1) Introduction

Whilst schools and Further Education colleges have a statutory duty to safeguard and protect children in their care, Higher Education institutions are not specifically named in their duty to safeguard and protect. However, we have a common law duty to take such steps to ensure that reasonably foreseeable harm does not occur by way of omissions or careless acts by the University. This is contextualised by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. In addition, the core business of CTE is to prepare trainees for a career working with children and young people in education, throughout which they will be subject to detailed statutory guidance. One of the underpinning principles of this is that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

Please note that policy and practice at CTE is aligned to KCSIE 2023 until 1 September 2024 when KCSIE 2024 takes effect.

All staff and trainees should follow a child-centred and coordinated approach to safeguarding that includes:

i. Schools and colleges and their staff are an important part of the wider safeguarding system for children. This system is described in the statutory guidance “Working Together to Safeguard Children".

ii. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all practitioners should make sure their approach is child-centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.

iii. No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. If children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.

iv. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as:

a. protecting children from maltreatment;

b. preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development;

c. ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and

d. taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

v. “Children” includes everyone under the age of 18. (KCSiE 2023)

Therefore, the Centre for Teacher Education (‘CTE’) has a dual responsibility in relation to safeguarding. This duty relates to the trainees who are enrolled on the PGCE course, and the children and young people that they encounter as part of their regulated activity. Included in this duty is that CTE will educate all PGCE trainees on their safeguarding responsibilities whilst they are on school-based placements.

This document outlines the departmental policy in relation to staff and trainee recruitment, training, and support as well as the process to be followed in the event of a safeguarding concern or a disclosure made to a staff member or a trainee. The specific nature of individual cases will determine whether University or school policies will apply, with the best interests of a child (or children more generally) always taking precedence. In cases of doubt, the matter should be referred to the Director of CTE for consideration in the first instance, who may consult the University of Warwick safeguarding lead. The relevant University policies and processes include:

• CTE Suitability Panel Terms of Reference
• University Safeguarding Policy
• University Child Protection Policy
• Prevent at Warwick
• Regulation 34; Determination of Fitness to Practice

Relevant legislation consulted includes:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups 2006
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
• The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• The Prohibition of Teachers 2015
• Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in particular Section 26 that refers to the Duty to Prevent within education.

2) Supporting Trainees to safeguard children

CTE is committed to training and equipping trainee teachers to safeguard children in accordance with their legal duty to keep children and young people safe.

CTE is committed to recognising diversity and ensuring anti-discriminatory practices. Through the curriculum, we instil in our trainees the critical imperative to protect the welfare of children and young people. In supporting trainees to develop as professionals, we give special consideration to trainees who:

• Have special educational needs (SEN) or disabilities;
• Have caring responsibilities;
• Show signs of mental health problems, or have a diagnosed mental health condition;
• May experience discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identification, or sexuality;
• Have English as an additional language;
• Are known to be living in difficult situations e.g. where there are issues at home, such as: substance abuse/misuse or domestic violence or where a family member has mental health needs;
• Are at risk due to either their own or a family member’s mental health needs.

In addition, trainees develop their understanding of children and young people in school settings who themselves experience these issues as well as those who are:

• young carers
• missing education;
• affected by parental substance misuse, domestic abuse and violence or parental mental health needs;
• looked after by the Local Authority, otherwise living away from home or were previously looked after;
• in receipt of support and services from a social worker
• vulnerable to being bullied, or engaging in bullying behaviours
• living transient lifestyles
• living in chaotic and unsupportive home situations
• vulnerable to discrimination and maltreatment on the grounds of race, ethnicity, religion, disability or sexuality
• at risk of child sexual exploitation (CSE) and/or child criminal exploitation
• at risk from or are involved with serious violent crime
• do not have English as a first language
• at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM)
• at risk of forced marriage
• at risk of being drawn into extremism

3) Key Contacts for Safeguarding and Child Protection

Designated Safeguarding Lead, Centre for Teacher Education: Rachel Cooper 

• For any concerns relating to trainee conduct the CTE Designated Safeguarding Lead should be the first point of contact.
• If a trainee has a concern regarding safeguarding policies and procedures within a school setting their initial contact should be with the CTE DSL.
• If a trainee has a concern regarding the conduct of staff, or other trainees, within their placement school they should report these to the Headteacher within their school if they feel able to, or alternatively the CTE DSL. 

