SAFEGUARDING
BLOOMSBURY IS A SAFE SCHOOL!
At Bloomsbury we are fully committed to providing a safe school environment for our students, staff, parents, visitors and other stakeholders. The Q & A below sets out the practical ways in which we implement this commitment so that everyone who belongs to or comes into the school can be assured of the highest standards of safety at all times.
WHAT MAKES BLOOMSBURY A SAFE SCHOOL?
We address manifold aspects of safety - physical, emotional / psychological and cultural aspects - to enable all members of our intercultural school community (students, staff, parents, owners, visitors, suppliers, other stakeholders) to feel free from harm, risk, loss, threat and danger.
We regard physical safety as an obligation that requires the school to protect all students, staff, parents, owners, visitors and other stakeholders from violence, theft and exposure to weapons and threats in order to provide a secure learning environment.
Alcohol, other intoxicating substances and all drugs (other than those prescribed medically) are banned inside the school.
Thorough risk analyses are conducted by responsible staff before any school event, outing or similar activity takes place in order to identify any danger or threat to the safety of participants and to seek active ways of neutralising or reducing the latter.
We believe that for students to learn effectively and for our intercultural school community to operate effectively, a safe environment must be provided and continuously improved wherever appropriate so that studies and everyday school interactions can proceed without student and other stakeholders being distracted by worry over physical safety concerns.
We also regard providing an environment kept reasonably free from factors likely or liable to cause injury or health / hygiene concerns as part of our obligation to offer physical safety.
We regard emotional safety as an important corollary to physical safety. We believe emotional safety is provided by addressing our students’ and other community members’ feelings as well as their intellectual and ratiocinative faculties. We seek to ensure that our stakeholding constituents feel safe while inside the school’s precincts (and while participating in school excursions, trips and events outside) as well as taking steps to address their physical security.
We seek to provide emotional security by facilitating the acquisition of particular attitudinal skills (empathy, confidence, friendliness, pride etc) which enable students and other stakeholders to understand and manage their emotions and to appreciate those of others, to sustain positive relationships and to make responsible decisions. We seek to accomplish and develop these aims within a supportive, warm environment in which all students and other stakeholders feel welcomed and valued.
We regard the provision of pastoral care as a necessary complement to the delivery of academic knowledge and skills. Students who require particular types of learning support (for linguistic, behavioural or other reasons) are provided with bespoke programmes which address their specific needs – this is done in the interests of their (and other school members’) emotional security (to ensure that they feel just as appreciated and engaged as other students) as well as with a view to expediting their academic progress.
We strictly follow the CIS Code of Ethics for Schools' insistence on maintaining confidentiality whenever appropriate; we believe this contributes to the emotional safety of our school members by enabling them to feel assured that their right to have suitable information treated in confidence will be respected and upheld at all times.
We believe the various rights extended to our staff under our employment contractual terms (some of which relate directly to the CIS Code of Ethics for Schools) - such as the right to written contracts - assist with employees' emotional safety (in assuring them that their rights are respected and upheld as part of the terms of their employment).
We regard cultural safety as an attribute of the environment we seek to provide in which all our school community members feel their respective cultural identities, statuses, traditions, celebrations and principles are fully accepted, respected, valued and welcomed and in which learning and other activities and interactions that take place within the school share knowledge of and regard for all the cultures and subcultures which are represented in our school community.
We believe cultural safety to be a necessary practical accompaniment to our commitment to interculturalism, that no student or other stakeholder should be made to feel at all disenfranchised or marginalised as a result of their cultural identity or its manifestations and practices. We believe all students and other stakeholders have the right to expect and to receive due acknowledgment, respect and acceptance as members of our intercultural community.
We believe our commitment to physical, emotional and cultural safety and our proactive attention to its implementation and development make Bloomsbury a safe school; we are always receptive to new suggestions as to how safety can be improved. If you would like to make any comment or recommendation in this regard, please email <davidtansey@bloomsbury.ac.th>
WHAT ROLE DOES CHILD PROTECTION PLAY IN BLOOMSBURY'S STATUS AS A SAFE SCHOOL?
- Background checks are conducted on all staff before their employment here is confirmed (background checks have also been conducted on existing staff after this policy came into effect in January 2019).
- All students are continuously supervised to ensure protection (in classrooms, once students arrive at the start of the school day, during breaks and until 17.00 – and longer by agreement – at the end of the school day; continuously during excursions and trips away from the school in ways appropriate to students’ ages).
