Safeguarding
The Trust and staff of Aureus School are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for students, staff and visitors and promoting a climate where students and adults will feel confident about sharing any concerns they may have about their own safety or the well-being of others.
This means that we have a Child Protection and Safeguarding policy and Procedures in place which can be viewed below. All staff (including supply staff, volunteers and governors) must ensure that they are aware of these procedures in order to fulfil their responsibilities at our school.
Sometimes, we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about student welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about students are discussed with his or her parents/carers first, unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the student’s welfare. In Oxfordshire, support from external agencies is co-ordinated through the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and the Strengths and Needs Assessment process. Both of these ensure that young people and family's needs are correctly understood and that the appropriate support is signposted and provided.
Aureus School acknowledges the duties conferred by statute, including the Children Acts 1989 & 2004, Section 175 of the 2002 Education Act, the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the guidance contained in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (1), ‘What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused’ (2), the current DfE Circular ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (3), as well as procedures produced by Oxfordshire County Council for use with its schools, including the Early Help Pathways Operational Guidance (4). The school safeguarding policy is applicable to all on and off-site activities undertaken by students whilst they are the responsibility of the school.
Please find our safeguarding and child protection policy here:
Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy
Aureus Staff who have responsibility for Safeguarding
Headteacher: Kirsty Rogers (k.rogers1@aureusschool.org)
Deputy Headteacher: John O'Regan (j.oregan@aureusschool.org)
Safeguarding Team SSB Member:
Kerry Brown(kbrown1@glfschools.org)
Designated Safeguarding Lead:
Paula Rutter (p.rutter@aureusschool.org)
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads:
Carolyn Saul, Assistant Headteacher Key Stage 4 Pupils (c.saul@aureusschool.org)
Sian Haycock, Head of Years 8&9 (s.haycock@aureusschool.org)
Jennifer Murphy, Head of Years 10&11 (j.murphy@aureusschool.org)
Beth Costar, Head of Years 6&7 (b.costar@aureusschool.org)
Sarah Hassell, SENDCo (s.hassell@aureusschool.org)
There are four main elements to the school’s safeguarding work with students:
- Prevention - Through the teaching and pastoral support offered to students and providing a safe environment. We also inform students of potential risks and their ‘stay safe’ responsibilities, through assemblies, coaching, Global Citizenship lessons and other activities.
- Procedures in place for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of harm.
- Support to students who may have been abused or are at risk of harm.
- Ensuring that we practise safe recruitment, checking the suitability of all Aureus staff and volunteers to work with children.
If you are a parent who has a safeguarding concern about a child, you can contact the safeguarding team at Aureus at our email address aurcp@aureusschool.org
If you are concerned about a child’s welfare, please record your concern and any observations or conversations that you may have heard and report this to one of the safeguarding leads as soon as possible that day. Do NOT conduct your own investigation.
To report an allegation against a person in a position of trust, please contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) at the Oxfordshire Schools Safeguarding Team:
Phone: 01865 810603 Email: LADO.safeguardingchildren@oxfordshire.gov.uk
If you are a student that would like to report a concern about you, a friend, a sibling or someone you know confidentially please click on this link:https://aureus.thesharpsystem.com
You can use this link to report incidents confidentially (without leaving your name) or if you want to, you can leave your name so that we can more easily help you and also offer you advice and support. All reports will be addressed within 48 hours.
Support Available
Childline: 0800 1111
NSPCC: 0808 800 5000 Report Abuse in Education helpline: 0800 136 663 of help@nspcc.org.uk
CAMHS: www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/camhs
To report online abuse or if you are worried about how someone has been communicating online, please visit the Child Exploitation and Online Protection command (CEOP):
www.ceop.police.uk/child-safety
If you have concerns regarding e-safety please follow this link:
