Safeguarding

We are committed to excellent practice in safeguarding children and young people in our school.  All staff are trained to understand their professional responsibility to be alert to the threat of child abuse, to be aware of, and able to recognise different forms of abuse and to refer any suspicion of abuse to the school's Designated Child Protection Persons.

We ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to manage their duties regarding safeguarding by giving them at least annual dedicated training on a range of safeguarding and child protection topics.  This is supplemented by a regular focus on safeguarding in our staff meetings and through our weekly bulletins. 

Staff are offered opportunities to make comments on the development of policy and practices though regular questionnaires and they are always keen to participate. 

We uphold strict standards of recruitment by having a stringent process for recruiting staff, volunteers and students who work and learn in our school. 

We ensure that we have the same level of vigilance from organisations where we send our pupils on inclusion placements or other off-site activities.  Our safeguarding policy incorporates child protection and this is available in Policies.

Below is a copy of the letter we send to partners with whom we have a working relationship which verifies the position of safeguarding certification at our school.

Letter of Assurance

 Our Safeguarding Team

At Woodlands, our Headteacher, Andrea Hemmens, is our Designated safeguarding lead (DSL).  Deputy headteachers, Beth Redfern and Philip Hanrahan are Deputy designated safeguarding leads (DDSLs). 

We meet every week to consider any safeguarding issues with a wider team of our school nurses and physiotherapy lead.  We also invite staff to join us to discuss any worries they may have.  As a group, we get safeguarding supervision on a regular basis from a highly experienced children with disabilities social worker who helps develop and challenge our thinking and practices. 

We are happy to support staff, families and visitors with any safeguarding concerns you may have. Please contact us at the school or on the following email address:  dsl@woodlands.plymouth.sch.uk

What to do if you are worried about a child or young person.

Speak out - If you have heard or seen something that worries you, or if you think someone is being abused, please do something about it!  You can contact us on the email above or the agencies below. 

You can contact Plymouth Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub on 01752 668000.

You can find out up to date information for all South West Local Authorities on this website

Welcome to the South West Child Protection Procedures

Allegations of abuse made against a person who works with children.

All employers are under an absolute duty to promote and safeguard the welfare of children at their school, and to have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State in so doing. Woodlands School takes this responsibility seriously and will ensure that any allegation of abuse or safeguarding concern made against a teacher or other member of staff, or contractor, or volunteer is dealt with fairly, quickly and consistently, in accordance with the DfE guidance on Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Any allegation is reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), within one working day, where an individual has:

• behaved in a way that has harmed or may have harmed a child, and/or
• possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child, and/or
• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates the member of staff may pose a risk of harm to children, and/or
• behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates the member of staff may not be suitable to work with children.

 This procedure also applies where an allegation is received concerning an incident that happened when an individual or organisation was using the school premises for providing activities for children.

We are actively promoting e.safety - find out more here.