Everyone who works with children and young people has a responsibility for safeguarding and acting to ensure that they receive the right support at the right time.
Safeguarding legislation and government guidance says that safeguarding means:
(Working Together to Safeguard Children, HM Government, July 2018)
The Hayfield School takes its role in safeguarding extremely seriously and our staff will do everything they can to protect students and children from harm. We acknowledge that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and all of our staff are trained to be vigilant and aware of the signs and indicators of abuse. The viewpoints and voice of students is of paramount importance and we will always listen to their wishes, thoughts and feelings, as well as identifying and supporting their needs. We will work alongside students to develop trusting, consistent and professional relationships. We advocate Early Help processes and, where possible, we will identify any difficulties or concerns early in order to act preventatively. We will always provide support and advice for families and parents/carers, whilst acting in the best interests of the student at all times. Safeguarding also includes ensuring we follow safe working practices and provide a secure learning environment for our students and staff.
The Hayfield School Safeguarding Team is made up of:
Mr R Huddart – Deputy Headteacher
Mrs E Conroy – Designated Safeguarding Lead/Associate Assistant Headteacher
Mrs D Hartshorn – Safeguarding
Any enquiries regarding matters of child protection and safeguarding should be referred to Mrs Conroy or Mrs Hartshorn in the first instance (01302 770589).
Should you believe there is immediate risk of significant harm to a child or young person, then contact 999. If you have urgent safeguarding concerns about a child or young person, call Doncaster Children’s Services Trust on:
(01302) 737777 Monday-Friday 8.30 am – 5.00 pm
(01302) 796000 Out of Hours Referral and Response Team or Police 101
If you are worried about a child and wish to pass on this concern, copy the link below into your browser and follow the instructions.
https://www.doncasterchildrenstrust.co.uk/worried-about-a-child
If you have concerns about the mental health of a child or young person, call (01302) 796191.
The Hayfield School safeguards students by:
A really useful guide for parents and carers on how to support your child with mental health issues:
We are committed to our guiding principles of kindness and decency. As such we have a clear ‘red line’ with regard to bullying, harassment and victimisation and will do all in our power to create a caring, friendly and safe environment for all students and staff so that teaching and learning takes place in a purposeful and focused atmosphere. If bullying, harassment or victimisation does occur, staff and/or students should report it and have reassurance that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. No one should have to ‘suffer in silence’. You will find our Anti-Bullying Policy by clicking Policies, under About Us.
As of 1 July 2015 all schools have been required by law to have ‘due regard of the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’ (Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act). This has become known as the PREVENT Strategy. The PREVENT Strategy is about protecting children and young people from being radicalised by extremist ideas and ideologies. Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values of:
It is very important to stress that the PREVENT Strategy is not intended to stop students from engaging in debate over controversial issues. Indeed, we have a responsibility to provide safe space for our young people to understand the risks associated with radicalism and to develop the knowledge and skills whereby they can challenge extremist arguments.
From July 2015 all schools (as well as other organisations) have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism. This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views, the same way we protect them from drugs or violence. Importantly, we can provide a safe place for students to discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.
At The Hayfield School, we are committed to developing young people who are positive and active participants within our community and society at large. The values which the PREVENT Strategy upholds are fundamental to our ethos evident in our culture. On a day to day basis, this involves:
In addition, we safeguard our young people from radicalisation by using filters to prevent them accessing extremist material. The school also ensures that professionals and visitors to work with our students are carefully vetted.
Our Safeguarding Policy is reviewed annually. You will find the most up-to-date version by clicking Policies, under About Us.
