Updated March 2020 (DM)
Context
This policy applies to the main Wimbledon School of English in London. Separate Safeguarding policies apply to the WSE Junior Summer Centre at Lord Wandsworth College.
The majority of students who attend Wimbledon School of English are 18 and over, but we do also accept students aged 16 and 17. We also accept 15-year-olds, but only as part of groups with a group leader, and 12-year-olds but only as part of closed groups with a group leader. These students are accompanied by group leaders with a maximum of 15 students per group leader. Students aged 14 do not attend classes with anyone aged 18 or over who is not part of their group and study in separate premises. Students aged 15 may occasionally be in adult classes. We have a policy on Under 16s in class, which can be found in Appendix 13 of the WSE Employee Handbook.
From 2019 children aged 8 and above have been accepted as students on the Family Holiday Course. These students will be under the supervision of one or both of their parents except when the students are studying or when on an excursion. The lessons for these students will not take place in the main school building, but in a secure building such as the Mansel Road Centre, which has a member of staff present at the front desk just inside the external door.
The school is located within self-contained premises consisting of two conjoined three-storey Edwardian houses, a garden and two modern small buildings contained within the garden. Extra classrooms are occasionally used in the Mansel Road Centre, which is a building behind Trinity Church in Mansel Road and in Wimbledon High School in the summer. We may occasionally use other buildings as appropriate. The school premises are located on a busy road on which there are bus stops within 3 minutes’ walking distance and Wimbledon Station within 5 minutes’ walking distance.
The school offers a range of accommodation options including homestay, student houses, a Catholic hostel, and, in the summer, university accommodation. There are a number of homestay options offering students their own bathroom or a shared bathroom, different meal options and travel times. Students are not placed in hosts that are further than 30 minutes’ travelling time from the school. The school offers a choice of four student houses used by students to house share with other students from WSE. All the student houses are no more than 25 minutes’ travel time from the school. Only students aged 18 and over are offered the option of a student house. The Catholic hostel is available to female students aged 18 to 27 and we also have links with a nearby Kingston University halls of residence where students who are aged 18+ can live with students from other establishments.
Terminology
The following terminology is used throughout this policy and other school policy. It is important that all members of staff are familiar with the terms used, and where a term refers to a named person, they know who that person is and how they can be contacted.
Under-18 – Any student or visitor who is under the age of 18. They are deemed to be a minor by law. All students of the WSE Main School who are under the age of 18 have their age highlighted on their name badge, which must be worn at all times on the school premises. Their name badges also have green stripes, while those who are 18 or over have purple stripes. Under-18s are also identified to class teachers on the class register.
Vulnerable Adult – Any student or visitor to the school whose personal circumstances may make them more vulnerable than many other adults. Factors that may deem someone to be a vulnerable adult may include a physical disability (e.g. sight/hearing impairment, mobility impairment), special needs (e.g. learning difficulties, dyslexia), level of English (students with a low level of English may not fully understand instructions or be able to effectively express a concern), lack of local knowledge (unfamiliar with the local vicinity or customs). Each student’s level of vulnerability may depend on the context and it cannot be assumed that someone who may not be regarded as a vulnerable adult within the school premises doesn’t become vulnerable off-site.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) – A named member of staff, trained to Specialist Safeguarding for the DSL, who has full overall responsibility to ensure WSE meets the aims of this policy. Since September 2019, the Designated Safeguarding Lead has been Julie Ransley. The identity of the DSL is advertised around the school in posters and on the student’s arrival she meets all new students during their Monday tour and in a meeting on the Friday of their first week.
Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP) – A named member of staff trained to Specialist Safeguarding for the DSL, who is able to support the DSL and cover in her absence. The DSP is Samaira Ali. The following members of staff have also undergone training in Specialist Safeguarding for the DSL: Fiona Dunlop, Sandro Saviolo, Jane Dancaster, Julie Ransley, Samaira Ali, Duncan MacInnes, Jo Kroussaniotakis and Dilly Grotto.
Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (LSCP) - key statutory mechanism for agreeing how the relevant agencies in each local area will co-operate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in that locality, and for ensuring the effectiveness of what they do. The Children Act and Social Work Act 2017 has significantly amended the Children Act 2014, and requires each local authority to establish a Safeguarding Partnership in place of what was the Local Safeguarding Children Board. Wimbledon School of English falls within the catchment area of Merton Borough Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) – The officer or team of officers involved in the management and oversight of allegations against people that work with children.
Duty of Care – The school’s obligation to look after the wellbeing of all students but in particular vulnerable adults and children and help them to achieve their potential.
Child Protection – This falls under Safeguarding. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures which detail how to respond to concerns about a child.
