Telephone - Mrs English (Receptionist) Mrs Wood (Relief Receptionist) Mrs Bailey (Receptionist & Administration Officer) : 01474 566 484 Email : riverview@golden-thread.org
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School DSL Information & Policies

Overview

The Riverview Academy is a community and all those directly connected (staff, governors, parents, carers, families and pupils) have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure.

We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and realise the importance of providing an ethos and environment within the school that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; encourage them to talk openly; and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to.

We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice.

Designated Safeguarding Leads at Riverview:

The school follows the Kent Procedure for Safeguarding Children.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) within the school is:
Miss F Walsh (Deputy Headteacher & Inclusion Lead).

There are a further seven members of staff who have Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) roles. They are:

  • Mr J Keen (Headteacher)
  • Mrs M Baillie (Assistant Headteacher)
  • Miss E Huxley (Assistant Headteacher)
  • Mrs K Williams (Assistant Headteacher)
  • Miss A Gallyot (Assistant Headteacher)
  • Miss G Page (Family Liaison Officer)
  • Mrs V Heyworth (Teacher)

The named Safeguarding Governor for the school is: Mr H Patel.

Safeguarding Training at Riverview

Keeping children safe means keeping ourselves prepared.

All staff, volunteers, and governors at Riverview receive regular safeguarding training to ensure they understand their duties and can respond swiftly and confidently to concerns.

What training we provide:

  • Annual Safeguarding & Child Protection Training (in line with KCSIE)

  • Prevent Duty Awareness

  • Online Safety

  • Low-Level Concerns & Whistleblowing Procedures

  • Specialist Training for the DSL and DDSLs (updated biannually)

We also provide ongoing updates throughout the year, including safeguarding briefings, staff bulletins, and refresher sessions in response to new risks or guidance.

Our governors also receives annual safeguarding training and reviews safeguarding compliance regularly.

For our Safeguarding and Child Protection policies please click the button below:

Riverview Core Safeguarding Principles
  • It is a whole school responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as its paramount concern.
  • All children (defined as those up to the age of 18) regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, religion or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection.
  • All children have a right to be heard and to have their wishes and feelings taken into account.
  • All staff understand safe professional practice and adhere to our code of conduct and other associated policies.
  • All staff have a responsibility to recognise vulnerability in children and act on any concern in accordance with this guidance.
There are Four Main Elements to Our Safeguarding Policy
  • Prevention ( e.g. positive, supportive, safe school culture, curriculum and pastoral opportunities for children, safer recruitment procedures);
  • Protection (by following the agreed procedures, ensuring all staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to safeguarding concerns);
  • Support (for all pupils, parents and staff, and where appropriate specific intervention for those who may be at risk of harm);
  • Working with parents and other agencies (to ensure appropriate communications and actions are undertaken).
Safeguarding Children with SEND

(KCSIE 2026) Children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or certain medical or physical health conditions can face additional safeguarding challenges both online and offline.

Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure their child protection policy reflects the fact that additional barriers can exist when recognising abuse, neglect and exploitation in this group of children.

These can include:

  • assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child’s condition without further exploration
  • these children being more prone to peer group isolation or bullying (including prejudice-based bullying) than other children
  • the potential for children with SEND or certain medical conditions being disproportionately impacted by behaviours such as bullying, without outwardly showing any signs
  • communication barriers and difficulties in managing or reporting these challenges risks that they do not understand that what is happening to them is abuse
  • the need for intimate care or that these children are isolated from others
  • that these children are more likely to be dependent on adults for care, and
  • these children may have issues over cognitive understanding – being unable to understand the difference between fact and fiction in online content and then repeating the content/behaviours in schools or colleges or the consequences of doing so.
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