Director, Centre for Teacher Education: Andy Hind

• For concerns relating to CTE staff conduct or CTE safeguarding policy or protocol the first point of contact should be with the Director, CTE. 

Head of Operations, Centre for Teacher Education: Carol Walker

• Operational compliance with safeguarding legislation is the responsibility of the CTE Head of Operations 

If trainees or partners have concerns that they would prefer to be addressed outside of the Centre for Teacher Education, they can contact the central Safeguarding team:

Central University Safeguarding Lead Contact: Andy Smith (Director of Wellbeing & Safeguarding)

 Further advice and guidance and practical support may be sought from the central university safeguarding team or the Local Authority Designated Officer by the Director or the DSL within CTE. 

Local Authority Designated Officer for Safeguarding 

CTE Staff and students can access the CTE online safeguarding referral online form. The form enables safeguarding concerns, or a specific incident, to be recorded alongside details of any action taken by the person completing the form. The disclosure form is available securely to the DSL and Deputy DSL within CTE as well as the CTE Director and the CTE Head of Operations.

If a staff member of a partner school would like to report concerns they can use the relevant contact details above or use the University's reporting form which can be found here: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/university-policies/safeguarding/reportform/ 

4) Staff policy 

A) Responsibilities 

All staff working in the Centre for Teacher Education are required to:

Annually:

• Read and understand the University of Warwick Safeguarding Policy;
• Read and understand the CTE Safeguarding Policy;
• Read and understand the annual safeguarding update/briefing by the Designated Safeguarding Lead;
• Adhere to trainee interviewing guidance issued (if involved in trainee recruitment);

Every two years:

• Complete Prevent training
• Complete Child Protection and Safeguarding Fundamentals training;

Every three years:

• Complete the Safer Recruitment Training (if involved in trainee recruitment);

On an on-going basis:

• Observe and comply with expected levels of conduct;
• Know how to deal with a disclosure from a trainee, or a pupil whilst conducting school visits;
• Report instances of actual or suspected abuse to the cohort lead/DSL/Director as appropriate;
• Be alert to the signs of abuse and how these may manifest.
• Have an awareness of statutory safeguarding guidance for schools KCSiE, with particular reference to Part 1, Part 5 and Annex B 

B) Vetting and induction

As teaching staff of the Centre for Teacher Education visit primary and secondary schools as part of their work for the University, an enhanced DBS check is required as part of the conditional job offer for their post. Any disclosures would be dealt with by the CTE Director and Recruiting Manager in conjunction with Human Resources, under the University’s Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy. Full Enhanced DBS are renewed for appointed staff on a three-yearly basis.

As part of staff induction, new teaching staff for QTS programmes are introduced to the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the Centre and made aware of the safeguarding procedures for staff and trainees. This includes the University’s Safeguarding policy as well as the CTE Safeguarding Policy and disclosures process.

All staff will be required to sign to confirm that they have read, understood and will comply with these policies. 

C) Ongoing training and development

CTE staff undertake annual professional development over a range of issues, including safeguarding of children and trainee wellbeing. Annual safeguarding briefings/updates address basic responsibilities, processes, the importance of safeguarding and updates in statutory guidance, in addition to receiving updates to process, policy and legislation via department communications and briefings throughout the year as necessary.

Staff of the Centre taking part in the recruitment of trainee primary and secondary teachers are Safer Recruitment trained every three years and receive annual guidance as well as update briefings as necessary.

D) Concerns about staff conduct or suitability

Any disclosures or concerns regarding CTE staff behaviour or suitability should be referred to the CTE Director and managed as set out in the safeguarding and disclosures process at Appendix A (below at footer of page).

5) Trainee policy 

A) Trainee responsibilities

All enrolled trainees are required to:

• Read and understand Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE, especially part 1, part 5 and Annex B;
• Attend all safeguarding lectures;
• Complete the Safeguarding Certificate of Competence available on CTE’s Moodle pages;
• Adhere to safeguarding and child protection protocols in operation in their placement settings;
• Observe and comply with the Trainee Code of Conduct. 

