Safeguarding across the curriculum
Safeguarding is the highest priority within Brandles School. The school recognises that our pupils are extremely vulnerable for a variety of reasons including:
•Difficulties with expressing themselves, meaning they may not have verbal language or means to communicate that something has happened to them that they are worried about.
•Difficulties with social understanding, meaning that some individuals may not recognise something someone is doing to them is wrong.
•Some pupils have strong desire to please others and build friendships
In addition to ensuring our safeguarding procedures and training needsare of the highest standard and ensuring staff remain vigilant we also recognise the need to safeguard our pupils through education.
The school admits pupils of all abilities so that can mean the approach to this can vary significantly. For some individuals this can mean learning the rules / acceptable behaviour, learning through use of visuals / books / photos and learning through safe routines. Individuals with complex Autism and SLD often remain dependent on adults for their safety but strict adherence to safe practices can help them have a basic understanding of what should or shouldn’t be happening to them.
Other pupils are more able and can have conversations and discussions about areas such as online safety or bullying. For these pupils we do more advanced work, explicitly teaching about dangers and how to ask for help. What is important to note though, many of this group of pupils still find it difficult to generalise so whilst they can tell you in a classroom how to keep them safe on-line this does not necessarily mean if faced with a situation at home they will be able to apply their knowledge. This is why it is of vital importance to work closely with parents both through training and day to day communication. This group of pupils have the potential for being more independent and the aim of any work should be for them to make independent safe choices when faced with difficult situations and for them to know who to ask for help.
The legal context for safeguarding education
These duties are set out in the 2002 Education Act (the 2010 Academies Act also refers to the broad and balanced curriculum). Schools also have statutory responsibilities in relation to promoting pupil well-being and pupil safeguarding (Children Act 2004) and community cohesion (Education Act 2006). The Equality Act 2010 also places duties on schools to help to reduce prejudice-based bullying and in doing so to keep protected characteristic groups safe. PSHE education plays an important part in fulfilling all of the responsibilities (see further detail on PSHE education and safeguarding, below).
All schools have responsibilities relating to the safety of children in their care. Paragraph 41 of statutory guidance on Keeping Children Safe in Education (2015), the Department for Education states:
“Schools should consider how children may be taught about safeguarding, including online, through teaching and learning opportunities. This may include covering relevant issues through PSHE …”
PSHE education in the national curriculum
While PSHE education is a non-statutory subject, section 2.5 of the National Curriculum framework document states that:
‘All schools should make provision for PSHE, drawing on good practice.’
Along with the National Curriculum framework, the DFE also published guidance on PSHE education, which states that the subject is ‘an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education’ and that:
‘Schools should seek to use PSHE education to build, where appropriate, on the statutory content already outlined in the national curriculum, the basic school curriculum and in statutory guidance on: drug education, financial education, sex and relationship education (SRE) and the importance of physical activity and diet for a healthy lifestyle.'
At Brandles we do not have discrete PSCHE lessons but have a programme of assemblies, outside speakers and Citizenship lessons where all of these issues are addressed.
Sex and relationships education
Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) is a requirement for state maintained secondary schools.
When teaching SRE, schools must have regard to statutory guidance from the Department for
Education. The DFE has formally recognised good practice guidance from the PSHE Association, Brook and the Sex Education Forum, which sets out schools’ responsibilities on sex and relationships education which vary between primary and secondary schools and between maintained schools and academies/free schools. At Brandles, this SRE education is addressed in classes, with outside speakers and on an individual basis.
Religious Education
The school is non-denominational. As such our Religious Education and Student Counsel include learning about different beliefs and festivals and provide opportunity to address some of the specific safeguarding issues listed below. Where some topics are more difficult than others the staff will deliver or support individual or bespoke lessons.
How Brandles School addresses specific safeguarding issues within the curriculum
Specific area / Where covered within the curriculumChild Missing from education /Child
missing from home
or care / PSHE and Citizenship units
Belonging, Making choices, Staying safe, Being responsible, Conflict and resolution, Taking a risk, Decisions and consequences
RE: Family
SRE units: Families of all kinds
Child Sexual exploitation / PSHE and Citizenship: Right and Wrong, Everyone’s opinion counts, How to develop and maintain a variety of healthy relationships, Managing change such as puberty, transition and loss, How to maintain physical, mental and emotional health and well-being including sexual health, How to recognise risky or negative relationships including all forms of bullying (including the distinct challenges posed by online bullying) and abuse sexual and other violence and online encounters,
SRE: Growing and changing, About the concept of consent in a variety of contexts (including sexual relationships), About parenthood and the consequences of teenage pregnancy.