Statement of Policy
We strive to make Wimbledon School of English a safe and welcoming place for students of all ages. However, we recognise that we have a duty of care towards both under-18s and any vulnerable adults who attend the school or who are in other ways associated with the school. This duty of care applies to all adults associated with the school. All our policies and procedures are designed to ensure that we are vigilant to ensure children are protected against all forms are harm, we are able to identify students who are potentially vulnerable to harm, and are able to swiftly and efficiently take action when we believe a child is a risk or has been harmed. In all that we do, we ensure we always act in the best interests of the child.
All students and visitors under the age of 18 and who fall into the category of vulnerable adult are entitled to be protected under this policy regardless of their race, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or religious belief.
Staff Responsibilities related to Safeguarding
A detailed description of the responsibilities all staff and other adults connected to the school have in relation to safeguarding under-18s and vulnerable adults can be found in the sections below. The overarching principles are that all adults have the responsibility to safeguard under-18s and vulnerable adults, be vigilant and know to report concerns, including small ones, or allegations, and who to contact both within and outwith WSE. All staff must be trained in Safeguarding to the level of Basic Awareness, all Designated Persons and the Designated Lead to the level of Specialist Training for the DSL.
New homestay hosts are required to be trained in Safeguarding to the level of Basic Awareness and the Accommodation Manager is responsible for ensuring this is renewed on an annual basis.
Designated Safeguarding Team
The following members of staff form the Designated Safeguarding Team
Role Staff Member Location
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Julie Ransley Accommodation Office
Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP) Samaira Ali Reception
Additional trained staff Fiona Dunlop - Principal
Sandro Saviolo – Operations Director
Duncan MacInnes - Academic Project Manager
Jo Kroussaniotakis – Director of Studies
Dilly Grotto – Assistant Director of Studies
Although not a member of the Designated Safeguarding Team, Jane Dancaster is also trained to the level of Specialist Safeguarding for the DSL.
In the absence of the DSL, the DSP assumes her responsibilities. In the absence of both the DSL and DSP, the Principal appoints another member of the Designated Safeguarding Team to the role of Acting DSL.
Weekly meetings are held on Wednesdays between the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Academic Management team to discuss any ongoing student welfare and safeguarding issues. Quarterly meetings are held with the Designated Safeguarding Team to review the school Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. Staff have the opportunity to bring up Safeguarding concerns in their monthly staff meetings, and are encouraged to speak to the DSL or DSP at any time if they have a concern or are unsure about anything connected to Safeguarding.
Outside Contacts
The following contact information should be use to report a concern about a child.
London Borough of Merton Designated Officer (Donna Davis)
email: lado@merton.gov.uk
tel: 020 8545 3179
NSPCC
tel: 0808 800 5000
Wimbledon Police Station
tel: 020 8947 1212 or 101
Legal Framework
This policy is informed by the following legislation enacted by the UK Parliament:
The Children Act 1989
Local Government Act 2000
The Sexual Offences Act 2003
Children Act 2004
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015
Children & Social Work Act 2017
It is also informed by following documents produced by the UK Government:
Keeping Children Safe in Education – Statutory Guidance for Schools and Colleges, Sept 2019
What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused – Advice for practitioners, March 2015
Policy Review
This policy is reviewed at least on an annual basis and is updated whenever legislation or guidance changes and when a person named in the policy changes. It is also updated whenever school procedures covered in this policy change. It was last reviewed and updated by Duncan MacInnes on 7 November 2019. Issues raised in weekly and quarterly Safeguarding and Welfare meetings also feed into this policy.
Policy Availability
This policy can be found in the Wimbledon School of English Employee Handbook, which all staff receive upon appointment. The Handbook is updated annually and the updated version is sent to all staff. Staff are required annually to sign a declaration that they have read and understood the handbook. It is also available to the public on the Wimbledon School of English Website (www.wimbledon-school.ac.uk).
Condensed versions of this policy are also available as part of the Group Leader Handbook and the Homestay Host Handbook.
Code of Conduct
Statement of Intent
It is the policy of Wimbledon School of English to safeguard the welfare of all vulnerable adults, children and young people and to protect them from all forms of abuse including physical, emotional and sexual harm.
This organisation is committed to creating a safe environment in which all students, regardless of their age, can feel comfortable and secure while engaged in any Wimbledon School of English programme. Staff must at all times show respect and understanding for the individual’s rights, safety and welfare, and conduct themselves appropriately.
