Safeguarding
Our School's Designated Safeguarding Leads
The DSLs can be contacted on safeguardingteam@thekjs.com or by calling the school and requesting to be put through to the Safeguarding Team.
Safeguarding Procedures
Safeguarding Mission Statement
By ensuring that we consistently work within statutory guidance, with a systematic application of procedures, the culture of safeguarding is embedded and promoted with all stakeholders. We fulfil all statutory requirements in regards to safeguarding in line with key documents such as Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together to Safeguard Children, with consideration for associated advice such as guidance on County Lines, Sexual Violence and Harassment between Children, and other legislation such as Equality Act 2010, the Prevent duty, and the laws around FGM (this list is not intended to be exhaustive). Some of these can be viewed under ‘Safeguarding Materials’.
As a result of our established culture of safeguarding, there is close liaison with staff responsible for Looked After Children and the SENDCo to ensure a coordinated approach to safeguarding vulnerable students, and we are curious about the underlying needs and issues for students with poor behaviour, attendance or engagement.
There is a consistent focus on well-being, including as part of our COVID recovery work. Our enhanced early help provision allows us to respond effectively and in a timely manner to support students’ emotional well-being needs which means that all students feel safe, confident, able to engage in education, and are supported to maximise their potential.
As a result of effective PSHRE education and a developed pastoral programme, students develop skills and acquire knowledge to keep themselves safe, prepared for life in Modern Britain, and are happy; we also aim to minimise incidents by ensuring that we teach students in a timely manner about appropriate behaviour and conduct.
Our established reporting systems help to highlight escalating needs and capture student voice. Effective signposting means that students and parents understand where to receive help and support, and our extensive liaison with external agencies ensures a cohesive approach to children’s safeguarding and wellbeing across our community.
Safeguarding Materials
Underpinning the work of The King John School’s safeguarding processes are the following materials which outline the statutory requirements and local authority procedures.
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 Statutory Guidance
Essex Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
Essex Safeguarding Arrangements
Information on Supporting Children, Young People and Families
Support for children and families in Essex
Protecting Children from Radicalisation: The Prevent Duty Guidance
Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) Safeguarding Procedures
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Criminal exploitation of children and adults: County Lines Guidance
Essex County Council - Resources for practitioners
Support for Students
We regularly update Edulink and the VLE with support resources for students. Please click here to visit these areas.
Support for Parents and Carers
Support and advice for Parents/Carers is available below.
Well-being Zone
If you have any concerns about your child’s well-being or mental health, you can discuss a possible referral to our Targeted Services Team.
Zenith Minds offers specialist provision for young people who need extra support to thrive. There are many reasons why they may need this, including mental health, safety and wellbeing issues.
The following sites may also be useful:
For a child in crisis (under the age of 18), please call the Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Service (EWMHS) on 0300 300 1600 or email nelft-ewmhs.referrals@nhs.net
If you need urgent help or out of hours help, call 0300 555 1201. The crisis service does not replace 999.
E-Safety Zone
It is important to have regular conversations about staying safe online and to encourage children to speak to you if they come across something worrying online.
The following resource is also a great tool to use for starting discussions with your child about online safety. An approach that involves your child in the discussions can reduce tension and increase buy-in with safety measures.
The useful links in this section provide guidance for parents and carers to keep children safe online. They will, amongst other things, support you to talk to your child about a range of online safety issues, set up home filtering in a child-friendly way and set up age-appropriate parental controls on digital devices.
Internet MattersNSPCC - Keeping Children Safe OnlineCEOP EducationSafer Internet
Are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating online? Make a report to one of CEOP's Child Protection Advisors: Make a report to one of CEOP's Child Protection Advisors
Support for parents and carers to keep children safe online
Community Safety
If you have any concerns about your child’s safety in the community, the following sites may also be useful but it's important to remember that these are not a replacement for the emergency services so our advice, if something is happening that needs immediate action - ring 999.
To seek advice or report a non-urgent crime, call 101 or click here: Digital 101
To seek advice, or report a crime anonymously call 0800 555 111 or go to their website:
Fearless is a website where you can access non-judgemental information and advice about crime and criminality. They provide you with a safe place to give information about crime which is 100% anonymous.
For information about County Lines, click here:
NSPCC - Protecting children from county lines
Targeted Services Team – the school’s early help provision
The Targeted Services Mission Statement
“Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as – taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes” (Keeping Children safe in Education 2020)
The aim of the targeted services team is to offer a range of interventions, which can be used to support a student’s well-being and welfare. Our early targeting and intervention as a school means that we endeavour to reduce any preventable escalation of need.
The targeted services team, through bespoke intervention, aim to ensure that a student can remain engaged in education to improve life chances; that a student can be resilient and able to embrace school life and that a student can meet their high aspirations by having self- belief and good mental health. Any barriers to achieving these goals need early identification and a targeted tier 1 or tier 2 provision applied.
Our liaison with a variety of local services and our internal educational, pastoral and behavioural systems mean that a wide range of expertise can be referenced as part of the school’s early help offer. This also supports the safeguarding work of the school to make sure we help each and every student to be able to flourish as a well-rounded citizen.
Safeguarding Initiative Award
Young Carers: Support for Parents and Students
Please click this link to view support for Parents and Students.
