Safeguarding children and young people is central to everything we do at King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy. This section of the school’s website gives an overview of the policies, partnerships, programmes and mechanisms that are in place to safeguard the children and young people who attend King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy.

At King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy, we fully recognise our responsibility for safeguarding children and young people. It is difficult to accept, but every child can be hurt, put at risk of harm or abused, regardless of their age, gender, religion or ethnicity. That is why we do everything within our power to:

  • protect children from maltreatment;
  • prevent impairment of children’s health or development;
  • ensure that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;
  • take action to enable all children and young people to secure the best outcomes.

To promote a safe environment for students, King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy employs a strict selection and recruitment policy which includes all statutory checks on staff and regular volunteers including Enhanced DBS (disclosure and barring service) checks.

The action we take at King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play and we recognise and take our part very seriously in, this. We ensure that we operate a child-centred safeguarding system. We recognise that children want to be respected; have their views heard; have stable relationships with their teachers, built on trust; and have consistent support for their individual needs.

All staff receive annual Child Protection and Safeguarding update training and are aware of the procedures for passing on concerns within the school. If any members of the school or local community have concerns about the welfare of a child in the school, please pass them on to the Academy Child Protection Team.

Parenting is the most rewarding role, however, it can also be the most challenging at times. If you feel you need support with your child, you can access support from the following sources (click on the image to take you to the site):

Information, advice and guidance on a wide range of issues.

If you have any serious concerns about your child, another student or a member of staff at King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy please do not hesitate to contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Mrs S Dennis, who will be able to provide you with the best advice and help using the appropriate degree of confidentiality.

Message from West Midlands Police

King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls School ‘is committed to keeping our students safe, both in school and the wider community. As part of our safeguarding arrangements, we have a two-way information sharing agreement in place with West Midlands Police, and we are also active members of our local constituency Police & Schools Panel. 

The agreement is compliant with Crime & Disorder Act 1998Data Protection Act 2018 – 2021 Update and United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK-GDPR); and focuses on preventing young people from becoming involved, or further involved, in crime and anti-social behaviour (as either a victim or offender) or those who have been reported as missing that may be vulnerable as a result. 

This joint approach helps us to intervene early; provide additional support, and share up-to-date safety messages with students and their families/carers.  If you have any queries about this partnership work please contact Mrs Dennis.

Student Support/Mentoring

Online Safety

Sources of Support

Safeguarding

Mental Health

IF IN DANGER CALL 999

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