Guidelines for all Wimbledon School of English Staff
Attitudes
Staff must be committed to:
By Example
Staff must endeavour to:
Prohibited Actions
Staff may not engage in any of the following activities:
“Inappropriate physical contact” may be difficult to define in a multi-cultural environment, when students from some other cultures may be more tactile. Staff are therefore prohibited from initiating any physical contact with a student or, if alone with a student, from engaging in physical contact if initiated by the student. Students may wish to have a photograph taken with a member of staff and it is quite natural in this situation for the student to place their arm around the member of staff. This is deemed acceptable provided that the staff member is not alone with the student, the staff member refrains from reciprocating, and the hand or arm isn’t placed on any protected area of the staff member’s body. Staff must otherwise, tactfully and sensitively explain to students that they cannot engage in physical contact with them.
Students in the classroom
General Well-Being
The following applies to all students, however staff need to consider the implications of the following to our under-18s and vulnerable adults.
One-To-One contact with students
Staff should:
School Accommodation
Particular care must be taken by homestay hosts when they have students under the age of 18 present in their homes. Hosts need to be sensitive to the need for to have a reasonable degree of privacy, particularly in their bedroom and bathroom.
Hosts must ensure they dressed appropriately when they are outside of their bedroom, particularly when they go to or from the bathroom and insist that students do the same. They must always seek permission from the student before entering their bedroom and must knock and wait before entering. Students must also be made aware that they are not allowed to enter hosts’ bedrooms.
Transporting students by car
Staff who may need to meet with students under the age of 18 outside of the workplace, for example if they need to drive them to a new homestay, must inform a senior member of staff that they are doing this and report back to them when the student has been safely delivered to their destination. Students must sit in the back seat of the car unless three or more students are being transported at the same time. In such circumstances the being dropped off first must sit in the front passenger seat.
Whistleblowing
Staff are required to report to their line manager (or any senior manager) any instances where they are worried that a fellow member of staff may be engaging or may have engaged in any inappropriate or illegal activity with students. Confidentiality and support will be given to any staff member who raises such concerns.
Staff should also feel that they are able to raise concerns about potential failures in the school’s Safeguarding procedures and know that the Senior Management Team will take such concerns seriously.
The school has a Whistleblowing policy, which can be found in the Employee Handbook.
Child Protection
Child Protection forms part of the duty of care we have to our under-18s. This means the need to protect them from direct harmful behaviour, for example emotional abuse, physical abuse or any other physical harm, sexual abuse and neglect. It should be noted that this abuse can come from another child and not just an adult.
Policy
Wimbledon School of English is committed to a practice which protects children and vulnerable adults from harm. This includes a) safeguarding, which is the school’s duty of care to look after vulnerable adults and children and help them to achieve their potential, and b) child protection, which involves protection from abuse. Abuse can include neglect, sexual, physical, or psychological and emotional abuse, which can come from children as well as adults. For the purposes of this policy a child is defined as a person under the age of 18 and all children regardless of race, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation are protected by this policy.
All staff must undergo training in Basic Awareness in Child Protection and must be aware that they are at all times responsible for maintaining a safe environment for all under-18s and vulnerable adults. It is each staff member’s line manager who has responsibility for ensuring that this is done, with the Principal having overall responsibility for this. Training is delivered online and the certificate generated at the end of the training is evidence that training has been completed to a satisfactory standard.
Introduction
Staff in this organisation accept and recognise our responsibilities to develop awareness of issues which cause children and young people harm. We will endeavour to safeguard vulnerable adults, children and young people by:
We are also committed to reviewing our policy and good practice at least once a year. The Principal and Managing Director are primarily responsible for this.
The identity of the Welfare Officer/DSL is advertised around the school and on the students’ arrival she meets all new students on the Friday of their first week.
If any student or staff member has any concerns about the welfare of an under-18 this will be reported to the DSL, or DSP in her absence.
Children and young people
Wimbledon School of English will act to ensure that young students have information about how, and with whom, they can share their concerns, complaints and anxieties.
When sharing information, Wimbledon School of English personnel will be sensitive to the level of understanding and maturity, as well as to the level of responsibility, of the people with whom they are sharing information.
Parents
Parents / persons with parental responsibility are ultimately responsible for their children’s welfare at all times, and they should be assured that their children are involved with a credible organisation. We achieve this by having a full copy of this Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy available for anyone to view. The policy is made available to the public via the WSE website, and additionally to staff in the Employee Handbook.
Staff
As an organisation, which works with children and young people, it is imperative that each member of the Wimbledon School of English staff is aware of their responsibilities under the Child Protection legislation and has a working knowledge of Wimbledon School of English procedures. Each member of staff will receive online training shortly after they start and refresher training at least once a year.
