What is Safeguarding?

'Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined by Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE) as:

• providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge

• protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online

• preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development

• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes'

The responsibility to keep children safe belongs to all of us. King Offa has a very clear Safeguarding Policy that is available on the website or from the school office.

Mrs Pocock (Executive Headteacher) is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). She is supported by four deputy DSL's. They are Mrs Irving (Assistant Headteacher), Mrs Gale (Assistant Headteacher, Inclusion) and Mr Bennett (Assistant Headteacher, Teaching and Learning).

The safeguarding governor is Steve Etherington. 

If you have any safeguarding concerns about a child, and wish to speak to a DSL, please make an appointment at the school office. Alternatively, if you have a concern about a child outside of school please contact the Single Point of Advice (SPOA) who can direct your concern to the correct place within East Sussex Children’s Services. This can be done anonymously if necessary.

To contact SPOA please call 01323 464222 between 8:30am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

Other support

More information and guidance on safeguarding, child protection, child abuse or neglect can be found on the following websites:

• Child Line (Children can call 0800 1111)

• NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)

• CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre)

To ensure the safety of our children, all new visitors to the school are given an information leaflet to read and understand the expectations in our school.

You can view all of our safeguarding policies on our Policies page here.