Safeguarding Inspection Handbook for Schools: Effective Arrangements and Impact on Children's Safety

1. Level 2 Safeguarding Training for Schools 2017 / 18 Inspecting safeguarding Author: Jo Barclay, Safeguarding Manager for Schools and Early Years Date: May 2019

2. School Inspection HandbookHandbook for inspecting schools under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005Ofsted, 2018

3. Inspectors will always have regard for how well children and learners are helped and protected so that they are kept safe. Although inspectors will not provide a separate grade for this key aspect of a provider’s work, inspectors will always make a written judgement under leadership and management in the report about whether or not the arrangements for safeguarding children and learners are effective.

4. School Inspection Handbook (2018) In judging the overall effectiveness, inspectors will take account of the four key judgements. They should first make the key judgements on: • quality of teaching, learning and assessment • personal development, behaviour and welfare • outcomes for pupils ...and then on effectiveness of leadership and management - will always make a written judgement in this section on effectiveness of arrangements for safeguarding pupils. (In judging the effectiveness of leadership and management, inspectors must also judge whether the school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils are effective, and whether those responsible for governance ensure that these arrangements are effective)

5. Emphasis on impact across all key judgements • Impact of the culture of the school • Importance of safeguarding as a golden thread throughout all judgements, including the testing of leaders’ work to meet the Prevent Duty • The importance of a broad and balanced curriculum • Inspectors will also consider ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2018) and Working Together to Safeguard Children (HMG, 2018)

6. Before the Inspection: The lead inspector will prepare for the inspection - planning will be informed by analysis of: • the previous inspection report • issues raised by or the findings from the investigation of any qualifying complaints • information on the school’s website: • breadth and balance of the school’s curriculum and whether it is likely to promote preparation for and an appreciation of life in modern Britain • the presence and suitability of the safeguarding guidance • responses from Parent View

7. School Inspection Handbook (2018) Inspectors will request that the following information is available at the start of the inspection: • The Single Central Record • Records and analysis of exclusions, pupils taken off roll, incidents of poor behaviour and use of internal isolation • Records and analysis of bullying, discriminatory and prejudicial behaviour • A list of referrals made to the Designated person for safeguarding in the school and those subsequently referred to the LA • A list of all pupils who are open cases to children’s services • Up-to-date attendance analysis for all groups of pupils

8. Effectiveness of leadership and management: Whether leaders have the highest expectations for social behaviour among pupils and staff The design, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum, ensuring breadth and balance and its impact on pupils’ outcomes and their personal, development, behaviour and welfare How the school prepares pupils positively for life in modern Britain and promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith Effectiveness of governors in discharging core statutory functions

9. Effectiveness of leadership and management: How leaders promote all forms of equality and foster greater understanding of and respect for people of all faiths (and those of no faith), races, genders, ages, disability and sexual orientations (and other groups with protected characteristics), through their words, actions and influence within the school and more widely in the community The work to raise awareness and keep pupils safe from the dangers of abuse, sexual exploitation, radicalisation and extremism, and what the school does when it suspects that pupils are vulnerable to these issues Effectiveness of safeguarding

10. Personal development, behaviour and welfare: • Documentary evidence about behaviour, including how school tackles poor behaviour, as well as discussions with and observations of pupils at break times, lunchtimes and between lessons • Assessment of school’s use of exclusion, including rates, patterns and reasons and any differences between groups of pupils • Views of parents, staff, governors and other stakeholders • Views different groups of pupils express, their experiences of others’ behaviour and attitudes towards them, and their understanding of the importance of such attributes in school and adult life.

11. Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills settingsGuidance for inspectors undertaking inspection under the common inspection frameworkOfsted, 2018

12. Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills settings • It is essential inspectors are familiar with the content of: • Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2018) • Working Together to Safeguard Children (HMG 2018) • The definition of safeguarding taken from Working Together to Safeguard Children • PREVENT duty guidance (Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015) • The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulation 2014

13. Safeguarding action may be needed to protect learners from: • Neglect, physical, emotional and sexual abuse • Bullying (including cyber-bullying) • Racist, disability and homophobic / transphobic abuse • Gender-based violence • Radicalisation / extremism • CSE / trafficking • Impact of technologies on sexual behaviour • Teenage relationship abuse • Substance misuse • Local issues • Domestic violence • FGM • Forced marriage • Fabricated illness • Poor parenting

14. Safeguarding also relates to broader aspects of care and education, including: • Learners’ health and safety • Meeting needs of children with SEN / disabilities • Use of reasonable force • Meeting needs of pupils with medical conditions • Providing ‘First Aid’ • Educational visits • Intimate care • Online safety (and associated issues) • Appropriate arrangements for school security

15. Signs of successful safeguarding arrangements: • Children are safe and feel safe • Children can identify a trusted adult (to whom they can communicate concerns) • Children know how to complain and there is a strong proactive response from adults that reduces the actual or risk of harm • Adults know and understand indicators that may suggest abuse / harm, and take appropriate action in line with local procedures and statutory guidance

16. Signs of successful safeguarding arrangements: • Written records are made in a timely way and held securely • Record of any referral is retained and there is evidence that any agreed action following the referral has been taken promptly • The school is aware of and fully implements statutory guidance in relation to children missing from home and / or education

17. Signs of successful safeguarding arrangements: • Learners are protected from and helped to keep themselves safe from abuse • Adults understand the risks posed by those who use technology to bully, groom, radicalise or abuse others and take action immediately if there are any concerns • There are well-developed strategies in place to keep children and learners safe and to support them to develop their own understanding of these risks and in learning how to keep themselves and others safe

18. Signs of successful safeguarding arrangements: • Leaders and staff make clear risk assessments to protect children and learners while enabling them to take age-appropriate and reasonable risks as part of growth and development • Positive behaviour is consistently promoted • Staff and volunteers are carefully selected and vetted according to statutory requirements

19. Signs of successful safeguarding arrangements: • Clear and effective arrangements for staff development and training - staff and other adults receive regular supervision and support (if working directly with children whose safety and welfare are at risk) • The physical environment is safe and secure and protects learners from harm (or the risk of it) • All staff and carers have a copy of and understand procedures for managing allegations of harm and how to make a complaint and manage ‘whistleblowing’

20. Inspectors should consider how far leaders and managers have put in place effective arrangements to: • Identify children who may need early help or are at risk of neglect, abuse, grooming or exploitation • Help prevent abuse by raising awareness among children of safeguarding risks and how and where to get help and support if they need it • Help those children at risk of abuse and needing early help or statutory social care involvement • Keep accurate records, making timely referrals where necessary and working with other agencies to ensure that children and learners get the help and support they need • Manage allegations about adults who may be a risk, and check the suitability of staff to work with children, learners and vulnerable adults

21. Evidence to look for: • Extent to which leaders create a positive culture and ethos where safeguarding is an important part of everyday life, backed up by training at every level • Application and effectiveness of policies and safe recruitment and vetting processes • Quality of safeguarding practice and evidence that staff are aware of signs that learners may be at risk in the setting or wider community • Timeliness of response to any concerns raised • Quality of work to support multi-agency plans around a learner

22. Discuss how your school may evidence these aspects of safeguarding • What action is required to ensure these requirements can be met?

23. Key documents: • Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2018) • SET Procedures(ESCB, 2019) • Working Together to Safeguard Children (HMG, 2018) • What to do if you're worried a child is being abused (HMG, 2015)

24. Contact for Safeguarding Manager for Schools and EYS: jo.barclay@essex.gov.uk 033301 31078 http://schools.essex.gov.uk/pupils/Safeguarding/Pages/Safeguarding.aspx Author: Jo Barclay