Kingsford Community School is delighted to announce that in a recent “deep-dive” review, the London Borough of Newham concluded that the school’s culture of safeguarding is exceptional. The findings from the review, one of the first of its kind, confirm that the school’s arrangements for ensuring that all its members are supported, cared for and nurtured are outstanding.

The 2-day review conducted by a team that was by the Local Authority’s Head of Learning and Achievement examined all aspects of the school’s safeguarding culture under three “lenses”:

1. Relational Safeguarding – the extent to which relationships between members of the school community promote a culture of safety, harmony, equality and respect, and how this impacts on the wellbeing and achievement of all in the school.
2. Environmental Safeguarding – the extent to which the school’s environment, both internal and external, online and physical, promotes a culture of safety, wellbeing, dignity, respect and community cohesion
3. Leadership of Safeguarding – the extent to which leaders and governors, including pupil leaders, promote a secure a culture where every member of the school community can achieve their goals to be successful.

The findings from the review identified areas of excellence in all three lenses.

In terms of relational safeguarding, the report concluded that “Kingsford Community School provides an inclusive and welcoming place for any member of the school community to be able to thrive in their day-to-day learning... This is because of the very clear vision, values, culture and ethos set by the Head Teacher and her leadership teams, supported by the governors, to welcome everyone into the ‘Kingsford family’, so they at all times feel cared for, valued, supported, recognised, and above all inspired to achieve the best they can, and in doing so can access the widest range of learning and enrichment experiences to support their own personal and professional goals.”

The report praised extensively the school’s environmental safeguarding, and particularly “the very warm, inviting, caring and professional welcome provided to pupils and staff each day”, together with school buildings that are “attractive, well maintained, and generous in size and scale to meet the needs of the school population”. The effective and carefully planned supervision of the environment means that pupils are safe and supported at all times.

According to the report, “the Head Teacher and senior leaders understand the pivotal importance of their role in the leadership of safeguarding the school community, and as such have well-established routines, protocols and practices for ensuring the school site, inside and outside, is a safe place for pupils, staff and visitors to enjoy.”

Perhaps the most encouraging finding from the report, was that the culture of safeguarding is so effectively embedded, permeating throughout the school. At Kingsford Community School, “safeguarding is everyone’s business”, with all community members working closely together to create a culture in which every individual can thrive and excel.

“I am delighted to receive this confirmation of what we already knew - that our school is truly exceptional, and a place where all members of the school community are kept safe and are supported to achieve great success and thrive within the Kingsford family”, said Head Teacher Joan Deslandes.