Higher Lane Primary School

Operation Encompass

Our school participates in a Police-led initiative called Operation Encompass, a scheme which ensures that we can better support any child where a domestic incident has been reported to Police from their home.

Following a domestic incident, the Police make contact with the school via telephone and communicate relevant information to nominated, fully-trained school staff. This ensures that we are made aware early enough to support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe, supported and listened to.

Each school has a member of staff called a key adult who is trained to liaise with the police, when required, whilst ensuring support is available to the child. 

We are committed to working in partnership with local relevant organisations to safeguard and protect children across Bury and provide the best possible care and support for our pupils.

You can find out more about Operation Encompass via the following: www.operationencompass.org 

Please also click here to find the Operation Encompass official document. 

PREVENT

As part of our safeguarding and child protection duties, we fully endorse the Government’s PREVENT strategy.

From July 1st 2015 all schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.” This duty is known as the PREVENT Duty For Schools.

At Higher Lane Primary school, we build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling our pupils to challenge extremist views.

The statutory guidance refers to the importance of PREVENT awareness training to equip staff to identify children at risk of being drawn into terrorism and to challenge extremist ideas. All our teaching staff have received training on what Prevent is about and how to deal with any issues they may see inside or outside school.

To see our policy relating to this, please visit the Statutory Policies page. 

Safer Recruiting

Higher Lane Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and safety of children and expect all staff to share this commitment.  Any candidate applying for employment at our school will undergo rigorous checks to ensure our children are safe at all times.  Checks continue to be carried out on staff and volunteers throughout their employment within our school.

Key members of our staff team and our Governors are trained in Safer Recruitment.  There is always at least one trained member of staff involved in the shortlisting, selection process and interview stage.

Our recruitment procedures are very robust and essential checks are made throughout the selection process. 

As part of our recruitment and selection procedures we:

• take up references from the applicant’s current or former employer, following up with the author of the
• references if there is anything that appears to be contradictory or incomplete.  The school reserves the right to
• contact present employers and any previous employer. Employers will be asked about disciplinary offences,
• including those which have expired.
• consider whether the candidate has the necessary physical and mental fitness to teach, including whether any
• reasonable adjustments are required to enable the individual to provide effective and efficient teaching
• (as required by the Education Health Standards (England) Regulations 2003).
• consider the flexibilities that exist to make appointments subject to the successful completion of a probationary
• period in order to provide the opportunity to assess an applicant’s suitability for the post over a period of time.
• ensure Disclosure and Barring Service Forms are completed and verified before employment commences
• (in line with Section 115 of the Police Act 1997).
• ensure every member of staff completes a Disqualification by Association declaration form about themselves
• and other adults living in their family home.
• check eligibility to work in the UK.

All school posts are exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, and so all criminal convictions must be stated, with dates.