Child Protection Officer
The Child Protection Officer is the Designated Safeguarding Lead and has responsibility for dealing with any incidents and concerns. The Designated Safeguarding Person deputises and stands in for the DSL in her absence. Full details of the Designated Safeguarding Team are given in the Designated Safeguarding Team section above.
Procedure for reporting allegations or suspicions of abuse
Responsibility of staff to report
It is the duty of Wimbledon School of English staff to disclose cases of abuse or allegations of abuse to the Designated Safeguarding Lead without delay.
It is NOT for staff to decide whether or not a suspicion or allegation is true. All suspicions or allegations of abuse must be taken seriously.
If a member of staff has suspicions, they should contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Person in confidence. If a vulnerable adult, child or young person starts to talk to the staff member directly, they should allow that person to disclose and should allow them to continue talking following the guidelines below. That staff member should then see the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Person in confidence.
What to do if abuse is suspected or disclosed
For reasons of confidentiality the only people who need to know this information are members of the Designated Safeguarding Team who need to know.
Further Action
Once a statement has been collected from a student further questioning should be avoided apart from important clarification of factual detail.
A senior management representative (usually the Principal) and the Designated Safeguarding Lead will meet at the earliest possible opportunity to consider an appropriate course of action in response to the information revealed by the student and consider any other relevant information.
The Principal will decide if it is appropriate to involve other members of the school staff, e.g. the Managing Director, Operations Director, Director of Studies or Accommodation Manager at this stage, and also whether to inform the student’s agent and parents. There may be no need to take any further action in which case this decision should be recorded in writing.
Further action may include the immediate removal of any imminent threat of danger, seeking advice from the Local Authority Designated Officer or contacting the police.
ALWAYS REPORT ANY ALLEGATIONS, PROBLEMS, CONCERNS OR ISSUES TO THE DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD (DSL), IMMEDIATELY. IN HER ABSENCE REPORT THESE TO THE DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING PERSON (DSP).
Sharing information regarding child protection and confidentiality
Good communication is essential in any organisation. At Wimbledon School of English every effort will be made to assure that, should individuals have concerns; they will be listened to and taken seriously.
It is the responsibility of all line managers to ensure that information is available to, and exchanged between all those involved in this organisation and its activities. Some information is confidential and should only be shared on a strictly need-to-know basis. At times it may be necessary to share information with a Local Authority Designated Officer in the Merton Safeguarding Children’s Partnership. Any staff member who becomes aware of child protection information must only share it with the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Designated Safeguarding Person and not with anyone else, including any member of their family. Confidentiality of both the victim and the accused must be maintained.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 do not prevent staff from sharing information about a child or a child’s family to the appropriate people if there is a need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children at risk of abuse or neglect.
A clear record of what information about a child in relation to an incident or concern has been shared, to whom and the reasons for doing so must be kept. Please see the section headed Record Keeping below.
Recognising Different Forms of Abuse
While abuse of young people at Wimbledon School of English may seem to be extremely unlikely we should not assume that it could never happen. Our duty of care to young people and vulnerable adults extends to watching out for signs of potential abuse.
Here are some signs to look out for that may indicate a child or vulnerable adult is suffering from abuse. Some signs may vary with the age of the child or vulnerable adult. Not every child or vulnerable adult will exhibit every symptom. As well as signs, children and vulnerable adults may tell you of abuse. Always listen and follow the procedures for responding to allegations of abuse (below).
Types of abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse is any sexual activity with a child. Many children and young people who are victims of sexual abuse do not recognise themselves as such. Sexual abuse can have a long-term impact on mental health. Victims of sexual abuse can be male or female.
Signs to look out for:
Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child. It is also sometimes called psychological abuse and it can have severe and persistent adverse effects on a child’s emotional development.
Signs to look out for:
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is deliberately physically hurting a child. It might take a variety of different forms, including hitting, pinching, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning or suffocating a child. Physical abuse can occur inside and outside of a child’s family environment.
Signs to look out for:
Neglect
Neglect is a pattern of failing to provide for a child’s basic needs, whether it be adequate food, clothing, hygiene, supervision or shelter. It is likely to result in the serious impairment of a child’s health or development.
Children who are neglected often also suffer from other types of abuse.
Signs to look out for:
Specific Areas
In addition to the types of abuse mentioned above, three other specific types of abuse that staff must be aware of are Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), Peer-on-Peer Abuse (which includes bullying, cyberbullying, sexual violence and sexual harassment), and Honour-based Violence (HBV), which includes Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Child Sexual Exploitation
This is a form of sexual abuse where under-18s are exploited to engage in sexual activity in return for money, gifts, drugs, affection or status. CSE does not always involve physical contact as it can happen online or involve pressure from peers or cyber bullying.
