Safeguarding

Chiltern Wood School is committed to safeguarding the welfare of young people. The school has its own robust safeguarding procedures.

If you have a concern about the welfare of a child who attends the school, please contact one of the named safeguarding officers on 01494 532621.

Safeguarding team

  • Penny Thatcher

    Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead & Family Support Worker

  • Wendy Taylor

    Deputy Headteacher & Designated Safeguarding Lead

  • Rachel Chapman

    Headteacher & Deputy Safeguarding Lead

  • Una-Lynne Mackey

    Deputy Headteacher & Deputy Safeguarding Lead (Downley site)

  • Su Holland

    Learning Mentor & Deputy Safeguarding Lead

  • Hannah Goldsmith

    Assistant Headteacher & Deputy Safeguarding Lead (Cressex site)

  • Jane Beldon

    Class Teacher & Deputy Safeguarding Lead (Downley Site)

  • Ann Waterman

    Chair of Governors

  • Janet Vale

    Safeguarding Governor

Statement to parents

At this school, the health, safety and well-being of every child is our paramount concern. We listen to our pupils and take seriously what they communicate to us or tell us. Our aim is for children to enjoy their time as pupils in this school. We want to work in partnership with you to help your child achieve their full potential and make a positive contribution.

To promote a safe environment for pupils, our selection and recruitment policy includes all checks on staff and regular volunteers’ suitability, including checks with the Disclosure and Barring Services, as recommended by Buckinghamshire County Council in line with current legislation.

In accordance with our responsibilities under section 175/157 of the Education Act 2002, and in line with “Keeping Children Safe in Education“, we have a Designated Safeguarding Lead for Child Protection (Wendy Taylor). She is supported by Una-Lynne Mackey (Downley site). All designated persons are members of the leadership team, and has received appropriate training for this role. It is the DSL’s responsibility to ensure all staff in contact with children receives child protection awareness training on a regular basis.

There are occasions when our concern about a child may mean that we have to consult other agencies. Whilst we would always aim to work in partnership with parents, there may be exceptions to this when concerns are raised for the protection of a child.

On very rare occasions Social Care, whilst undertaking an investigation under S47 of the Children Act 1989, may want to speak to a child without parents’ knowledge. This would be a decision made in collaboration with partner agencies and would only be done in situations where a child might be at immediate risk of harm. To gain consent at this point may increase the level of risk to the child or cause evidence of a crime to be lost.

The procedures, which we follow, have been laid down by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, and the school has adopted a Child Protection Policy in line with this for the safety of all. If you want to know more about our procedures, please speak to Wendy Taylor or your child’s class teacher. The Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy can be found on the Chiltern Wood School website.

Reporting a concern

Should you wish to raise a concern about a young person who does not attend the school, or outside of the school terms, please click on the graphic below which will direct you to advice provided by the Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board and telephone numbers for Buckinghamshire County Council's First Response Team and the NSPCC.

If you have a serious concern about a child, call Bucks First Response - 01296 383962

Buckinghamshire Council: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/care-children-and-families/child-protection-and-safeguarding/

Buckinghamshire Family Information Service:  https://familyinfo.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/advice-and-support/raise-a-concern/

Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Partnership: https://www.buckssafeguarding.org.uk/childrenpartnership/reporting-a-concern/

If you have an urgent concern about the safety of a child or young person call 999 and ask for the police.

If you have any concerns about school matters please see our Complaints and Resolutions Procedure.

Our school/educational setting is part of Operation Encompass which is a national scheme that operates jointly between schools and police forces:

Operation Encompass is a police and education early information sharing partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse. Information is shared by the police with a school's trained Key Adult (DSL) prior to the start of the next school day after officers have attended a domestic abuse incident thus enabling appropriate support to be given, dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.

Children experiencing domestic abuse are negatively impacted by this exposure; domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience and can lead to emotional, physical and psychological harm. Operation Encompass aims to mitigate this harm by enabling immediate support, making a child's day better and giving them a better tomorrow.

Operation Encompass believes that children are victims of domestic abuse in their own right and should be acknowledged as such.