number of robust procedures, such as;

• Ensure all staff and Governors have read Keeping Children Safe Document issued by the Government every September and attend update training with the DSL.
• Secure our site during the school day by closing our side gates.
• Use a signing in/out system in reception.
• Ensure all visitors wear a sticker to show that they have signed in when on site.
• Ensure all staff have current DBS checks, which are updated regularly in line with school policy.
• Ensure the school has adopted the Safer Recruitment principles and key staff are trained in Safer Recruitment so that every interview panel has at least one member trained in Safer Recruitment.
• Ensure references for new staff are sought and validated prior to appointment.
• Ensure all professional colleagues who work directly with pupils in our school have DBS checks.
• Ensure DSL/Deputy DSLs have a Level 3 qualification in Safeguarding.
• Ensure all staff, in their first term, complete a Level 1 course in Safeguarding and repeat this every three years with school based training yearly.
• Staff are trained in Prevent and can spot the signs of radicalisation or extremism.

For more information, on our Safeguarding Young People and Behaviour policies please visit our Policies page.

Worried about a child? Need help and support?

Please see the links below for help and support information.

·       Cumbria Safeguarding Children

·       Childline

·       Barrow Foodbank

·       CEOP : Online safety advice.

·       Domestic Abuse Support

·       Women’s Community Matters

·     Dealing with online abuse