B) Suitability and Safe Recruitment

CTE recognises that safe recruitment practices are an essential part of creating a safe environment for children and young people. As an Initial Teacher Education provider CTE recognises that they are gatekeepers to the teaching profession. Consequently, CTE will ensure that all staff and trainees are suitable to work with children and young people and do not pose any threat to those they encounter. To this end all teaching staff and trainees must complete an enhanced DBS check and barred list check. In addition, all staff who interview PGCE applicants will have completed Safer Recruitment Training biannually as a minimum.

Applicants are vetted prior to interview by the recruiting teaching staff through consideration of their personal statement and references.

At interview, applicants have their identity verified relative to photo ID and are briefed about the DBS process. Trainees’ suitability to teach is initially vetted as part of the application and interview process, including exploration of applicants’ attitudes to and motivation for working with children, and their attitudes and commitment to safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.

Upon receiving a conditional offer, offer holders must achieve the following (in relation to suitability for training to teach) prior to gaining unconditional enrolment on the course:

• Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with barred list check
• Suitability Declaration
• ‘Health and Physical Capacity to Teach’ declaration stating that they understand the requirements of being a teacher and the activities that a teacher must be able to perform, as set out in the Education Health Standards 2003, and that they deem themselves fit to teach.
• Occupational Health survey (and subsequent medical assessment where relevant) to be declared ‘fit’ to train to teach
• Teachers Services Restriction List (sometimes called a Prohibition Order Check)
• Identification check (and confirmation of right to study in the UK where relevant)
• Certificate of Good Conduct and references from the relevant countries (if lived abroad in last 5 years for a period of 6 months or more)

A confirmation of a complete suitability vetting process ‘vetting check form’ per trainee is issued by the University of Warwick to the Lead School (School Direct trainees) or placement provider (University-led trainees) via secure transfer link. 

C) Safeguarding education and training for trainees 

Trainees receive a safeguarding lecture during their induction period and prior to the commencement of their school-based placements. This initial session focuses on KCSiE and the duty of all adults working within education, this includes best practice guidance on how to manage a disclosure or safeguarding concern. In addition, the lecture signposts departmental reporting protocols and advises how and where to seek support.

The PGCE curriculum includes safeguarding lectures and workshops termly as a minimum. The foci of lectures and workshops are aligned with the key areas identified within KCSiE, developing knowledge, understanding and best practice guidance to ensure that trainees are prepared to appropriately safeguard children and young people within their placement schools.

Placement schools ensure that all trainees are provided with a copy of their safeguarding policy, staff behaviour policy and pupil behaviour policy, and that they know who the Designated Safeguarding Lead is and how to report any concerns or disclosures. All placement schools will provide safeguarding training for all trainees on placement. 

D) Concerns regarding applicant or trainee conduct or suitability 

Should a disclosure, issue or concern arise as part of any element of offer holder vetting or whilst an enrolled trainee is on course, the individual and the matter will be referred to the CTE Designated Safeguarding Lead. If the concern relates to conduct with a child, the school investigation and subsequent LADO and/or police action will take precedent. After investigation by the CTE DSL, the matter is referred to the Suitability Panel who consider the case under the Suitability Panel Terms of Reference. Where the Suitability Panel decides that the threshold for suitability may have been reached, the case is referred to the University’s Fitness to Practice Committee.

Whilst there is any concern regarding an applicant’s suitability, full enrolment on the course, a full vetting check and participation in school placement will be withheld until the Suitability Panel or University Fitness to Practice Committee deems the applicant suitable to train to teach.

Whilst there is any concern or investigation regarding an enrolled trainee’s suitability, they will be removed from (at least) the school-based placement of their course and any assessment towards the recommendation for QTS will be withheld. Depending on the nature of the concerns or allegations, trainees may also be suspended from the University’s taught sessions until matters have been resolved.

CTE trainees and staff have the DSL contact details and disclosure form as outlined in 'key contacts' above.

Policy review schedule:

Policy to be reviewed annually ahead of the new academic year (and in year as required)

Policy last reviewed :

Pre-year update April 2024 (CTE Designated Safeguarding Lead, CTE Head of Operations)

Full review May 2022 (CTE Director, CTE Designated Safeguarding Lead, CTE Head of Operations, University of Warwick Designated Safeguarding Lead)

Quicklinks

Regulatory compliance

Information for partner schools