Information for Schools
Information for Schools
Schools, academies, alternative providers and early years education settings should all comply with statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education alongside Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Useful Information for Schools
Safeguarding in schools
By law schools must have the following safeguarding measures in place:
- safeguarding and child protection policy. This should be, reviewed annually.
Gateshead Safeguarding Children Partnership has a Gateshead Model Safeguarding Policy for Schools . This has been updated based on the updates in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 for use from 1 September 2026.
- a designated safeguarding lead (DSL). The DSL should be a senior member of staff, their training should be updated every two years, and a deputy DSL with the same level of training;
- a policy outlining procedures for the safer recruitment of staff;
- a single central record of all staff and volunteers used by the school;
- safeguarding training every three years for all staff and volunteers working with children in schools;
- an anti-bullying policy which prevents all forms of bullying and ensures pupils are safe to learn;
- procedure for passing child protection records to a receiving school;
- awareness of statutory requirements about forced marriage, extremism, female genital mutilation, child sexual exploitation, peer on peer abuse, domestic abuse and sexual violence;
- arrangements for pupils on work experience placements.
All schools are named as relevant agencies in the new multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and are therefore under a statutory duty to co-operate with the published arrangements and are required to follow the procedures. GSCP also offers advice, information and guidance to schools.
Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass is a unique police and education early intervention safeguarding partnership which supports children and young people exposed to domestic abuse. Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools before the start of the next school day when a child or young person has been involved or exposed to a domestic abuse incident the previous evening.
The information is given in strict confidence to a school’s key adult to enable support to be given dependent on the needs and wishes of the child. Each school should have a member of staff (key adult) who has been fully trained to liaise with the police and children’s social care, so are able to ensure the right support is made available to the child following the disclosure of a domestic abuse incident.
Operation Endeavour
This is an innovative project in which schools and colleges are participating, and which is run in partnership with Gateshead Council and Northumbria Police to safeguard children and young people at risk of harm from going missing.
Children who go missing from home are at risk of significant harm and they may be vulnerable to sexual exploitation, violent crime, gang exploitation, or to drug and alcohol misuse.
As a result, following any report of a child going missing to the police, the police will make contact with children’s social care who will then communicate relevant and necessary information to nominated school staff.
Each school has members of staff (key adults) who have been fully trained in liaising with the police and children’s social care when required, and will ensure that the necessary support is made available to the child or young person following their return.
Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit
The VRU educational resources programme, for both schools and community groups has evolved over time to be responsive to local needs and the subjects have been developed where gaps were identified.
There are a range of resources to support both young people, and practitioners.
For more information, view the educational programme or to book sessions, email [email protected]
Talk Relationships
Talk Relationships supports all UK secondary education settings to confidently deliver inclusive sex and relationships educatio enabling educators to engage, educate and empower young people.
This NSPCC site has customisable lesson plans, a new lesson on gender-based violence and real-life case studies. The resources are 100% free and include a growing library of lesson plans, elearning courses and the whole-school approach toolkit.
Anti-Bullying Alliance
The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) is the official organiser of Anti-Bullying Week and Odd Socks Day. Anti-Bullying Week 2026 will take place from 16th to 20th November, with the theme: Break the Silence
See their website linked above for information and watch their latest video created to shine a light on the impact of bullying – and how together, we can stand up for children facing it.
TWFRS: Just A Normal Day
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service are committed to addressing and reducing anti-social behaviour fires in Tyne and Wear. They work extensively with partners to identify vulnerable young people and strive to work with them to understand the risks and consequences of deliberate fire setting. TWFRS have produced a short film ‘Just A Normal Day’, using real life accounts of the devastating impact of a serious deliberate fire, from the perspective of the fire setters and the services working in prevention and response. This film was the result of six months of partnership working with Gateshead Council and Gateshead Youth Justice Service.
Accompanying resources for schools and youth workers can be downloaded here.
To find out more about the work TWFRS do, including their Fire Safety Intervention programme, please visit their website.
Virtual School
Gateshead Virtual School (GVS), is responsible for promoting the educational achievement of looked after children, wherever they live or are educated. It is also responsible for promoting the educational achievement of those children previously looked after and providing information and advice to parents and educators.
More information can be found here.
[email protected]
Social care and education colleagues can book a 20-minute Teams appointment with virtual school to discuss education matters using this link CSW Booking page
Quick links to useful information