Signs to look for in under-18s include:
Peer-on-Peer Abuse
It should be remembered that abuse does not only come from adults, but can come from other children. Peer-on-peer abuse can include bullying (including cyberbullying), sexual violence and sexual harassment.
Cyber-bullying
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices such as mobile phones, computers, and tablets. It can occur through text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behaviour.
The most common places where cyberbullying occurs are:
Social Media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter
SMS (Short Message Service) also known as Text Message sent through devices
Instant Message (via devices, email provider services, apps, and social media messaging features)
Signs to look out for in under-18s include:
Sexual violence and sexual harassment
Sexual violence is defined as any sexual act or attempt to obtain a sexual act by violence or coercion, acts to traffic a person or acts directed against a person's sexuality, regardless of the relationship to the victim.
Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that can occur online and offline. It can included, but is not limited to:
Some people might try to excuse mild transgressions as a “joke” or “teenage fun”. However, all forms of sexual violence are unacceptable. It should also be noted that both perpetrators and victims can be either male or female.
Honour Based Violence (HBV)
This is coercion or violence used against a person in belief that family or tribal honour requires action. A person can be seriously injured or even killed in extreme cases.
Signs to look out for include:
Female Genital Mutilation
This is a practice that can cause severe and long-lasting damage to physical and mental health. It is carried out for religious, social or cultural reasons, however there are no medical reasons for carrying it out. It is a criminal offence if done in the UK. Staff should be aware that a person who has suffered FGM may ask for help without being explicit about the problem due to embarrassment or fear. Any causes for concern are to be reported to the DSL. Any suspected case of FGM must be reported to the police.
Differentiating between a concern and a serious issue
All serious issues and concerns must be reported to a member of the Designated Safeguarding Team. Serious issues, in which a child or vulnerable adult could be in immediate danger of harm or abuse must be acted upon immediately. If a member of staff has a concern about a student, even though that student may not be in immediate danger, they must still report that concern to a member of the Designated Safeguarding Team. Early intervention will reduce the risk of the situation becoming more serious if the concern proved to be justified.
Identifying Vulnerable Students
The Designated Safeguarding Team identifies students who may be vulnerable to harm or abuse through the sharing of information which may come from student bookings, comments from teachers and other staff members. Factors that may make a student vulnerable include age, special educational needs, and disability. However, there are many factors that could make a student vulnerable and all staff must report any concerns they may have to a member of the Designated Safeguarding Team.
Record keeping
All records, information and confidential notes should be kept by the Designated Safeguarding Lead in separate files in a locked room or in secure electronic files. Only the Managing Director, Principal, Director of Studies and Operations Director or another nominated senior manager and the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Designated Safeguarding Person will have access to these files, and only when necessary.
The Records
In any case where an allegation is made, or someone in Wimbledon School of English has concerns, a record should be made. Details must include, as far as practical:
Staff are reminded that fear about sharing information cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the welfare of the child.
It is the duty of Wimbledon School of English staff to disclose cases of abuse or allegations of abuse to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Designated Safeguarding Person without delay.
It is NOT for staff to decide whether or not a suspicion or allegation is true. All suspicions or allegations of abuse must be taken seriously. If a member of staff has suspicions, they should contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Person in confidence. If a child starts to talk to the staff member directly, they should allow the child to continue talking following the guidelines above in Procedure for reporting allegations or suspicions of abuse.
It is important to ensure that the child is away from any possible harm. That may require changing the accused adult’s work duties or accommodation house if they are a member of staff, or even requiring them to leave the school while the investigation takes place. At all times the Principal will be kept informed of events and the Designated Safeguarding Lead will make a decision on when it is appropriate to involve the Merton Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.
Procedure if the DSL or a senior manager is accused
If an accusation is made against the DSL the matter must be reported to a senior manager (The Managing Director, Principal or Operations Director) immediately. In the event that none of these are immediately on site, it should be reported to another member of the Designated Safeguarding Team who will follow the procedure outlined above.
If an accusation is made against a member of the Senior Management Team, the DSL will follow the same procedure, but keeping at least one other member of the Senior Management Team informed.
Accusations against children
It should be recognised that abuse can come from children as well as adults and it is possible that a student under the age of 18 may be accused of abuse against another child. In such a circumstance it is important that the accused is recognised as being vulnerable by being under 18 and must be given all required support by a member of the Designated Safeguarding Team.
Training
All staff receive training in basic safeguarding awareness and refresher training both face-to-face and online on an annual basis. The online training has a test component that helps to check that staff have understood the training before a certificate is generated. For face-to-fact training, a short, written test is carried out immediately after the training and submitted to the trainer.