- All 3 school entrances (at the front, back and side of the school respectively) are continuously monitored by members of staff when they are in use. All such staff have access to school walkie-talkies and other communication media so as to be able to report concerns and summon assistance should the need arise.
- There is continuous monitoring of visitors and suppliers when in school (all visitors report initially to the security guard at the school’s front entrance to collect visitors’ passes, which they visibly wear at all times while they are in the school). No external visitor or supplier has unsupervised access to our students unless they have undergone background checks. Visitors and suppliers are always accompanied by members of school staff while they are on the school’s site. In the event that there are more than one member in a group of visitors or suppliers with just one member of the school’s staff in attendance and one member of the staff wishes to use the toilets, another member of staff is then asked to attend to ensure that there is no unsupervised access to students during a visit.
- Child protection reporting systems in place - any concerns or suspicions in relation to possible child abuse in or outside the school are reported to the CPO (Child Protection Officer), who investigates accordingly.
- In addition to operating a child protection reporting system, the school also operates a child protection recording system in the form of our Safeguarding Log, to which all SLT have access and which is updated regularly as and when safeguarding issues are reported.
- The log also includes details of outcomes of any safeguarding issues.
- An on-call system has been introduced so that we are able to respond to safeguarding issues which require instant and immediate attention;
- All teaching staff have received Child Protection/Safeguarding CPD (Continuing Professional Development).
- The school places a profound emphasis on the importance of respect as a quality that enhances interpersonal and intercultural empathy and co-operation within the Bloomsbury community. It promotes this via special events such as Respect Week We believe respect enhances safety and child protection in the sense that threats to
security such as indulgence in physical violence are less likely to arise in an environment whose inhabitants show due regard and consideration for each other and for each other’s rights. - Our SEN (Special Educational Needs) provision (co-ordinated by our Learning Support Officer) forms part of our safe school and child protection commitments by enabling students who have non-mainstream needs feel appreciated, valued, validated and respected members of our school community (with no stigma or negative ‘face’ issues).
- The special protocols Bloomsbury operates for some SEN students are designed to enhance their safety and protection.
- The school’s separate staff and student toilet facilities are designed to show respect for different members of the school community and to protect their privacy.
- Our tutor system addresses the pastoral welfare of all students: we regard this as conducive to their safety and protection in that wellbeing, care, security and freedom from harm are clearly interconnected.
- Our PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) programme addresses the personal, social and health needs of students and any issues arising therefrom; we see this as forming part of their safety and protection in the sense that promoting good health helps keep students and others safe and free from illness and disease.
- Our provision of balanced and nutritious school food (following cuisine styles derived from the 4 main cultural/subcultural traditions that predominate in southern Thailand) helps protect the health of students and other school members.
- Our PE / sports lessons and events enhance physical fitness among students, staff and parents, thus protecting their health.
- Regular contact between school and parents helps reduce any risk of conflicting signals imparted to students and enables both parties to work together over important learning and other principles for students, thus protecting students’ emotional safety.
- Our Student Council represents students’ voices to the school management, thus protecting students’ right to be heard in school deliberations.
- Our commitment to the principles embodied in the UNDRC (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child) and our proactive inclusion of these principles in our staff training help ensure child protection is understood, acknowledged and applied in day-to-day school operations.
- We consult parents over the school’s use of photographs and videos displayed on our website and social media that depict their children (to ensure privacy rights are fully respected).
- Any behavioural / disciplinary issues that arise among students are dealt with by the school management in ways that strike a fair and effective balance between showing understanding and sympathy to offenders and giving the latter a reasonable opportunity to understand, recognise, appreciate, apologise and make amends for aberrant conduct on the one hand and protecting other school community members on the other.
- The school recognises the importance of ICT safety (both in its physical and e-safety manifestations):
- Re physical safety: we protect students and other school members (teachers, cleaners etc) from any risk posed by heavy ICT equipment falling or from electrocution, providing training on ICT-related injuries such as RSI, visual stress etc;
- Re e-safety: we filter inappropriate, offensive, unsafe Internet access.
- We also provide learning opportunities for students in ICT lessons in physical and e-safety.
- Our Whisteblowing policy provides safety to those who wish to report safety or other concerns without fear of recrimination or retribution.
