About Us
Safeguarding at Goldwyn School
‘Safeguarding is at the core of our practice’
At Goldwyn School, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating a culture where every student feels safe, supported, and able to thrive. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and we work collectively to ensure the wellbeing of all members of our community.
Our approach is rooted in statutory guidance including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), the Children Act 1989 & 2004, and Working Together to Safeguard Children. These frameworks underpin our policies, procedures, and daily practice.
Our Safeguarding Pillars
1. A Culture of Safety and Vigilance
We promote a strong safeguarding culture where:
Students feel safe, heard, and valued
- Staff are vigilant and confident to act on concerns
- Safeguarding is embedded in everyday practice
We ensure that all concerns, no matter how small, are taken seriously and acted upon promptly.
2. Clear Systems and Strong Leadership
Our safeguarding systems are robust and well-established:
Regular termly training ensures staff remain up to date with safeguarding expectations
A trained Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and strong safeguarding team oversee all concerns via our CPOMS system
Clear reporting procedures are in place and understood by all staff
3. Safer Recruitment and Professional Conduct
We follow strict safer recruitment practices in line with KCSIE:
- All staff are subject to enhanced DBS checks and appropriate vetting
- Ongoing checks and references are rigorously applied
- Staff adhere to clear codes of conduct and professional boundaries
4. Listening to and Supporting Students
The voice of the child is central to our safeguarding practice:
- Students are encouraged to speak openly and know who they can go to for help
- Pastoral support is responsive and personalised
- We provide a safe environment where wellbeing is prioritised
- 5. Working in Partnership
- Safeguarding is most effective when we work together:
- We collaborate with parents, carers, and families
- We work closely with external agencies, including social care, health professionals, and the local authority
- We follow local safeguarding partnership procedures
- 6. Early Help and Intervention
- We aim to identify and respond to concerns as early as possible:
- Early intervention prevents escalation of need
- Support plans are put in place quickly and reviewed regularly
- We ensure students receive the right support at the right time
- 7. Online Safety and Wider Safeguarding
- We recognise the importance of safeguarding beyond the classroom:
- Students are educated about online safety and digital responsibility
- Staff are trained to recognise emerging safeguarding risks
- We address issues such as mental health, exploitation, and peer-on-peer abuse proactively
- Our Commitment
- Goldwyn School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff, volunteers, and visitors to share this commitment.
- If you have any concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child, please contact our safeguarding team immediately.
Designated Safeguarding Contacts
If you have any serious concerns about your child or any other student at Goldwyn School please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Safeguarding Team. They will be able to provide you with the best advice and help using the appropriate degree of confidentiality.
For emergencies out of school hours please contact the person on duty at the Integrated Front Door on 03000 411 111
Key contact personnel in School:
Jade Cartledge Designated Safeguarding Lead for Goldwyn School
Designated Safeguarding Officers
Goldwyn Ashford
Liam Hogbin (Centre DSO) and Dionne Clifton (Deputy Centre DSO)
Goldwyn Folkestone
Barry McGinn (Centre DSO), Sarah Cave (Deputy DSO)
Goldwyn Plus & Vocational Centre
Emily Oliver (Centre DSO), Tina Mills (Deputy Centre DSO), Cassie Lee (Deputy Centre DSO)
Keeping Children Safe in Education
Keeping Children Safe in Education is a document containing statutory government guidance that sets out the legal duties all staff in education must follow in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people aged 18 years and under in schools, colleges, and education settings across the United Kingdom.
The KCSiE guidance applies to all education settings, and Part 1 plus the school’s behaviour policy must be read by all staff. This includes teachers, headteachers, and everyone else working in an education environment (including admin and support staff) as well as governing bodies, proprietors, and management committees.
School and college leaders and all staff who work directly with children should also read Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education.
NSPCC
The NSPCC lobbies the government on issues relating to child welfare, and creates campaigns for the general public, with the intention of raising awareness of child protection issues. It also operates both a helpline on 0808 800 5000, for anyone concerned about a child, and ChildLine offering support to children themselves. Childline became a part of the NSPCC in 2006. In addition to the telephone helplines, NSPCC provides an online counselling service for children & young people at ChildLine.
The NSPCC runs local service centres across the UK where it helps children, young people, and families. Since 2009, the NSPCC has run a Child Protection Consultancy service aiming to make organisations safer for children. This offers training and consultancy to organisations which have contact with children, ranging from schools to sporting bodies. The charity works through local safeguarding children’s boards (LSCBs), where the police, health, social and education services and others can work together.
The NSPCC’s stated core values are based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
They are:
- Children must be protected from all forms of violence and exploitation
- Everyone has a responsibility to support the care and protection of children
- We listen to children and young people, respect their views and respond to them directly
- Children should be encouraged and enabled to fulfil their potential
- We challenge inequalities for children and young people
- Every child must have someone to turn to
Places for Help & Advice
Ashford Counselling Service is committed to helping those in need by providing professional and affordable counselling services to the local area. We all have times in our lives that are more difficult than others. Sometimes this leads to our feelings and emotions becoming overwhelming and more than we can cope with.
Counselling, sometimes called talking therapy, involves meeting regularly with a counsellor to talk about your problems, in a safe, non-judgemental and confidential space.
Professional Support from a counsellor can help you deal with:
· depression, low mood
· anxiety, panic attacks, paranoia
· low self-esteem, self harm
· anger issues, emotional control
· bereavement, redundancy, divorce
· trauma/surviving abuse
· personal growth
Please click here to visit the Ashford Counselling Service website
What parents need to know about online grooming
Policies
Please find a copy of our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy here.
Helpful Links
Please find below some links to organisations that can provide further information regarding child protection and safeguarding of young people:
http://www.nspcc.org.uk
http://www.childline.org.uk
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk
http://www.childnet.com
https://www.kidscape.org.uk