Members of the Designated Safeguarding Team are trained to the level of Specialist Safeguarding for the Designated Safeguarding Lead and this training is refreshed for the Designated Safeguarding Team every two years. Julie Ransley has the responsibility of ensuring that all Administration and Facilities staff complete this training while Jo Kroussaniotakis has a similar responsibility for teaching staff. In the event of an incident or a change in legislation or a major change in school policy, addition training will be given to all staff. This may take place in monthly staff meetings.
Safeguarding is on the agenda for staff monthly meetings. Julie Ransley for the administration and facilities staff and Jo Kroussaniotakis for the teaching staff cover any changes to Safeguarding policy or procedures in their respective monthly meetings.
Hosts must complete the online Basic Awareness in Safeguarding course when they are first taken on as hosts, and then every three years after that. In addition to this hosts are given annual Safeguarding updates. Julie Ransley is responsible for ensuring that all host Safeguarding training is up to date.
Records of training that staff have attended are kept in the Central Staff database. For hosts, records are kept on Elsie, the school database. Jo Kroussaniotakis is responsible for ensuring keeping the records of teachers up to date, while Amanda King is responsible for the records of Administration and Facilities Staff.
Safer Recruitment
Wimbledon School of English is committed to safer recruitment. A position offered to a successful applicant is subject to references and a DBS check, or overseas equivalent. All applicants undergo a DBS check before they are in the post of employment. If an applicant has been working overseas then a local police check from the country or countries they have been working in for at least the past three years is required. All adult members of any homestay who wish to host under-18s also undergo a DBS check before they are able to start hosting them. No student will be placed in the homestay unless all DBS checks for the homestay have been returned and approved.
Where a vacancy at WSE is advertised the school’s commitment to safeguarding as well as our requirement that a candidate must undergo a DBS check is clearly stated in the advertisement. Candidates are also informed that any gaps in their work history must be explained satisfactorily. Questions at the interview stage of recruitment are designed to assess candidates’ attitudes to the principle of Safeguarding and Child Protection. They are also informed that when taking up references we always ask referees to comment on the candidate’s suitability to work with under-18s.
Employment of ex-offenders at WSE is possible provided that the seriousness, nature and frequency of the offence as well as the age of the conviction do not make the candidate unsuitable for the post they are applying for. Candidates are asked to disclose any previous convictions in a sealed envelope. At least two members of staff involved in the recruitment process will assess the candidate’s suitability to work in the position they have applied for.
New staff who are taken on before their DBS check has been returned will be allowed to take up their post, but will be barred from being alone with any under-18 until a clear DBS check can be verified. In the case of teachers, they will not be scheduled to teach one-to-one lessons with any under-18s. All candidates undergo a Barred List check as a minimum precaution. All members of staff who have worked at QTS level in a state or private school in the UK or the EEA undergo a Prohibited List check.
If a candidate has been working overseas before applying to WSE and the authorities of their country of residence refuse to provide a record check because they are not a national of that country WSE will request a DBS check for their UK records, if relevant, and will take additional care with the other recruitment checks – checking identity, qualifications, work history, and references. In such circumstances, the school will ask for three references rather than two.
Upon appointment, staff are required to undertake the online basic awareness in safeguarding training. Teachers will not be allowed to take up their position until evidence of the completion of this training has been submitted to the Director of Studies. Other staff will not be allowed contact with under-18s until evidence of the completion of this training has been submitted to their line manager.
Please refer also to the school’s Recruitment Policy and Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy.
Staff Records
A single central record of staff is kept to maintain a record of all pre-appointment checks. Line managers are responsible for keeping this record up to date.
In addition, staff records are held on our personnel system, Breathe. The Accounts Officer and the Director of Studies are responsible for keeping Breathe up to date:
All staff can access their own file on Breathe.
Referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
A referral must be made to the DBS when Wimbledon School of English school withdraws permission for an individual to engage in work with under-18s or would have done so had that individual not resigned, retired, been made redundant or been transferred to a position which does not involve contact with under-18s, because they think that the individual has:
If these conditions have been met the information must be referred to the DBS.
The referral should be made to the DBS when the provider has gathered sufficient evidence as part of their investigations to support their reasons for withdrawing permission to engage in work with under-18s and in following good practice, consulted with their Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or Health and Social Care Trust Designated Officer if appropriate.
