Safeguarding
We believe that all members of the Stonar community have a collective responsibility for safeguarding of the individuals in our care.
The Safeguarding Team work closely with the Pastoral Committee to empower all staff to share concerns and identify children who might benefit from early help and intervention. The Safeguarding Team is led by Deputy Head (Pastoral) and Designated Safeguarding Lead and also includes Head of Prep, Nursery Manager, Pastoral Intervention Practitioner and Director of Short Courses.
Each week the Safeguarding Team meet formally to consider the emergent and ongoing needs of our pupils. We utilise a child-centred approach and work at all times to consider what is in the best interests of the pupil. During these meetings the Safeguarding Team also dedicate time to reflect and consider updates concerning current best practice, Serious Case reviews, staff training and induction.
Everyone's Invited
The Everyone’s Invited movement has highlighted deeply distressing abuse suffered by young people from across the UK, who found the courage to share their harrowing experiences online. The testimony on the Everyone’s Invited website is a stark reminder of why keeping children safe is of paramount importance and why we must remain constantly vigilant to all forms of abuse, including peer-on-peer sexual abuse and harassment.
Safeguarding our children is at the very heart of everything we do at Stonar and we take all forms of abuse seriously. We actively listen to our children and have staff who are not only trained to manage reports of abuse but are skilled in listening and supporting our pupils.
Stonar prides itself on having a community built on kindness and integrity where pupils are heard and supported and we expect everyone to behave with respect for others. We recognise the crucial role we play in teaching our children about sex and relationships. Our PSHE (Personal, Social, Health, and Economic) and RSE (Relationship and Sex Education) programmes utilise age-appropriate materials to enable pupils to learn about safeguarding, healthy and respectful relationships, and consent, as well as how to stay safe online. Our pupils are taught that sexual violence and sexual harassment are always wrong and about how to establish respectful, honest and positive relationships.
We have a variety of ways for children to raise any concern they have or to report abuse or harassment. Children can report their concerns anonymously by using the email stopbullying@stonarschool.com or approach any member of the school staff they feel comfortable talking to.
We are hear to listen to those who speak out and encourage anyone who has suffered abuse or has been affected by the Everyone Invited testimony to contact a member of the School’s pastoral care, medical or safeguarding team – you will be heard, we will listen and we will support.
We draw upon the support and advice of many different outside agencies. We will continue to work with them, our children, staff, parents and the wider community to identify what further actions we can take to ensure that every child feels safe at school, knows how to report and feels confident that when reporting they will be believed and their testimony acted upon.