- Our Representations and Grievances policy – in safeguarding the rights of any staff members who wish to complain or otherwise make their voices heard – protects individual rights and thus offers safety to those seeking to make their voices heard.
WHAT PRACTICAL STEPS DOES BLOOMSBURY TAKE TO ENSURE THE SCHOOL OFFERS A SAFE STUDYING, RECREATIONAL AND OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT?
- We operate an in-school Clinic in conjunction with a renowned local hospital.
- We provide in-school nurse services with access to local doctors and other medical specialists whenever necessary.
- Our administrative, clinic, teaching and catering sections liaise closely over any student and staffing health issues, medication, food allergies and similar conditions to ensure the sharing of important information in the interests of maximising safety and protection.
- We liaise closely with parents over students’ health issues.
- Our staff are regularly screened for health issues and provided with suitable insurance and other forms of health-related support.
- Our in-school nurse takes all Primary students’ temperatures when they arrive in the mornings as a precaution.
- We provide First Aid training for staff.
- Our Science Laboratory contains safety-oriented equipment (goggles etc) and clothing (approved white overalls).
- We store chemicals in a separate safe area.
- We safely dispose of toxic materials.
- We use safe learning materials for all students (in age-appropriate ways).
- Our EY (Early Years) students use a safe Soft Play area under continuous supervision.
- Teaching Assistants support the work of EY teachers in ensuring the safety and supervision of our youngest school members (in classrooms, in the refectory, upon arrival in the morning, in the play area etc).
- EY students are accompanied by a Teaching Assistant to the toilet area.
- All Primary students use age-appropriate play equipment;
- Banisters installed on our buildings’ staircases help ensure safe usage;
- Our PE and sports equipment is designed to be safe for children and regularly checked by our staff.
- We operate a duty rota among staff to ensure the continuous supervision of children outside classes (from early morning till the end of the school day).
- All staff are required to be vigilant over safety issues and to report any health/safety concerns to our HSO (Health and Safety Officer) via an established notification system based on instant messaging.
- We operate a Touching Policy to provide professional guidance to our staff over circumstances involving physical contact with students (to protect all parties from any impropriety, intrusion into privacy and misunderstandings etc) as part of our safety provision.
- Regular HSO (Health and Safety Officer) checks are conducted to ensure all school buildings, equipment, fixtures, amenities etc are in good working order and to identify and report any risks to Bloomsbury members’ health and safety.
- We engage/subcontract security guards to monitor the school’s front entrance / visitors and to patrol around the school in the evenings.
- The school’s back and side gates are monitored continuously whenever they are in use.
- We use CCTV to complement the work of the security guards and ensure vigilance as a means of reinforcing safety.
- All school visitors wear badges while inside the school after registering at our Reception and having their presence duly recorded.
- Vehicles permitted to drive inside the school are strictly monitored re speed and safety.
- Regular fire and lockdown drills are held with feedback used to improve future performance.
- Fire extinguishers are installed throughout the school and checked regularly.
- The school regularly holds events (such as Respect Week) to enhance the promotion of interpersonal and intercultural respect among all school members (which we regard as an attribute of and a contributor to the safety of all school members and stakeholders).
- Swimming instructors used when our students are taken to local swimming pools are suitably qualified in Health and Safety matters.
- Police volunteers help with early morning arrivals at the school to help ensure a free flow of traffic (in the interests of maintaining safety).
WHAT MEASURES DOES BLOOMSBURY FOLLOW TO ENSURE SAFETY AND PROTECTION FOR ITS RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS?
- A rigorous system of student supervision over residential students is maintained in ways appropriate to the latter’s ages.
- Boarding houseparents follow, publicise, test and periodically review a range of residential procedures (including those that refer to residential students’ supervision, weekend activities, pastoral needs, evening study, health issues, emergency contact details, parental liaison, fire and lockdown systems and various practical procedures) conducive to residential students' safety, wellbeing and individual interests and needs.
- A security guard is present at the school for 24 hours a day; he patrols around the school in the evenings and is contactable by residents at all times.
- Access to Bloomsbury’s residential section is controlled by key cards issued solely to residents.
- Regular fire and lockdown drills are held to test and (where appropriate) improve the effectiveness of school residential systems and to ensure all residents are fully au fait with what to do should a fire or lockdown occur.
We regularly review our safety provision in the interests of best practice and continuous improvement, and we welcome suggestions as to how we can develop and enhance our safety provision in all the various aspects it assumes in and around the school.