The school's first responsibility is to keep children safe. If you are concerned about the safety or wellbeing of a child in our care contact our Safeguarding Team.

If a child is in immediate danger you should always call 999.

The Safeguarding Team in school is led by Designated Safeguarding Lead: 

• Ms L Butler (Assistant Headteacher)

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads:

• Miss Totty
• Miss Mitchem
• Mr De Fabiani
• Mr Rouse
• Miss Papen
• Mrs Ronan

To contact the Safeguarding Team please email: safeguarding@townleygrammar.org.uk

Please read our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy, including our COVID-19 addendum, on our Policies page.

Keeping Our Community Safe

Our school ethos and values place the wellbeing and welfare of our students at the centre of every decision we make. We have a responsibility to protect children in all of our school’s activities and are confident in our robust safeguarding measures, policies and actions. We are committed to working with local partners to continue to develop our robust approach to safety and the safeguarding of children. We will never think that ‘we are done’ with our safeguarding processes, therefore commit to ongoing learning about all aspects of safeguarding that could affect our staff and students. Our partnership with Bexley Women's Aid shows that as a school and Trust we are outward facing and seek to consult and bring into our community as many expert voices as possible to ensure our students benefit from the very best in pastoral care and support.

We will seek to:

• Create a safe and welcoming environment where children can develop their skills and confidence.
• Support and encourage other groups and organisations to implement similar policies through collaboration with Odyssey Trust attendance of local Designated Teacher Forums.
• Recognise that safeguarding children is the responsibility of everyone, not just those who work with children.
• Ensure that any training or events are managed to the highest possible safety standards. Review ways of working to incorporate best practice.
• Treat all children with respect regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity.
• Carefully recruit and select all employees, contractors and volunteers by using DBS processes, safer recruitment processes and seeking references as well as ensuring that Safeguarding is a primary element of all staff and volunteer induction.
• Respond swiftly and appropriately to all complaints and concerns about poor practice or suspected or actual child abuse.
• Share information about concerns with agencies who need to know, involving parents and children appropriately.
• Our school maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ at all times.

Recent events in London and the pandemic have further reinforced our determination and focus on supporting our students in every possible way and we shall continue to do so; strong in our values and resolute in our actions.

Please read the following statements we shared with the whole Townley community.

We have also included our reach out poster so you all know who you can reach out to at any time.

​Together we can make a positive change, together we can help each other and those around us stay safe and become empowered.

If you are worried about a child

If you want to talk to a social worker, you can contact Bexley Children’s Services Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) at the number below. If you are concerned that by calling you may be put in a difficult position, you can make a referral anonymously.

Telephone:

• Daytime hours (Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm) 020 3045 5440
• Out of hours (5.00pm to 9.00am Monday to Friday and 24 hour cover at weekends) 020 8303 7777 or 020 8303 7171

Secure email: childrenssocialcare.admin@bexley.gov.uk

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools, prior to the start of the next school day, when a child or young person has been exposed to, or involved in, any domestic incident. We know that children can be significantly physically or emotionally harmed when this is the case and the information received will be used to make sure the right support is available for children and their families.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 identifies children who experience domestic abuse as victims of domestic abuse in their own right. Operation Encompass is a national scheme that operates jointly between schools and police forces.

Operation Encompass will ensure that a member of the school staff, known as a Designated Safeguarding Lead, is trained to allow them to liaise with the police and to use the information that has been shared, in confidence, while ensuring that the school is able to make provision for possible difficulties experienced by children, or their families, who have been involved in, or exposed to, a domestic abuse incident. We are keen to offer the best support possible to all our pupils and we believe this will be extremely beneficial for all those involved.

Helpful Links

Access the government document Keeping Children Safe in Education Part 1 Translations. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility therefore it is important that everyone understands the full meaning and principles of the guidance. Access to translated versions means everyone can understand this fully.

Click on the headings below to see helpful links on various topics.