28 March 2023
NGHS is thrilled to receive a PLATINUM AWARD for safeguarding from a recent audit by Incyte International.
This is the top rating for any school and shows our commitment to the highest standards of safeguarding and pastoral care at NGHS.
The assessor spoke to a large number of staff, students, governors and examined records relating to safeguarding and child protection. The Safeguarding Team, led by Mrs Birch, were a particular focus for the visit. Congratulations to them on this excellent outcome.
Particular findings from the report include:
Staff across the school (teaching and non-teaching) are knowledgeable and understand their responsibilities for safeguarding because of the clear direction and leadership of safeguarding by the DSL and her team.
There is a robust approach to checking absences and the close working relationships between safeguarding and attendance teams means issues are picked up quickly and patterns and trends are addressed either individually or through the PD curriculum.
Staff receive a very good range of training for safeguarding and related aspects of the school’s work, and this helps to guide and support their contribution to safeguarding. Support staff receive the same training as teachers, which is helpful in that they are fully briefed.
Leadership of safeguarding shows that students are first, students are independent, and that the accountability is transparent. NGHS's “Safeguarding Culture – Living Practice” for students, staff, parents and external agencies/workers is very evident.
In high-traffic areas around the school, there is signposting of support for a plethora of safeguarding concerns and includes signposting for children looked after.
Students are very confident in who they can raise a concern with and know they have several staff to do this with; DSL/DDSL team, pastoral team, Heads of Year, form tutors, mental health and wellbeing lead, the headteacher (who that day was speaking to two sixth form students about relationship issues) and any adult.
A Sixth form student (Y12) who only joined the school in Y12, highlighted that NGHS is outstanding when it comes to supporting students, making sure they are safe and cared for, that any issues get resolved quickly and that staff really care.
The single central record is in good order in terms of the required checks; the enhanced DBS and barred list checks are done, and all qualified teachers are checked to see if there are any prohibition orders against them. Full ID checks are carried out as well as Right to Work in the UK and any overseas checks as required. The record notes who has completed these checks. Online searches are conducted for all new staff (in line with KCSIE 2022).