Safeguarding
Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policies are available on the 'Policies' section of this website. Our Designated Safeguard Lead is Sarah Hill - Headteacher. Our Deputy Designated Safeguard Leads are - Hannah Shrewsbury -Acting Deputy Headteacher and Julie Moore and Sarah McCaffery - ELSA's. Our Safeguarding Governor is Janet Cullianne. The staff lead for looked after children is Hannah Shrewsbury.
If you have a safeguarding concern please contact our DSL s.hill@oakley-jun.hants.sch.uk or 01256 780433.
Prevent Duty
As part of Oakley Church of England Junior School ongoing safeguarding and child protection duties we are fully behind the government's Prevent Strategy.
What is the Prevent Strategy?
Prevent is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist or extremist causes. The Prevent strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including the extreme right wing, violent Islamist groups and other causes.
How does the Prevent strategy apply to schools?
From July 2015 all schools (as well as other organisations) have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism. This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views the same way we protect them from drugs, violence or other harm. Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves. This duty is known as the Prevent Duty for schools.
Prevent Duty What does this mean in practice?
Many of the things we already do in school to help children become positive, happy members of society also contribute to the Prevent strategy. These include:
- Exploring other cultures and religions and promoting diversity
- Challenging prejudices and racist comments
- Developing thinking skills and a strong, positive self-identity
- Promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, as well as British values such as democracy
We will also protect children from the risk of radicalisation, for example by using filters on the internet to make sure they can’t access extremist and terrorist material, or by vetting visitors who come into school to work with pupils.
How does Prevent relate to British values? Duty
Schools have been required to promote British values since 2014, and this will continue to be part of our response to the Prevent strategy.
British values include:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty and mutual respect
- Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
Is extremism really a risk in our area?
Extremism can take many forms, including political, religious and misogynistic extremism. Some of these may be a bigger threat in our area than others.
We will give children the skills to protect them from any extremist views they may encounter, now or later in their lives.
External sources - The following sources may also be useful for further information: