Safeguarding

If you have an urgent safeguarding concern

During the school day - contact 01869 242121

Outside of the school day (including weekends and holidays) - contact MASH 0345 050 7666 (this is the Oxfordshire Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub)

The designated member of the Leadership Team with responsibility for child protection is Mr Rogerson, the senior designated safeguarding lead is Mr Williams and the deputy designated safeguarding lead is Mrs Treanor. The named governor appointed to monitor all child protection procedures and practices within the school is is Keith Wadley. These individuals receive regular briefing and training, as do other staff. Contact details for our key safeguarding staff and our safeguarding policy are provided below. Do feel free to contact the relevant member of our safeguarding staff should you have any concern.

 
SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

The Cooper School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Safeguarding is about ensuring that everyone is safe from harm, safe from bullying, safe from abuse of any kind, safe from discrimination or harassment and ensuring that we all feel safe in our school environment.

If you are ever concerned about the safety or well‐being of someone at our school please talk to a member of the school’s Safeguarding Team who can be contacted via the email address: safeguarding@thecooperschool.co.uk . More details are provided below.

We have a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy which can be viewed in the Policies section of our website.

There are 5 main elements to our policy and procedures:

• Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children.

• Raising awareness of child protection issues & working on the prevention of abuse, through training, teaching and pastoral support offered to students.

• Following procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases of abuse.

• Supporting students who are at risk or may have been abused.

• Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.

Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. We will ensure that where possible our concerns about our pupils are discussed with parents/carers first, unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child’s welfare or may be precluded by any legal investigation.

We actively support the Government’s Prevent Agenda to counter radicalism and extremism.

Read our full Safeguarding Policy here.

 
Childline Support

If you are struggling and need help please contact the Childline organisation – they run a 24 hour confidential service and your call will be answered whenever you phone. You can contact them at any time on ether 08001111 or click HERE for their website.

KEY SAFEGUARDING CONTACTS

Additional Support

External Support

Domestic Abuse Support

We are mindful of the prevalence of Domestic Abuse and the impact this can have on children. Victims and witnesses can be too fearful to report. As a school within Oxfordshire, we are happy to provide a link  to Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Service.

Domestic abuse support services | A2Dominion

In Oxfordshire, schools are key partners in tackling domestic abuse, working with agencies like the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (OSCP) (MASH: 0345 050 7666) and A2Dominion to identify impacts on children, provide support, and offer resources to families, recognising domestic abuse affects many students, even if they don't report it, through signposting services and training for staff as part of a Coordinated Community Response (CCR). 

How Schools Link to Domestic Abuse:

• Identification & Referral: Schools are trained to recognise signs of domestic abuse impacting children and can refer concerns to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) for specialist help.
• Signposting Support: They provide links to services like A2Dominion's Domestic Abuse Support for parents and families needing help.
• Part of Coordinated Response: Schools are integrated into Oxfordshire's strategy to tackle abuse, working with other agencies for a whole-system approach.
• Training: Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) offers training for professionals, including those in schools, to improve their understanding and response to domestic abuse.
• Safeguarding Procedures: Schools have robust safeguarding policies, keeping child protection records separate and sharing information only as needed to protect the child.

 
Key Oxfordshire Resources:

• For Worried About a Child (Non-Emergency): Contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 0345 050 7666 or visit the OSCP website.
• For Domestic Abuse Support: A2Dominion's Services.
• For Specialist Youth Support: The Family Solutions Service (FSS) provides support for young people aged 11-18. 
• To inform The Cooper School’s Safeguarding team about your concerns please contact safeguarding@thecooperschool.co.uk.

The websites below provide further information and support:

Child Exploitation and Online Protection 

NSPCC 

Childline 

Kidscape 

The Hideout 

The parents’ section of the educate.against.hate website provides practical advice and information about protecting children from extremism and radicalisation.  It may be accessed via this link: https://educateagainsthate.com/