The designated Safeguarding & Child Protection Lead for St Mary's University School of Education is Jane Chambers.
If you have a safeguarding concern about a trainee
Please contact Jane Chambers (LSO) (jane.chambers@stmarys.ac.uk) or Mary Nkune (DSO) (mary.nkune@stmarys.ac.uk). Further information can be found on our School of Education safeguarding poster.
Resources and information
Below are a number of links to useful guidance which will inform you of best practice when dealing with these difficult and sensitive areas within your teaching practice.
Free online training is available with The Education and Training Foundation. You will have to register, but it is free and very worthwhile exploring.
St Mary's University safeguarding
Teaching students have a rigorous set of Department for Education (DfE) directed checks before they are sent on placement and a letter is sent to schools to confirm this. Trainees are also required to complete safeguarding input before commencing their school experience. Details of the content of these sessions can be found on our ITE Safeguarding Training overview.
Schools hosting an ITT trainee do not need to keep a record of their DBS number on their SCR; this is the responsibility of the university. Further guidance (Section C.1.3 Suitability).
Please refer to the teacher training specific St Mary's University ITT Safeguarding Policy and further details of Education's Designated Safeguarding Officers.
Other guidance pertaining to our Safeguarding and DBS policies:
Child protection, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and Prevent
The DfE's statutory guidance for schools and colleges on protecting the welfare of children in education.
The DfE's statutory guidance on inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Guidance for schools and childcare providers on preventing children and young people from being drawn into terrorism. The guidance was updated following a Court of Appeal judgement in March 2019.
Government guidelines for addressing FGM in schools include the FGM resource pack.
There is additional information from the Home Office: these documents raise awareness of FGM and provide advice on preventative measures.
Find out how the child protection system works across the UK on the NSPCC Learning website.
Guidance for inspectors carrying out inspections under the education inspection framework from September 2019.
Government guidance on how to protect, advise and support victims of forced marriage.
E-safety
Guidance supporting schools to teach pupils how to stay safe online when studying new and existing subjects.
An article from SecEd offering advice to help achieve the eight key features of good and outstanding practice identified by Ofsted.
News and advice from the NSPCC regarding online safety, setting up parental controls, and how to broach these subjects with children.
St Mary's Online Safety guidance for mentors and trainees