Berwick Academy

Safeguarding our students

A child should be able to go to school and feel safe and protected from harm or abuse.  Work undertaken in school will help a child learn about keeping themselves safe.  Lessons in school can cover drug and alcohol awareness, healthy eating, road safety, relationships, sex education and bullying and at Berwick Academy we deliver this through our IAG lessons, assemblies, tutor activities, and PSHE workshop days.

All pupils are made aware of what to do if they are worried or concerned about harm or abuse and there are displays around school signposting them to staff who can provide support.

Staff at Berwick Academy are recruited using safe recruitment practices, including appropriate records checks.  Appropriate checks are undertaken for all members of staff and volunteers, and updating training around the identification of abuse, including what to do if they or someone else is worried about a child, is given regularly.  The member of staff who has responsibility for dealing with child protection in school is called the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Useful Contacts:

Always talk to the Head Teacher or the Designated Safeguarding Lead in school if you are worried about a safeguarding or child protection concern.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead at Berwick Academy is: Mr Steve Gibson

The Deputy Safeguarding Leads are: Ms Paula Clegg, Ms Amy Walton

The Safeguarding Trustee is: Mr Michael Burton

To contact the Safeguarding Team, please email safeguarding@berwickacademy.co.uk

The Anti-Bullying Leads are: Miss Jackie Hoskins (Y9), Miss Amy Walton (Y10), Mr Jordan Woodcock (Y11), Mr Richard Johnson (Post 16).

The E-Safety Lead is: Mr Steve Gibson

The SENDCo is: Mrs Dawn Tait

Operation Encompass is an innovative project in which schools in Northumberland are participating, run in partnership with Northumberland County Council and Northumbria Police.  Operation Encompass aims to support children and young people who ar affected by domestic abuse.  Experiencing domestic abuse is really distressing for a child or young person, who often see the abuse, hear it from another room, see a parent’s injuries or distress afterwards, or can be physically hurt by trying to stop the abuse.

As a result, following any domestic abuse incident being reported to the police, the police will make contact with Children’s Social Care who will then communicate relevant information to nominated school staff.  This will ensure that the school is made aware at the earliest possible opportunity and can subsequently provide support to children in a way that means they feel safe and listened to.

Operation Endeavour aims to support children and young people who go missing from home.  Children who go missing from home are at risk of significant harm and they may be vulnerable to sexual exploitation, violent crime, gang exploitation, or to drug and alcohol misuse.

As a result, following any report of a child going missing to the Police, the Police will make contact with Children’s Social Care who will then communicate relevant and necessary information to nominated school staff.

Further information

More information on Child Protection can be obtained from the Department of Education’s website.

Northumberland Children’s Social Care Team can be contacted via OneCall:

• 01670 536 400

NSPCC 24 hour Child Protection Helpline – 0808 800 5000

Out of school time, you might find the following numbers useful to get help when you need it:

One Call                                               01670 536 400
This is Northumberland’s “front door” phone number to access support from Children’s Services, Adult Social Care, Safeguarding Adults and Children and Health.

Berwick Youth Project                   01289 333 100
Berwick Youth Project provide information and support to and for young people aged 13 to 25, and can be contacted by phone or by calling in to their offices on Golden Square.

Childline                                              0800 11 11
A Freephone support line offering a free, private and confidential advice service.

School Health                                   Text 07507 332 258
Students can contact school health directly for confidential advice and support.

Shout Mental Health                     Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258
A free, 24/7 confidential text messaging service for young people who are struggling to cope.  Students feeling anxious, stressed, depressed, suicidal or overwhelmed can get immediate support from Shout.

Useful Links:

• PREVENT Duty – The Government’s information on radicalisation and prevention.
• CEOP – Think U Know – Helpful information about Child Exploitation and Online Protection.
• Childline – A charity providing help and support to children and young people and their families.
• National Crime Agency – The Government agency for tackling organised crime.
• Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) – Police online safety information.
• Young Minds – Mental Health charity.
• Beating Eating Disorders – The UK’s eating disorder information source.
• Minded – An NHS resource on mental health.
• Autism Support – A national charity supporting families affected by autism.
• Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
• Bereavement Support – A charity supporting grieving children.
• Keeping Children Safe – Information from the NSPCC on key areas of child safety.