Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend
Safeguarding
Mayfield Grammar School is a strong community and all those directly connected with us (staff, governors, parents, families and pupils) have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure. We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children.
Our important ethos and environment help children to feel safe, secure and respected. We encourage them to talk openly and feel confident that they will be listened to. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice.
Our school core safeguarding principles are:
- It is a whole school responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as its paramount concern
- All children (defined as those up to the age of 18) regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, religion or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection
- All children have a right to be heard and to have their wishes and feelings taken into account
- All staff understand safe professional practice and adhere to our code of conduct and other associated policies
- All staff have a responsibility to recognise vulnerability in children and act on any concern in accordance with this guidance.
There are four main elements to our safeguarding policy
- Prevention – positive, supportive, safe school culture, curriculum and pastoral opportunities for children, safer recruitment procedures;
- Protection – by following the agreed procedures, ensuring all staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to safeguarding concerns;
- Support – for all pupils, parents and staff, and where appropriate specific intervention for those who may be at risk of harm;
- Working with parents/carers and other agencies – to ensure appropriate communications and actions are undertaken.
Concerns can be reported at: safeguarding@mgsg.kent.sch.uk
Download: Safeguarding Children and Child Protection guidelines
Student Safety at MGSG
The safety and wellbeing of everybody in this school (students, staff and visitors), is paramount. We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of everybody who belongs to or visits our school community.
All members of staff are trained to support students where there are safeguarding and/or wellbeing concerns, and to recognise the signs in students that may suggest there is something wrong. There is also a team of staff that are trained to be Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) as below.
If you have a safeguarding concern, please email safeguarding@mgsg.kent.sch.uk or contact any of the DSLs using the contact information above.
Our policies on safeguarding can be found on the policies page (or a link to the policy here?)
For our students:
- We provide a safe and supportive environment for you to study in.
- We have rules in place to ensure your safety
- We want you to talk to us if you have worries or concerns. We will listen without judgement and will support you; this may mean working with others to ensure you are protected.
- Through a range of learning activities, we will guide you to learn how to take care of yourselves, both in the real world and online, and to think about the right choices and the consequences you may face if the wrong choices are made.
- We will offer advice, if appropriate, and signpost you to services that may be able to offer additional support.
- Staff, students and visitors to the school will be easily recognisable by the lanyards worn:
Purple = Staff
Grey = Sixth Form Students
Blue = Year 7 – 11 Pupils
Green = Visitors
Do not be afraid to speak out and seek help if you are worried about your own wellbeing or safety or that of a friend.
Operation Encompass
We are an Operation Encompass school; this means that we are alerted to a student who may have been involved in or witnessed a domestic incident the previous night.
This allows the provision of immediate early intervention or support, for the student and the family. This may take many forms depending on the needs and wishes of the student.