Worried about a child? Safeguarding and Child Protection

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Most children enjoy generally happy childhood experiences within their own family. Unfortunately for some, this is not always the case, especially during difficult family times.

As a school, we have a duty to ensure that arrangements are in place for safeguarding.

Safeguarding means ensuring the safety and welfare of all children and, in addition to child protection, covers aspects of school life such as attendance, behaviour, first aid, health and safety, the curriculum and equality, to name but a few.

Child protection means protecting children from physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse or neglect. It also means helping children to grow up into confident, healthy and happy adults.

Our policy on Safeguarding and Child Protection (which lists signs of potential abuse and what to do if you have a concern) can be found in this section. We can provide paper copies if you prefer – please do come and ask at our office.

Please note that we have included in this section a COVID-19 Addendum to the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

Safeguarding is incredibly important to us at Knollmead. If there are concerns about the pupils, we will liaise with the local authority as required and have a duty to do so.


If you have any concerns

If you have any concerns, relating to safeguarding, about a child at our school who you feel needs additional help and support, please do come and speak to one of the members of staff listed below. Alternatively, you can email [email protected].

Key Personnel:

  • The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Dave Tan, Headteacher.
  • The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are:
  • Becky Kearns (Deputy Headteacher)
  • Rhianwen Dean (Assistant Headteacher - EYFS and KS1)
  • Adele Standish (SLT Support)
  • The designated Safeguarding Governor who acts as a link between the DSL and the Governing Body is Jolande Botha-Smith.
  • The designated governor responsible for liaising with the Local Authority and/or partner agencies, as appropriate, in the event of allegations being made against the Headteacher is the Chair of Governors, Mark Ellis.

Posters with photos of our DSL and deputies are displayed at the front entrance to the school and in our main reception area.

You can also contact RBK’s Single Point of Access (SPA) team between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday (please see below). 

The Single Point of Access is a multi agency team, managed by Achieving for Children, who work closely with a wide range of teams and partner agencies and facilitates different levels of support depending on the needs of the child, young person and their family.

This support includes:

  • Providing professional with consultation and support
  • Making referrals to partner agencies
  • Access to Early Help Services within AfC
  • Making referrals to Children’s Social Care Services.

Please see the contact details below for Single Point of Access, as well as contact details for safegaurding services in neighbouring boroughs:

Kingston: Single Point of Access (SPA) 
0208 547 5008
Kingston Out of Hours Service
0208 770 5000

Merton: Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) 
0208 545 4226/4227
Merton Out of Hours Service
0208 770 5000

Sutton: Children’s First Contact Service (CFCS) 
0208 770 6001/6072
Sutton Out of Hours Service
0208 770 5000

Wandsworth: Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
0208 871 6622
Wandsworth Out of Hours Service
0208 871 6000


Safeguarding links

Find our Child Protection Policy on our policies page

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Childline - Free and confidential: 0800 1111

NSPCC - PANTS/Underwear rule

Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre

NSPCC

Online Safety Policy

UK Safer Internet Centre

Safer Internet - Parental Control

KS2 Network Rail Safety Video

Getting help for domestic violence and abuse


In an emergency

RBK has a duty team that can be contacted out of office hours (evenings and weekends) – please see below. If you think a child is in immediate danger, you should contact emergency services.

How to contact RBK children’s safeguarding team:

Telephone

Emergency Services – 999

Out of hours duty team