Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Name of Executive Headteacher – Russell Denial

Hours: 36 Hours per week - Term Time plus 10 inset days, Full time, permanent

Start Date: April 2024

Making school memorable by striving for excellence

This post is an opportunity for you to work alongside highly aspirational staff in an all-through school. The school is undergoing some positive changes, including our new centralised behaviour system and curriculum review.

The school is based across two sites with our Lower School teaching student from Reception through to Year 6 and our Upper School developing the potential of our students from the time they join us in Year 7 through to the time many of them leave to take up places at Russell Group universities.

Preston Manor has a creative climate of success with results exceeding national averages amongst a diverse and truly comprehensive school community. Our aim is to provide all our students with the best education regardless of their starting point. We provide a service to our school community and we hold true to the fundamental values of equal opportunity and inclusion for all.

Our School is underpinned by three core values: Ambition, Responsibility and Excellence. We are ambitious for our young people and we develop each individual to be ambitious for themselves. We encourage our students to take responsibility for themselves as well as each other in our strive to achieve excellence for everyone.

We are looking for a professional who is energetic, forward thinking and deeply caring who will be responsible for providing outstanding support in our school. We want you to enjoy this next step in your career so supporting your professional growth and development will be one of our fundamental priorities.

I do hope that you will consider applying to join our successful and happy school and look forward to receiving your application.

We are looking for a proactive Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) to assist our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

The DDSL will assist the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in all matters of safeguarding and child protection across the school. They will take part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings and contribute to the assessment of student.

They will advise and support other members of staff on child welfare and child protection matters, and may liaise with relevant agencies such as the local authority and police.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about safeguarding young people, is caring and supportive, and who is not afraid to be an advocate for students when necessary.

This is a demanding position and is not for the faint hearted. You will need to be resilient, a quick learner and able to communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders. Confidentiality is of the utmost importance in this role.

In return we will offer:

• motivated, enthusiastic and ambitious students
• friendly and supportive staff
• well-resourced facilities
• a professionally stimulating and collaborative working environment
• a commitment to professional development

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Deputy DSL will have a responsibility for safeguarding and child protection across the school, contributing to following school policies and the staff code of conduct. During term time, the Deputy DSL should always be available during school hours for staff in the school to discuss any safeguarding concerns. Ideally this will be in person and can also be via phone or video calling in exceptional circumstances. The Deputy DSL will have due regard for the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR, when sharing information for the purposes of keeping student safe.

Responsibilities

Main Purpose:

• Support the DSL to safeguard and promote the welfare of student and young people, and follow school policies and the staff code of conduct
• Support the DSL in leading safeguarding and child protection across the school (including online safety)
• Support the DSL by acting as a source of support, advice and expertise within the school
• Support the DSL to liaise closely with student’s social care and other services including:
  • Managing referrals
  • Working with others
  • Sharing the child protection file
  • Raising awareness with social care, police etc.
• Support the DSL by taking part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings, and contribute to the assessment of student.
• Support the DSL to ensure that all safeguarding files are kept up-to-date and shared when necessary.

Managing Referrals

• Recognise how to identify signs of abuse and when to make a referral
• Under the guidance of the DSL, respond appropriately to disclosures or concerns relating to the well-being of a child
• Under the guidance of the DSL, support staff who make referrals through CPOMs
• Under the guidance of the DSL, refer allegations or cases of suspected abuse to the relevant investigating agencies (such as, ensuring they have access to the most relevant and up-to-date information.
• Ensure that relevant, detailed and accurate written records of referrals/ concerns are kept and stored securely

Working with staff, parents/carers and other agencies

• Ensure staff can access and understand the school’s child protection and safeguarding policy and procedures (especially new and part time staff)
• Work with class teachers, pastoral teams, the attendance officer and a range of external agencies to secure good outcomes for student and families, especially for those students who are deemed vulnerable, including those with a formal plan (Child Protection, CIN, and CLA)
• Pro-actively work with parents / carers and other agencies through joint planning and monitoring of their arrangements for the safeguarding of student
• Report to the DSL on all safeguarding concerns to ensure they retain oversight of safeguarding within the school
• Inform the Executive Head of safeguarding issues, especially ongoing enquiries into whether a child is at risk of harm, and police investigations;
• Liaise and advise staff on matters of safety, safeguarding, and when deciding whether to make a referral
• Act as a source of support, advice and expertise for staff
• Understand the assessment process for providing early help and intervention
• Develop a working knowledge of how local authorities conduct a child protection case conference and a child protection review conference
• Attend and contribute to child protection case conferences effectively when required to do so.

Raising awareness

• Ensure the school’s child protection policies are known, understood and used appropriately
• Work with the DSL to ensure that ensure the school child protection policy is reviewed annually (as a minimum) and the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly by the governing body
• Ensure the safeguarding policy is available and easily accessible to everyone in the school community
• Ensure that parents have read the safeguarding policy, and are aware that referrals about suspected

Safeguarding

Preston Manor School and its staff are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children. The School is registered with the DBS and successful applicants will be required to complete successfully the Disclosure procedure at the Enhanced level. It is an offence for any person barred from working with children to apply for this post.

The School’s Application Form will only be accepted from candidates who have completed this form in full. CV’s will not be accepted as a substitute.

In addition to completing an application form, all applicants will be required to complete a criminal records self-declaration form. Please note you are not required to disclose convictions or cautions that are ‘protected’, as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If you have a conviction and are not sure whether is it ‘protected’, please visit the Gov.UK link below:

https://www.gov.uk/tell-employer-or-college-about-criminal-record/check-your-conviction-caution

The safeguarding responsibilities of this post have been outlined in the job description and person specification.

Preston Manor School is committed to Equal Opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

For further information and an application pack, email or download the pack from our website via the button below.

Closing Date: noon on Friday 22nd March 2024

Interview Date: w/c 25th March 2024

The school reserves the right to close the vacancy earlier than the date advertised, so early application is advised.

Brent Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Successful applicants will be required to undergo a DBS check.