SherbrookTeaching Safeguarding at Sherbrook
How do we teach our children about safeguarding?
Whole School Approaches
At Sherbrook we use a variety of approaches to embed safeguarding into each pupils day and curriculum. Staff are highly trained and fully committed into ensuring that Sherbrook Primary school is the safest place possible for our students. We understand that every lesson, interaction and activity is an opportunity for learning.
Whole school visual notices on who to go to when worried. Pupils are regularly given opportunities to express worries or concerns through specific lessons (circle time, PSHE) and through strong, positive relationships built up with staff.
At Sherbrook Primary school we teach our pupils about the importance of mental health and well-being through ELSA, circle time and use of social stories.
We actively encourage and listen to our pupil’s views. Each child has the opportunity to apply to become a school council member. There they will have the opportunity to listen to their peers and ensure that their views are listened to.
We are at the beginning stages of embedding zones of regulation. This approach supports pupils by teaching strategies to self-regulate and to avoid reaching crisis point.
Adventures / Discoverers (Semi-Formal and Formal Learners)
ICT curriculum – Online safety should be a focus in all areas of the curriculum and staff should reinforce e-safety messages in the use of ICT across the curriculum.
Pupils within Adventurers and Discoverers are taught S.M.A.R.T. principles of online safety (Stay safe, Don’t meet up, Accepting files, Reliable? Tell someone) to enable them to make safer choices and have a better awareness of online risks and dangers. This is embedded within the ICT curriculum and reinforced whenever ICT is used across the curriculum. They are shown what to do when using different devices or platforms to report, block, delete or inform an adult when something is not right.
RSHE curriculum - There are numerous themes that are threaded through the entire Jigsaw programme and school routine, which enable children to see how their learning is practical and can be life-long. For example treating others how we want to be treated (kind hands etc.) Safety underpins everything they learn, and how they are valuable unique human beings who deserve to be safe. Children identify things, people (stranger danger) and places that they need to keep safe from, and can share some strategies for keeping themselves safe, including who to go to for help.
Children can think about which types of physical contact they like, which they don’t like, and they can talk about this in a safe way and know it is OK to say they don’t want to be touched in that way e.g. punched or hugged if that is how they feel. Some of the lesson is taught through stories.
Children identify the parts of the body that make boys different to girls and can use the correct, scientific names for them. By using correct terminology for these parts of the body, children can learn to respect their own and others’ bodies and understand which parts are private (meaning ‘special and important’
Children will be taught about safe and unsafe medications and drugs and be taught who they can go to if they are worried about anyone they know or themselves and they feel they need help.
Children will be asked what they know about drugs and asked what they think is right and wrong and what they think they should do in these situations and also if they have ever come across drugs and the situation surrounding it.
Children are empowered to know what is right and wrong and to look after themselves. Children are encouraged to think about what they could do if they don’t feel safe, and who they can go to if they feel unsafe. The message. ‘Say NO and DON’T GO!’ is reinforced throughout the lesson, particularly when discussing grown-ups who approach children inappropriately and ask for their help.
Assemblies – Adventurers and Discoverers access weekly assemblies linked with the JIGSAW areas of PSHE, global events and religious festivals or holidays. These are aimed at making relevant safeguarding, PSHE, RE issues or events accessible, engaging and informative for all our children to access. Eg. Bonfire night safety, road safety, being a kind friend, Diwali
Explorers (Pre Formal Learners)
Due to the nature of the needs of the pupils within the Explorer classes, safeguarding is embedded through daily routines, circle time activities and assemblies where appropriate. The children in Explorers are exposed to the notion of rules, right and wrong, feelings and emotions at an appropriate level for their understanding. Familiar songs, routines and activities are repeated on a daily basis to encourage positive relationships and continuity. Children are encouraged to learn through play and acquire skills such as turn taking and sharing, supporting their understanding of friendships.
Pre verbal children are offered opportunities to express themselves using the communication strategies they are familiar with. For example PECS, communication books and objects of reference can be prepared to reflect their voice in specific subject areas as well as the everyday requests they may need to make.
Staff work hard to build a rapport with all children and communicate with them using a range of strategies that are appropriate for their needs (e.g. Signing and PECS) This relationship is important as children need to trust the staff, not only to teach them but also to keep them safe and support their personal care needs. For this reason leaders ensure there is continuity within the class and the phase.
Along with the rest of the school, the children in Explorer phase are included in themed days (e.g. mental health awareness day) and activities that encourage them to discuss/express their feelings (on their level) and expose them to strategies for keeping safe and looking after others.
The strong PSED ethos throughout the school is simplified for the children within Explorers but remains a focus and an important strand which is monitored and captured by Tapestry. PSED skills can be seen in all areas of the Explorers curriculum. These cross curricular links can be seen in all class timetables and appear on the Long term planning under the title ‘My Independence.’ Self care & independence, Relationships & others and Feelings, behaviours & morals are the PSED areas covered by Tapestry. All aspects can be photographed and recorded on Tapestry and linked to the relevant branches.
Pupils within Explorers are supported by staff to access ICT in a safe and secure way, with content accessed closely monitored to ensure suitability and age appropriateness. Children are encouraged to ask for help if they are unsure and modelled by staff on what to do if something upsets them.