Group Leaders
Closed groups of students under the age of 18 come with at least one group leader, with no more than 15 students per leader. On booking the course, group leaders are sent, via their ETO, the WSE Group Leader Handbook and are requested to provide a police check from their own country. The Groups Co-ordinator in liaison with the DSL manages the police checks. On arrival the original of the police check is verified and the Marketing Manager has a meeting with the group leader(s) to ensure they have read and understood the WSE Group Leader Handbook and signed that they have done so. Any planned excursions are also discussed and the group leader(s) are asked to read and sign the risk assessments for their excursions and the WSE Opt Out Form. For each day that there is a non-WSE excursion, the Social Programme Organiser asks Group Leaders to provide details and sign an opt-out form for each excursion.
The phone numbers that the leaders can be contacted on while in the UK are taken on their first morning and these are passed on to the MD, Principal, Operations Director, DSL, DSP, Accommodation Manager and Academic Managers so they can contact them in the event of an incident involving one of their students.
Use of Risk Assessments
A comprehensive range of Risk Assessments are carried out at least annually at Wimbledon School of English. Risk assessments generally fall into the following categories:
Before engaging in any activity with students, teachers and Social Programme group leaders must read the relevant risk assessment and sign to say they have read an understood it. Staff must re-read and sign the risk assessment if an update has been made since they last read it or if six months have passed since they last read it.
The fact that an activity has been risk assessed does not mean that there are no risks to students. However, potential risks to students can be significantly reduced when staff follow safety provisions outlined in the risk assessment.
Further information regarding risk assessments can be found in the Health & Safety Policy in Appendix 1 of the Employee Handbook.
Safeguarding Young People and Vulnerable Adults on the Social Programme & on Class Excursions
Events on the social programme take a number of forms, such as sports activities, zumba or salsa classes, and afternoon, evening or full-day excursions.
Unsupervised Time
While every attempt is made to encourage students to get involved with school-related activities it is recognised that there will be times when students are unsupervised. The following provisions are in place to help keep students safe:
Welfare Provision
Student welfare is the responsibility of all members of staff. If you think a student is upset, uncomfortable or distressed in any way, or if they approach you to say they are unhappy, please speak to them yourself. Once you have spoken to them please inform the DSL or DSP what the student said to you or the appropriate member of staff if it is not a welfare issue. For example, if a student expresses unhappiness about their accommodation or their class, please speak to either the accommodation department or an academic manager respectively. Never send a student directly to the DSL without informing the DSL first.
Dealing with problems outside of work hours
The duty of care to our students extends to outside of the work place and outside of work hours. You will see a number of our students around the Wimbledon area in the afternoons and evenings and at weekends. If you see any student who is known to be under 18 engaging in any harmful or inappropriate behaviour (such as drinking alcohol), it is your responsibility to stop that behaviour, if it is within your capability and/or to report it immediately to a responsible person at the school. Outside of working hours, this can be done via the Emergency Phone.
Missing Students
Procedures for what to do in the event of a missing student are outlined in the following policies and procedures:
Additionally, in the case of students arriving in the UK to start their course, taxi companies and hosts are instructed to contact the Emergency Phone if an Under-18 they are expecting does not show up. In the case of taxi drivers this must be done two hours after their flight has landed. In the case of hosts, it should be done two hours after the flight has landed plus reasonable travel time from the airport. The Emergency Phone holder will then attempt to contact the student. If no contact can be made with the student, then they will contact the ETO. If the ETO is uncontactable then the student’s emergency contact is to be contacted.
Emergency Contact Details
Every effort is made to obtain contact details for an emergency contact for our students before their arrival. The following information is requested on the application form:
Some ETOs are unwilling to provide this information, in which case, the agent serves as the Emergency Contact until the student arrives at the school when we ask the student directly to provide details of an Emergency Contact on the Registration Form.
Safeguarding Young People and Vulnerable Adults in School Accommodation
Due care and attention is given to where students are placed in school accommodation. The following rules are in force when placing students:
First Aid and Medical
Wimbledon School of English has a comprehensive First Aid Policy in place and ensures that it has at least three appropriately-trained first aiders on staff, with at least one of each gender.
First Aid kits are kept at Reception, and excursion and sports group leaders always bring a First Aid kit with them when they take a group of students out.
Advice for visiting a doctor, dentist, or walk-in clinic is available to students on ewimbledon and in the Common Room. More detailed advice can be obtained in Reception.
Student Standards of Behaviour
Abusive behaviour policy
Wimbledon School of English has a written policy on abusive behaviour, bullying, harassment and extremism for staff and information for students. Staff can find this guide in the WSE Employee Handbook. Students can find the guide in the Student Handbook on ewimbledon and in the student Common Room, and are referred to this during their Induction on Day One. This information for students is also displayed in each classroom.
Code of conduct for students
WSE has a written code of conduct for students and students are introduced to this during their welcome talk. It is also displayed in the common room and can be found in the Student Guide. The code of conduct outlines the standards of behaviour they can expect from staff as well as the standards of behaviour the school expects from students. Students are reminded of their conduct during the “Arrivals” meeting for new students in their first week, through posters in classrooms and by teachers in tutorials.
