Safeguarding

If you are worried about the safety of a child, please call the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) of the local authority in which the child lives:

In an emergency or imminent injury: Call Police 999 or 101

For advice on the safety of children, Childline is available for young people and adults to call 0800 1111. There is also the option to have a 1-2-1 chat online with a counsellor.

You can also contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Ms K Steadman,
k.steadman@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk

What we do to safeguard pupils at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School.

Pastoral Support

Students are assigned a form tutor who they see on a daily basis.
Strong pastoral system to support students, including Heads of Year, Deputy Heads, Designated Safeguarding Lead and Learning Mentors.
An established ethos of students talking to staff about their problems or if they are worried about their friends.
Students know who they can talk to.
Students have access to TootToot where they can email concerns directly to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
We employ a fully qualified therapist for students to talk to a day and a half a week.
Key staff are trained as Mental Health First Aiders. The Designated Safeguarding Lead is also trained in applied suicide intervention skills and an ambassador for Think U Know run by CEOP.
Referrals are made to outside agencies if support or intervention is required.
We employ a mentor to work with specific students.

Uphold a Safe Environment

Policies including, E-safety policy and Acceptable use policy, Anti-Bullying policy and Safeguarding Policy including information on radicalisation, FGM and peer on peer abuse.
Behaviour policy including rewards and graduated sanctions.
Close monitoring of attendance with telephone calls home if not notified by parent of reason for absence.
Safer recruitment practice is followed with security checks on all staff employed by the school.
All staff receive regular safeguarding training.
There are eight members of staff who are Designated Safeguarding trained.

Educating Pupils

Citizenship lessons include a range of safeguarding issues such as mental health, equality, healthy relationships, digital literacy, radicalisation and knife crime.
Assemblies during the year feature mental health, equality and promotion of tolerance.
Information in student planners signposting students to organisations for help and there are posters around the school.

Safety and Security On Site

Visitors have to sign in at reception to gain access to school buildings. They also must agree to the safeguarding rules on sign in.
Visitors are given a lanyard to wear.
Visitors are accompanied around the by the school staff member they are visiting.
Filtered internet access.
Monitoring and checking anything accessed on school computer/ICT facilities and following up on any concerns.
Lock down and fire evacuation procedures are in place and practised throughout the school year.
Risk assessments carried out for offsite activities.
A range of staff trained as First Aiders. First Aid equipment, including a defibrillator, is kept in the Main School Office.
Staff wear identification badges.

Please read the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.