Towards Independence: Relationships
PSHE and Citizenship
Bullying including cyberbullying / Relationships: To identify risky or negative relationships including all forms of bullying
Staying safe. Self-esteem, How to recognise risky or negative relationships including all forms of bullying (including the distinct challenges posed by online bullying) and abuse sexual and other violence and online encounters.
Advocacy: Student Council
Computing: Safety, Individual online safety plans for each pupil
RE Units: How to form relationships
Towards independence: online safety, Advocacy, myself and others
Domestic Violence / PSHE and Citizenship: Relationships: How to recognise risky or negative relationships. Right and Wrong, Everyone’s opinion counts, How to recognise and manage emotions within a range of relationships.
RE: Family
Drugs / PSHE and Citizenship: How to manage risks to physical and emotional health and well-being.
Understanding the Law, Drugs and Alcohol.
How to make informed choices about health and well-being matters including drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
Fabricated or induced illness / PSHE and Citizenship: Health and Well-being – What is meant by a healthy lifestyle, how to maintain physical, mental and emotional well-being
Science units: Living things
Individual Health plans for some pupils
Faith abuse / PSHE and Citizenship: Living in the wider world – Respect for self and others, Respect Equality, Rights and Responsibilities, Right to Freedom, Diversity, The role and influence of the media on lifestyle.
RE units: Groups we belong to, Right and Wrong
Female Genital mutilation (FGM) / PSHE and Citizenship: Living in the wider world, About different groups and communities, How to identify and access help and support.
SRE units: Growing and changing
Forced Marriage / PSHE and Citizenship: Relationships: How to respond to risky or negative relationships and ask for help
RE units: Groups we belong to, Right and Wrong, Marriage
SRE units: Relationships - Growing and changing, About the concept of consent in a variety of contexts.
Gender Based violence / PSHE and Citizenship
Relationships: How to recognise and manage a range of relationships, Equality vs inequality, How to identify and access appropriate advice and support.
SRE: Male and female, Building good relationships, Getting help and support, About the concept of consent in a variety of contexts (including sexual relationships)
Mental Health / PSHE and Citizenship: About managing loss including bereavement, separation and divorce, How to maintain physical, mental and emotional health and well-being, How to make informed choices about health and well-being matters, How to develop employability, team and leadership skills and develop flexibility and resilience.
SRE: Growing and changing, How to identify and access appropriate support
Preventing
Radicalisation / PSHE and Citizenship
Groups I belong to, Tolerating others, Diversity, Appreciating difference, Responsibilities in the community, Conflict and resolution, Freedom of speech, Improving our community, About rights and responsibilities as members of diverse communities, as active and participants in the local and national economy.
RE: Groups we belong to, Right and Wrong, Similarities and differences of people/groups
British Values – cross curricular
The government has recently launched a new website (Jan2016):
Teachers are looking at this site and at how the materials can be used to support teaching and how to adapt these for our pupils.
Sexting / PSHE and Citizenship:
Personal space, Growing and changing
SRE: Growing and Changing, Safety, Decision Making, Relationships, How to identify and access appropriate support and advice, How to recognise risky or negative relationships.
Teenage
Relationship abuse / PSHE and Citizenship:
Right and Wrong, Rights and Responsibilities, Equality vs Inequality
SRE: Growing and Changing, Male and female, Safety, decision Making, Relationships, About the concept of consent in a variety of contexts including sexual relationships, About parenthood and the consequences of teenage pregnancy, How to access appropriate advice and support.
Trafficking / PSHE and Citizenship:
Right and Wrong, Right to Freedom, Human Rights. How to access appropriate advice and support.
SRE: Growing and Changing
References
DFE (July 2015) Keeping Children safe in Education
2002 Education Act
Children Act 2004
Education Act 2006
2010 Academies Act
DFE.The 2014 Primary National Curriculum DFE.
The 2014 Secondary National Curriculum
Associated documentation
PSHE curriculum
SRE curriculum
British Values referenced in planning
Safeguarding Procedure
Online safety policy
Updated: February 2017
To be reviewed: February 2018
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