Pilton Community College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We recognise that all adults, including temporary staff, volunteers and governors, have a full and active part to play in protecting our students from harm and that the child or young person’s welfare is our paramount concern.
We believe that Pilton Community College should provide a caring, positive safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, emotional, physical and moral development of the individual child or young person.
We will assume that sexual harassment, online sexual abuse and sexual violence are happening in and around the school, even when there are no specific reports. We will work to prevent sexual harassment online sexual abuse and sexual violence through a whole school approach that includes an effective behaviour policy with appropriate sanctions, pastoral support and a carefully planned relationships sex and health education curriculum that includes addressing issues of consent. A responsive assembly programme will address both local and national issues.
We have a Safeguarding Policy and procedures in place. All staff (including supply staff, volunteers and governors) must ensure that they are aware of these procedures. All staff who work for the College will have been subject to an Enhanced DBS check. A copy of our Safeguarding Policy can be found here. A hard copy is available on request.
Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child or young person’s welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about our students are discussed with their parents/carers first unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child or young person’s welfare.
We have a team of Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) whose photos and roles can be seen on posters around school. Our lead DSL is Mr Graham Hill (Headteacher). The Operating Safeguarding Lead and Designated Staff Member for Domestic Violence and Abuse is Mrs Sarah Almey (Assistant Headteacher).
If you are concerned about a child or young person’s welfare, please record your concern and any observations or conversation heard and report to one of the DSLs as soon as possible the same day. Do NOT conduct your own investigation.
If your concerns relate to the actions or behaviour of a member of staff (which could suggest that he or she is unsuitable to work with children or young people) then you should report this directly to the Headteacher (or the Chair of Governors if the concern relates to the Headteacher), who will consider what action to take.