Contract for Under-18s
Under-18s additionally have a “Contract for Students Under the Age of 18”, which reinforces the standards of behaviour expected of them. Under-18s receive a written copy of this during the welcome talk on their first Monday and are asked to read and sign the document.
Alcohol and tobacco
Students are informed about the law regarding alcohol and tobacco during their induction on day one. While smoking is permitted in designated areas of the garden for staff and students, the legal age to be able to purchase tobacco and vaping products in the UK is 18. As such, and despite what the law may be in students’ own countries, students under the age of 18 are not permitted smoke while under the care of the school. If a student under the age of 18 is seen smoking they must be asked to stop.
Students of any age are not permitted to bring alcohol onto the premises. All social activities involving alcohol are for students aged 18+ only, and care must be taken to ensure that younger students do not attend. Therefore, all students attending these events must be in possession of their student ID, which staff must check. Under-18s are identified by green stripes on their student badge, class registers and lists of under-18s.
Fire safety and evacuation
Full details of what to do in the event of the school needing to be evacuated can be found in the Fire Safety & Evacuation document.
Safeguarding Young People and Vulnerable Adults during Airport Transfers
During taxi transfers between the airport and the student’s accommodation the following rules are in force:
Electronic contact with students under 18
Electronic contact is defined as the communication or publication of information (including images) between two or more people using an electronic device. This may occur using (but is not limited to) landline and mobile phones, other handheld electronic devices, gaming equipment and computers. Electronic contact may include but is not limited to voice communication, text communication, instant messaging, email, social networking sites, blogs, photos and videos.
Online safety for students
While some websites that may pose a risk to students are blocked on the school server all staff must be aware that certain sites may not be blocked and therefore staff must remain vigilant when students are using the internet. All staff, and teachers in particular, must periodically remind students of the potential dangers of sharing personal information on the internet, uploading photographs, online harassment and the potential for scams. There are posters in the Study Centre advising students on internet safety and these must be pointed out to students.
The school’s Online Safety policy is given to students to read and sign during the Day One induction.
Radicalisation and Extremism
The school is a multicultural and international community in which we help to foster an acceptance and tolerance of a range of views students may encounter in such an environment. We fully subscribe to the Government’s Prevent strategy and we encourage our students to express their views and beliefs as long as these respect the core British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.
At Wimbledon School of English, we are aware that some students may have been exposed to extremist influences or prejudiced views before their arrival in the UK, or may be exposed to them after coming here. These influences may emanate from a variety of sources and media, including via the internet, and at times students may themselves reflect or display views that may be discriminatory, prejudiced or extremist, including using derogatory language. Any prejudice, discrimination or extremist views, including derogatory language, displayed by students or staff need always be challenged by staff hearing them and reported to the DSL, the case of students, or a manager in the case of staff, who will deal with it in line with the relevant policies on student behaviour and staff conduct.
Staff should be aware that vulnerable students may be more susceptible to and are often targeted by extremists. Students who have not made friends, who appear lonely, or who are finding it difficult to settle in may be particularly vulnerable.
As part of wider safeguarding responsibilities, staff will be alert to and have a duty to report:
In the first instance, reports of any of the above will be made to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Director of Studies and/or the Principal. In extreme cases the police may need to be notified.
In order to help prevent such occurrences, the school is committed to:
Parental Consent
Parent Consent forms are emailed to parents, or ETOs when an under-18 is booked at the school. The form asks for the following:
Additionally, it makes it clear to parents that under-18s are not allowed to have overnight stays away from the homestay unless there is written permission from the parents and that the under-18 will be supervised by a responsible adult, aged over 25, appointed by the parent. Any overnight stays must be within Great Britain.
It also makes it clear that students will need to sign and agree to the Online User Safety Agreement.
Information on medical conditions, including allergies is requested, as well as permission to give non-prescription drugs and for a medical practitioner to give a general anaesthetic, if necessary.
Parents may withhold consent for anything we ask consent for. In such cases, a note is made of the student’s record on Elsie.
If under-18s are planning to travel alone by public transport from the airport to their accommodation, then parents need to sign an additional form stating they give permission for their child to do so.
The Out-of-School Environment
The school has a lot less control over what students do outside of the school premises and their homestays. Under-18s are therefore potentially more at risk when they are out and about. The following provisions are in place to reduce the risk to Under-18s when they are outside of the school.
Safety Information
Reducing the occasions when Under-18s are out alone
Emergency Contact
Walking to off-premises classrooms