Upper Wharfedale School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, including protecting children from radicalisation. All appointments made are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and all staff share this responsibility.

Upper Wharfedale School fully recognises the contribution it can make to protect children and support students in school. There are five main elements to how we work.

  • Ensuring we practise safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children.
  • Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe.
  • Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.
  • Supporting students who have been abused in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan.
  • Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.

We also aim to support parents in keeping their children safe and to help with this we will be issuing a half termly safeguarding bulletin.

If there are any issues or concerns please contact the staff below;

Designated Safeguarding Lead – Mrs H Mukherjee

Deputy Safeguarding  Lead – Mr I Chapman, Mr J Ashley, Mr H Barton

Online Safety Lead – Mrs H Mukherjee

Safeguarding Governor Lead – Mr S Bond

PREVENT Governor Lead – Mr S Bond

Safeguarding Team

Mr I Chapman
Headteacher

It gives me great pleasure to introduce myself as the new headteacher of Upper Wharfedale School. I feel very privileged to have been appointed by the governors and I'm looking forward to getting to know all of our school community and taking this amazing school from strength to strength.

Mrs H Mukherjee
Assistant Headteacher - SENCO
Subjects: Science - PSHCE -Geography

I started working at Upper Wharfedale in September 1998 and I am very proud that this is my place of work. The school knows and values every individual, creating a safe and secure environment which ensures strong progress for all.

Mr J Ashley
Director of Learning Maths and Enterprise
Subjects: Maths

I joined Upper Wharfedale School in 2018 as Director of Maths and Enterprise. I'm looking forward to making use of twenty years of teaching and leadership experience to work with a fantastic group of staff and students to build on current successes and be part of a wonderful wider school community.

Mr H Barton
Director of Learning Science and Geography
Subjects: Science

I am proud to have worked at Upper Wharfedale School since 2013. The positive changes I have seen the school go through result in an enjoyable community to work in that turn our students into confident, able young adults ready for the next step in their education.

Partner Information

1. 24/7 help, advice and support. www.nspcc.org.uk

2. Provides a confidential telephone helpline offering emotional support to any individual on any issue. www.supportline.org.uk/problems/

3. Advice for parents, professionals and young people on the signs of sexual exploitation and how to keep safe. www.barnardos.org.uk/spotthesigns

4. Friendly, confidential drugs advice. www.talktofrank.com

5. Practical safeguarding advice for parents and carers. Protect your children from harm. www.safenetwork.org

6. Find the latest information on the sites you like to visit, mobiles and new technology. Find out what’s good, what’s not and what you can do about it. www.thinkuknow.co.uk

7. Your advice, help and report centre. www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre

8. Information on a variety of online resources to help keep children safe online. www.kidsmart.org.uk

9. For digitally slow parents the app store can seem otherworldly but now a prominent tech blogger has warned of the apps parents should look out for which could pose a risk to children’s safety. www.burnleyexpress.net/read-this/blogger-warns-parents-of-10-apps-to-look-out-for-on-teenagers-phones/

10. North Yorkshire Safeguarding Partnership – Be Aware: Parents and Carers – www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk/be-aware-parents-and-carers/

11. Childline – Remove a nude image shared online – childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/remove-nude-image-shared-online/

 

Operation Encompass is a police and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse.

Operation Encompass ensures that there is a simple telephone call or notification to a school’s trained Designated Safeguarding Lead /Officer (known as key Adult) prior to the start of the next school day after an incident of police attended domestic abuse where there are children related to either of the adult parties involved.

This sharing of information enables appropriate support to be given, dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.

Children are negatively impacted by experiencing domestic abuse and without early intervention and support this negative impact can last through a child’s life course.  Domestic abuse can impact upon social, psychological, physical, emotional and behavioural outcomes with an often negative impact upon a child’s academic success. Experiencing domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience.

Operation Encompass aims, by directly connecting police and schools, to secure better outcomes for children , to enable schools to better understand the impact living with domestic abuse has upon children, to help schools to better understand  a child’s lived experience and to therefore be able to support and nurture each child , making a child’s day better and giving them a better tomorrow.

Policies

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Our school safeguarding policy.

Guides

NYES Supporting Young People

Support for young people and parents in secondary schools in relation to mental and emotional wellbeing.

Apps Causing Concern

Apps we believe you need to be aware of which are causing us concern.

NSPCC Out Alone - Keeping Children Safe

A guide from the NSPCC about keeping children safe when out alone.

Water Safety

Quarry water is stone cold and can kill. Stay safe, stay out.

10 Ways to Encourage Sleep

Teenagers are notorious for not getting enough sleep. This guide provides you with some tips for encouraging a restful sleep.

Bulletin