Safeguarding at TLWS
Safeguarding leader
Our Designated Safeguarding Leader is our Headteacher, Ms Lyon.
Ms Lyon is supported in her role by the school's Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leader, Mrs Baldwin. All of the team can be contacted directly on their school email addresses or a general question or concern can be sent to safeguarding@thelionworksschool.org. This is monitored during term time and holiday time.
External agencies
If you require information of support there are a number of organisations you can contact. Please find some information below, but remember, if you believe a child is in imminent danger then do not hesitate to call 999 and speak with the police.
NSPCC - The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. There is a wide range of support and information available as well as a helplines for both adults (0808 800 5000) and children (Childline 0800 1111)
CEOP- The Child Exploitation and Online Protection command. If you are worried about online sexual abuse you can make a report via CEOP. There are links to support for all ages as well as parents and professionals.
PDSCP- The Pan - Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership. There is information training and the ability to submit an online concern to them.
Further information
Below you can find links to download the school's Safeguarding policy as well as statutory guidance relating to this. Further information can also be found in the policies available on our Downloads page.
Operation Encompass- Operation Encompass is a Police and Education early information safeguarding partnership. The school is a part of of this and receives and shares information accordingly. The school will receive Public Protection Notices (PPN) and store Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) notes in lines with our data retention policies.
ABA - The Anti- Bullying Alliance. There are tools and information available to support with all aspects of tackling bullying.
Young Minds- Young Minds provides support to young people, parents and professionals who are dealing with mental health challenges from children and teenagers.
Domestic Abuse- Directory for services and support for those experiencing domestic abuse or at risk of domestic abuse.
Prevent- The school has a statutory duty to ensure that we safeguard people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. This is known as the prevent duty. You can make a referral using the Home Office referral form. For an immediate response call the Anti-Terror hotline on 0800 789 321.
Evaluating and improving safeguarding
The school was visited in March 2022 by colleagues from Ofsted. This occurred during a period of flux and at a time when the school was seeking an appointment of a new Safeguarding Lead as well as a Headteacher in order to clearly separate roles. This was following the sudden unanticipated departure of the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead.
The school has challenged some aspects of the report but has concurrently responded to the feedback through a whole school review and systemic upgrades and enhancements.
The school has appointed a highly experience SLT and DSL team, documented and implemented clear distinction of staff roles and responsibilities. It has also introduced a management information system which supports Safeguarding, behaviour and attendance tracking and monitoring.
In May, we welcomed an external QA safeguarding Audit from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council who found our processes and practises to be "good". This is testimony to the rapid period of transformational and sustained change relating to safeguarding processes and practises. This can only be achieved through working in partnership with parents and external agencies along with the relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment from the whole team at The Lion Works School.
We continue to promote an open and positive culture of safeguarding within our school and we continue to work towards achieving all outcomes on our Post-Inspection Action plan linked to our School Development Plan 2022-23.
Internet Watch Foundation- If you stumble across child sexual abuse images online you can report these to the Internet Watch Foundation.