Keeping Your Child Safe

Westside School is committed to keeping children safe. 

All staff are required to read the school's Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy annually, together with the latest government policy guidance on Keeping Children Safe in Education.  All staff are also required to sign annually, their commitment to abiding by our Code of Ethical Practice.  Thorough staff safeguarding workshops are held at the start of every year, and this training is then supplemented further with compulsory completion of online safeguarding modules and other related sessions during the year.

Safeguarding is the responsibility of our whole community, including parents. The school is always helped by knowing if there are any serious problems at home that may affect our students in any way.  Such information will be handled confidentially and parents and students should feel confident in telling either the their Head of Year or a member of the Senior Leadership Team or the Headteacher what is happening.

All staff at Westside School consider safeguarding students our top concern.

The safeguarding team at school consists of (can include images of each member of staff)

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Nicholas Prempeh

Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Estee Nassey

Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Kevin Browne

The safeguarding team can be contacted by email to safeguarding@westsideschool.org.uk

For relevant safeguarding policies, please follow this link to the policies page on our website

 

Bullying (Heading)

The school takes any instance of bullying very seriously. 

Concerns raised by parents and carers: Any immediately urgent issues can be reported by phone to the school.  An appropriate member of staff will be found to make a note and take action as appropriate.

You can also report bullying by emailing the Head of Year. 

For information the Heads of Year are listed below:

Head of Year 8

Ms R Campbell

Head of Year 9

Ms M Brain

Head of Year 10

Mr D Sandford

Head of Year 11

Mr P Stevenson

 

Useful websites and Fact Sheets

Protecting children from online abuse

www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents

Talking to your child about online safety

www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/talking-child-online-safety/

General advice on range of issues faced by children

www.childline.org.uk

Information about drugs

www.talktofrank.com

Mental health advice for parents

www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/

Information on county lines and child criminal exploitation

www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/child-criminal-exploitation-and-county-lines

 

Parent Factsheets

Andrew Tate: Parent factsheet 

County lines: Parent factsheet

Cyber flashing: Parent factsheet

Fake news and disinformation online: Parent factsheet

Helplines for parents and carers: Parent factsheet

Instagram: Parent factsheet

Loot boxes and skins betting: Parent factsheet

Snapchat: Parent factsheet

TikTok: Parent factsheet

Tips for staying safe online: Parent factsheet

Twitch: Parent factsheet

WhatsApp: Parent factsheet

Your child’s screen time: Parent guide

Youtube: Parent factsheet