This report has been drawn up in accordance with the latest Ofsted and Estyn reports and by keeping records of trends to advise what inspectors are currently looking for.
This research is based on close examination and analysis of school inspections that have taken place in both England and Wales up to December 2022, ensuring the information included in this report is up-to-date and current.
It is absolutely vital for schools to ensure they have fulfilled all statutory requirements with regard to safeguarding. Statutory guidance is issued by law, and schools must follow it. When Ofsted and Estyn inspect a school, they look to see how it fulfils its legalities. Schools that are not fulfilling measures correctly are reported to have disorganised systems, outdated policies, reporting systems that are not robust, inadequate record-keeping and provide insufficient training for staff.
Schools that do follow measures well, on the other hand, have tight safeguarding procedures. Their records are in place, maintained and detailed, and their policies and procedures are easy to find. A simple example is ensuring there is an up-to-date safeguarding policy on the school website. Statutory requirements include all legalities, such as site safety, fire safety and risk assessments. Systems must be in place for monitoring all policies and must be regularly updated and adhere and link to the relevant government guidance, e.g. Keeping Children Safe in Education or Keeping Learners Safe
A good safeguarding culture is crucial, and well-being should be at the heart of schools. As well as fulfilling statutory requirements, which are the backbone of a positive culture of safeguarding, Ofsted and Estyn are looking for additional evidence of a good safeguarding culture. Examples include good relationships between staff and pupils, strong behaviour policies and modelling by staff, robust and consistent training for all staff, including governors, and regular communication with staff and parents, e.g., through weekly briefings or newsletters. This results in pupils feeling safe and happy.
The necessary ingredients for a good safeguarding culture also include a solid awareness of the pupils. Schools with a strong safeguarding culture know their pupils well. Staff have a deep knowledge of individual pupils, they are aware of any complex needs and young carers are identified and supported. Pupils’ needs are anticipated, and extra support is given. This person-centred approach to school life clearly benefits all stakeholders and is one of the features that enables pupils to feel safe in school.
Attendance is also worth noting. Failing schools will have an underdeveloped procedure for monitoring attendance, which means patterns are not spotted, so attendance is not addressed and, therefore, in decline. Good schools have strong systems in place for reporting absences and thus a clear focus on preventing them. All of which contribute to a positive safeguarding culture.
Part of feeling safe in school, for pupils and staff alike, is a strong behaviour policy. With this in place, a strong safeguarding culture will naturally follow. Good schools have their behaviour policies commended. At the same time, schools that raise concerns are those that do not have an effective or consistent approach to behaviour. There are two key areas relating to this: firstly, bullying. Pupils feel unsafe in schools where the behaviour policy needs to be stronger or better applied. Pupils may feel unsafe in certain areas of the school, and there may be verbal and physical bullying and unsettled transition times, exacerbating feelings of vulnerability. Alongside this, a common area of concern is pupils not being informed about the steps taken to avoid or tackle poor behaviour or that concerns are not listened to or dealt with if they are reported. This can lead to better-developed relationships between pupils and between staff and pupils.
It is vital to acknowledge Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision when considering safeguarding. At schools where safeguarding was not found to be adequate, learning plans were not accessible to staff or not consistently used, nor was enough provision made for the extra vulnerability of pupils with SEND/ALN. These schools could learn a lot from those with a strong SEND/ALN provision, which is well-rounded and thoughtful, for example, supporting pupils who need help managing and regulating their emotions. Personalised support allows SEND/ALN pupils to thrive and feel safer.
Good safeguarding also extends outside the school building. As already stated, knowing your pupils is key to creating a positive safeguarding culture. This includes relationships the school has with outside agencies. It is important to emphasise care and support for pupils and their families; for example, a family engagement officer, an awareness of families’ individual needs and strong relationships with parents. Poor school-parent partnerships will result in negative sentiments that can filter into the school.
Another hot topic when looking at safeguarding is the school’s curriculum. The curriculum is cited as problematic when Relationship and Sex Education and Health Education (RSE and HE)/Relationship and Sexuality Education plans are not in-depth or have minimal coverage of cultures, religions and ways of life. Good schools have well-developed curricula that strongly link to safeguarding and include physical and mental health – on and offline. Robust curricula teach pupils to manage risks and cover health, safety, social and life skills. They emphasise health and physical fitness and include equality, diversity, inclusion, current affairs and the local community.
Other areas of school life play a part in safeguarding. Pupil voice is one such area and should therefore be developed. Schools with a good safeguarding ethos make pupil voice a priority. One example stated a well-being club where pupils discuss their feelings and emotions. Pupils appreciate being asked for their opinion and feel safer knowing they are heard.
Another area is governance. Governors perform a pivotal role in schools; they need to be part of the school’s safeguarding training and be actively engaged in safeguarding. Governors comprise the body that provides school leaders with the necessary support, challenge and accountability. They should be fully informed, trained and engaged.
The last area is transition. Good schools plan for transitions, with plans in place to ensure a smooth transition from nursery to primary or primary to secondary. They actively seek information about their new pupils from their feeder nurseries or schools so that a safe and inclusive culture begins before they have even entered the next phase of their education.