Termly Governor Briefings

Keith GrimwadeService Director: Learning

Spring 2016

Safeguarding ‘Inspectors will always have regard for how well children

and learners are helped and protected so that they are kept safe.’ School Inspection Handbook, 2015

‘Short inspections of good schools will always report on the effectiveness of safeguarding. If safeguarding is not effective and/or if pupils are considered to be at risk in any way, the lead inspector will convert the inspection to a section 5 inspection (unless the school is already inadequate).’ Short Inspection Handbook, 2015

Key documents

‘Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills settings’, August 2015.

‘Keeping children safe in education: Statutory guidance for schools and colleges’

‘Working together to safeguard children’.

LA Advice Adrian Loades’ letter to all heads and chairs, 14th October 2015 (see

following slides). Model Safer Employment Policy and an updated Safer Recruitment

Checklist https://www.learntogether.org.uk/Pages/Welcome.aspx search ‘Safer Recruitment’.

Education Advisers are carrying out Safeguarding Audits in all maintained schools. This is available to academies as a chargeable service.

A model Single Central Record has also been sent to all maintained schools and academies.

Comprehensive training programme from the Education Child Protection Service.

Prevent guidance, training and support.

Safe Recruitment Audit, 2015The overall assurance level for 2014/15 was ‘Moderate’:

‘Whilst there is a basically a sound system of control, designed to address the relevant risks, there are weaknesses in the system, that leaves some risks not addressed and there is evidence of non-compliance with some of the controls’.

Some improvement in the number of schools given substantial assurance, an increase of 7% compared to last year’s audit.

Lessons learned from 2015 Safer Recruitment Audit, 1Job descriptions: All schools should ensure

that they are fulfilling the requirement to include details of safeguarding responsibilities in all job descriptions.

Review of application forms: All schools should ensure that gaps in employment and training history are identified and pursued with candidates and that assurance is also obtained for periods of time spent abroad.

Lessons learned from 2015 Safer Recruitment Audit, 2 Shortlisting / interviewing: All schools should ensure that they are

following safer recruitment procedures and retaining evidence and appropriate records to demonstrate that this.

All schools should be clear on the pre-employment checks that are required and ensure that they are carried out and clearly evidenced.

DBS checks: All schools should be aware that the Barred List check alone is not regarded as sufficient clearance if DBS clearance has not been obtained prior to the person starting work. In this scenario, schools must ensure that a formal risk assessment is completed, signed and held on file.

All schools should ensure that they are aware of the requirements of the Single Central Record and that compliance is confirmed and evidence during management checks.