Safeguarding

If something or someone has made you feel uncomfortable online, click the blue button to report it.

We take the safety of our children and staff very seriously at Rocks Park. Online safety is no exception. 

Any safeguarding concerns should be addressed to Headteacher, Helen Longton-Howorth - head@rockspark.e-sussex.sch.uk or to Chair of Governors, Paul Ireland - chair@rockspark.e-sussex.sch.uk

You can find our Online Safety policy, Keeping Children safe in education policy and online safety rules below. 

Please look at the Online Safety page for help and advice.

Safety Squad
This is the Rocks Park Safety Squad and their role in the school is to help promote the message of safeguarding to all the children. 

This year they will be doing lots of work on playground friendships and helping children to play kindly with each other.  There will be some fundraising - possibly a Great RP Bake Off competition.  

Rocks Park School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We ensure that all staff, governors and volunteers are aware of these expectations from the moment they start working with us. They are all regularly trained and kept up to date with new safeguarding updates.

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 on the policies section of our website.

Key Contacts:

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 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. We actively support the Government’s Prevent Agenda to counter radicalism and extremism. Our Staff and Governors are trained to deal with Prevent, as part of regular Safeguarding training and updates.

Useful links

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass has been designed to provide early reporting to schools of any domestic abuse incidents that occur in which a child was present, ordinarily resides at the incident location or with an involved party. We know that children can be significantly affected through witnessing or being exposed to domestic abuse and this operation will allow us to better support our pupils and their families. In the most recent version of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022, it has been recognised that children who experience Domestic Abuse within the home are also considered to be victims.

A nominated member of staff, known as a Key Adult, will be trained to liaise with the police. At Rocks Park Primary School our Key Adult is our safeguarding lead, Andy Best. He will be able to use information that has been shared with him, in confidence, to ensure that the right support is available should it be required by a child and / or their family. Please click on the link to go to their website, which has more information on the initiative.

https://www.operationencompass.org/


Keeping children safe online:

Children today live in a digital world. The development of digital technology and the Internet has revolutionised how children (and adults) live their lives. Used appropriately this technology improves and enhances their lives in many ways. It also, however, presents opportunities for unacceptable behaviour and criminality among a small minority of people. We incoporate Online Safety into a range of areas of our curriculum, these include PSHE, Computing, Drama, English and Topic (included when researching about different History/Georgraphy themes).  

The continuing development of ‘Smartphones’ and mobile Internet devices means that children can be ‘online’ at all times, which further highlights the need for children, young people and parents to be aware of the dangers and how best to stay safe while enjoying the benefits of digital technology.

Please see the resources below, for further information and support:

Information / Support:

National Online Safety:

NSPCC:

If you require any further information or advice then please speak to our Safeguarding Team: Mr Best, Mrs Roberts or Mrs Light.

Worry Boxes
Each class has a worry box to help our children share any worries or thoughts they might have but find it tricky to talk about. These are checked daily and acted on appropriately by the class teacher /teaching assistant.

Child Protection and Safeguarding 2023.pdf
Rocks Park School Online Safety rules.pdf
Acceptable Use Policy 2022.pdf
Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2023.pdf
Online Safety policy 2023.pdf

Safer Internet Day 2024

Safer Internet Day 2024 will take place on the 6th of February 2024, with celebrations and learning based around the theme ‘Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online’.


Safer Internet Day is the UK’s biggest celebration of online safety. Each year they cover an online issue or theme that speaks to the things young people are seeing and experiencing online. Created in consultation with young people across the UK, this year Safer Internet Day will be focusing on change online, this includes covering:

Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, the celebration sees thousands of organisations get involved to promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.


https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2024

How to report.

Being online and using the internet is just like being in the real world - but sometimes things happen which can make you upset. People may say nasty things to you which upset you, or you may see something that you don’t like. If this happens, you must remember that it’s not your fault.

• ALWAYS tell a trusted adult straight away if you are upset or worried about something that has happened online.

• Remember to SAVE ANY MESSAGES that have upset you so you can show them to who you tell - they will be able to help, and they will be able to give you good advice about what else you can do. Never worry about getting in trouble - you aren’t the one who has done anything wrong.

• CEOP help children stay safe online. Has someone acted inappropriately towards you online, or to a child or young person you know? It may be suggestive chat, being asked to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or someone being insistent on meeting up.

You can report it to us http://ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/ or just click  the blue button at the top of the page.

If you allow your children to use your iPhone or they already have their own one, you can customise the settings, so that your children don’t see adult content. There are multiple ways to set up a child protection. One of them is Google SafeSearch, which filters the search results of the search engine. All other options for child protection are linked at the bottom of this article.

https://iphone-tricks.com/tutorial/6777-activate-google-safesearch-for-child-protection

Even at Primary School, online sexual harassment is becoming an increasingly common occurrence.  In response to this, the Children’s Commission have released a really useful guide for parents to support them with conversations that can be had at home around this subject.  Please do not think this won’t happen to your children because they are too young to go through this yet.  In society today young children are dealing with issues far earlier than ever before.  Here is the website link: 

https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/report/talking-to-your-child-about-online-sexual-harassment-a-guide-for-parents/