Safeguarding Team
- Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Principal: Mrs Hayley Sharp
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL): Mr Sam Fenton
Contact Us
- Telephone: 01892 722529
What does Safeguarding look like at Leigh Academy Horsmonden?
- All staff receive safeguarding training on induction as well as ongoing updates and personal development e.g. Online Safety, Prevent, County Lines.
- Allegations and concerns are reported proactively and taken seriously by all. Appropriate action is taken by the safeguarding team including rationale.
- We track and review the needs of our most vulnerable students regularly and involve outside agencies where required, beneficial or appropriate.
- We work with the Local Authority, Police and Support Services to ensure our students and families receive the support they need.
- We complete and review risk assessments to ensure that all potential dangers in activities have been identified.
- We teach our students how to identify dangers and keep themselves safe (including online) during weekly PSHE lessons, assemblies and tutor time.
- We understand that mental health and special education needs can have unique safeguarding requirements and regularly review these.
- Our students and staff are well trained to evacuate the building safely in case of fire or other emergencies.
- We have two experienced DSLs. Level 3 DSL Training is updated once every two years for all DSLs, SLT and Office Manager.
- Our safeguarding governor works closely with the school to ensure safeguarding practices are robust and upheld.
- All staff are DBS checked and can be identified easily via their ID badge which must be worn at all times. This is scanned upon entry into the school building.
- Our students have options and easy access to support from our student support mentors, wellbeing staff, safeguarding team and college leadership teams.
Further Information
Safeguarding and Mental Health Websites/Links
- NSPCC
- NHS
- Young Minds
- Childline
- Kooth – mental health and wellbeing
Online Safety
- CEOP Safety Centre
- ThinkUKnow – Ask the awkward
- ThinkUKnow
- GOV.UK – Internet Safety
- Parent Zone
- Childnet
LAT Online Safety Statement
We proudly announce that our academy has successfully achieved accreditation for our comprehensive commitment to promoting and teaching online safety. This accreditation reflects our dedication to ensuring that all aspects of online safety are embedded across our curriculum, staff training, leadership, and community engagement.
As part of the LAT Online Safety programme, our academy has demonstrated compliance with key requirements, including:
- Staff Training: All staff members have completed tailored online safety training, with additional, role-specific training provided for Designated Safeguarding Leads, principals, and governors.
- Curriculum Integration: Online safety education is systematically mapped across all year groups, meeting legal requirements. We actively promote digital citizenship through annual events such as Safer Internet Day and Digital Citizenship Week.
- Leadership and Technical Oversight: A 360-degree review of our online safety provision ensures continuous improvement. Online safety is embedded in safeguarding governance, monthly technical filter checks, and regular incident reviews using Safeguarding Lenz.
- Parental Engagement: We maintain a strong partnership with parents, offering resources, communication, and face-to-face workshops focused on online safety. We also gather parental feedback to inform our practices and priorities.
This accreditation is underpinned by robust tracking and monitoring, ensuring all required activities and standards are consistently met.
Our academy remains committed to fostering a safe and empowering digital environment for all members of our community. Together, we strive to build a culture of awareness, respect, and responsibility in the digital world.
For further information and resources, please visit the CEOP website or explore the safeguarding section of our website.
Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass is a national scheme that operates jointly between schools and all police forces. Operation Encompass means that our academy will be told, prior to the start of the next school day, when police have attended an incident of domestic abuse where there is a child or young person who attends our academy who is related to any of those involved in the incident.
We have ensured that a member of our staff, (Designated Safeguarding Lead) known as a Key Adult, has been trained about Operation Encompass procedures. This allows us to use the information that has been confidentially shared with us by the police, to understand how a child may be impacted by domestic abuse and to then offer support to the children in our care.