Safeguarding is about protecting our children from abuse or neglect.

At The Oaktree School, the safety and wellbeing of our children is of the utmost importance, and we are all responsible for the safety of children. We ensure that we are doing all we can to protect the most vulnerable members of our society.

All staff believe that our school should provide a caring, positive safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of the individual child.

All staff receive annual training on safeguarding, and our school is fully compliant with “Working together to Safeguard Children” and “Safeguarding children and safer recruitment in education.”

We support children’s development in ways that will foster security, confidence and independence, and provide an environment in which children and young people feel safe, secure, valued and respected, and feel confident, and know how to approach adults if they are in difficulties, believing they will be effectively listened to. 

We provide a systematic means of monitoring children known or thought to be at risk of harm, and ensure we, the school, contribute to assessments of need and support packages for those children. We have a structured procedure within the school which will be followed by all members of the school community in cases of suspected abuse.

All staff working within our school who have substantial access to children have been checked as to their suitability, including verification of their identity, qualifications, and a satisfactory DBS check (according to guidance) and a central record is kept for audit.

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023

All staff have read, understood and follow Part 1 of this statutory guidance.

All Governors have read, understood and follow Part 2 of this statutory guidance.

Working Together to Safeguard Children

Safeguarding children and Safer Recruitment in Education

What to do if you are worried a child is being abused

Early Help Support for Families

At The Oaktree School we use CPOMS, the market leading software solution, for monitoring Safeguarding, wellbeing and all pastoral issues. Working alongside our Safeguarding Policy, CPOMS helps to ensure that children, young people and adults are safe and fully supported. 

Swan Trust Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy 2023

Online Safety is an important part of safeguarding our children at The Oaktree School. We have extensive security measures in place in school, which are monitored both internally and externally, to help safeguard pupils from potential dangers or unsuitable material. Online Safety is taught to all pupils by explaining and demonstrating how to stay safe and behave appropriately online.

We can only be successful in keeping children safe online if we work with parents to ensure the Online Safety message is consistent and teaching children from infant age will esnure the important messages are received early. It is important that parents speak to their children about how they can keep safe and behave appropriately online.

Click here to see our Online Safety Policy

This guide has been created to introduce some of the most popular devices, highlighting the safety tools available and empowering parents with the knowledge they need to support their children to use these technologies safely and responsibly.  

As part of the Oaktree School’s commitment to safeguarding and child protection we fully support the government's Prevent Strategy, and take guidance from Teaching Approaches to help build resilience to extremism.

What is the Prevent Strategy?

The Prevent strategy is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It:

• responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
• provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
• works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health)

Please click here to read The Oaktree Schools Risk Assessment.

Please click here for a link to the official government document.

Prevent Children from Radicalisation Policy

Parents can support children to 'Educate Against Hate' through the following website -

https://www.educateagainsthate.com/category/parents/

The Oaktree School is committed to the highest possible standards of honesty, openness, probity and accountability. It seeks to conduct its affairs in a responsible manner, to ensure that all its activities are openly and effectively managed, and that the School’s integrity and the principles of public interest disclosure are sustained.

In line with that commitment, all members of staff and those working on behalf of the School who have serious concerns about any aspect of the School’s work are encouraged to come forward and voice those concerns to their immediate line manager and/or the Headteacher. Staff not only have the right but also a duty to report any improper actions or omissions, particularly where the welfare of young people may be at risk.

Where any member of staff decides to report a serious incident within the scope of this policy, whether anonymously or otherwise, this will be treated as a ‘protected’ disclosure. Staff members should feel reassured that they can raise concerns in accordance with this policy without fear of victimisation, subsequent discrimination or disadvantage. All staff employed in schools maintained by Surrey County Council have access to an external, independent and confidential service provided by Expolink.

Read more from our Whistleblowing Policy below.

SWAN Trust Whistleblowing Policy

At The Oaktree School we believe that it is important to support and develop children's wellbeing as an important element to keeping children safe and ensuring they have positive outcomes into adulthood. (Public Health England, 2021). The deputy headteacher has been trained as the Senior Mental Health Lead (SMHL) across the school. Working within a Wellbeing Team from all areas across the school, the SMHL supports the wellbeing of both children and adults. 

Behaviour and Wellbeing Policy

Click here to navigate to 'Supporting Your Children's Wellbeing'