LEWES OLD GRAMMAR SCHOOL TRUST
50,000 - 55,000 per year
Lewes, Sussex
Full-time
Lewes Old Grammar School
Candidate Pack
Role: Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Responsible to: The Headmaster
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Introduction
Lewes Old Grammar School is an independent co-educational day school located in
the historic county town of Lewes, educating children from 3 to 18 years old.
The School encompasses traditional values combined with a forward approach to the
education of young people, and it is proud of the family ethos and community it
engenders. First established in 1512, Lewes Old Grammar School combines high
educational standards and small classes in a caring, well-mannered environment
together with economic fee levels. There is an extensive program of extra-curricular
activities running on Friday afternoons for Years 7-9 and many opportunities for
students to take part in music and drama activities.
Morley House caters for children from
three years old until the age of ten and
is located in an independent building in
a pleasant, residential area of Lewes.
The Senior School occupies four historic
buildings on Lewes high street. Here we
educate children from the age of 11
until the age of 18.
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
A Message from the Headmaster
I am very proud to have been Headmaster of Lewes Old Grammar School since 2003.
Our school is truly unique; a special place that nurtures talent of every type and excels
in promoting the personal development of our pupils.
Here we believe that every student should be known and valued as an individual and
given the confidence to develop and express their own thoughts. Excellent teaching
staff instil a lifelong love of learning against a backdrop of traditional values in a
positive and happy atmosphere.
At LOGS, safeguarding is a vital responsibility at the heart of everything we do.
The safety and wellbeing of our pupils underpin every decision we make, every policy
we write, and every lesson we deliver. As our Designated Safeguarding Lead, you will
play a central role in shaping and maintaining that culture ensuring that all students
feel safe, supported, and able to thrive.
This role calls for professional expertise, sound
judgement, and unwavering
commitment, but it also calls for compassion, clarity, and the ability to lead others in
understanding and fulfilling their safeguarding responsibilities. You will be a key figure
within the Senior Leadership team, working closely with staff, families, Trustees, and
external agencies to ensure that our safeguarding systems, processes and procedures
are both robust and responsive.
We look forward to hearing from applicants who can balance strategic oversight with
day-to-day operational leadership; someone who is both a trusted advisor and a
visible presence across the school. If you are passionate about safeguarding and
ready to make a meaningful difference in children’s lives, we would be delighted to
receive your application.
Robert Blewitt
Headmaster at Lewes Old Grammar School
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Working in Lewes
Most historians agree that Lewes’ name derives from the Old English ‘hlaews’ (‘hills’ or
‘mounds’) as Lewes is built into the slopes either side of the Ouse Valley. Located right
in the middle of the South Downs National Park, Lewes has been ranked as one of the
best places to live in the UK. As a thriving market town, it was also recently voted one
of Britain’s best independent high streets. Lewes has excellent transport links, with
regular train services to Brighton and Eastbourne, as well as direct journeys to London
Victoria.
By Bus
By Train
By Car
Lewes is just a short trip
on the 28 or 29 from
Brighton. There are also
regular 166 bus services
to Hayward’s Heath
which include stops in
Plumpton and Chailey.
Lewes station is a busy
commuter hub with two
trains per hour
to
London Victoria, plus
regular services running
to Brighton, Eastbourne,
Ashford and Seaford.
Lewes is situated just off
the A27 with quick links
to Uckfield, Hayward’s
Eastbourne,
Heath,
Seaford
the
and
Sussex
surrounding
towns and villages.
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Working at LOGS
Lewes Old Grammar School is a community which is moulded by the individual pupil’s
aspirations and needs.
At LOGS, we believe in investing in our staff in the same way. LOGS prides itself on the
expertise of staff in each subject area. Experienced and new teachers who join our
faculties will benefit from the wealth of specialism across the curriculum and the
excellent resources available to them.
Staff Benefits
Our benefits scheme is available to all members of staff, regardless of their role or
department. Currently our staff benefits package includes:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
School fee remission
Pension scheme
Death in service
Bike 2 Work scheme member
Subsidised and complimentary food
Counselling and employee assistance
24 hour online GP service
Social calendar of events
Subsidised yoga lessons
10
Subsidised sports club membership
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Purpose of the Role
To be part of the Senior Management Team with specific responsibility for
safeguarding and child protection (including online safety) for the whole school.
To lead the operational aspects of safeguarding, including but not exclusive to
providing advice and support to other staff on child welfare, safeguarding and child
protection matters, taking part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings, and
contributing to the assessment of children.
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Principal Duties
Managing Referrals
• Refer cases of suspected abuse and neglect to East Sussex children’s social care
as required.
• Support staff who make referrals to East Sussex children’s social care.
• Refer cases to the Channel programme where there is a radicalisation concern as
required.
• Support staff who make referrals to the Channel programme.
• Refer cases where a person is dismissed or left due to risk/harm to a child to the
Disclosure and Barring Service as required.
• Refer cases where a crime may have been committed to the Police as required.
• Liaise with agencies providing early help services and coordinate referrals from the
school to targeted early help services for children in need of support. Monitor any
cases referred to early help and consider referral to children’s services where the
situation does not improve.
• Follow up on all referrals in a timely manner to ensure that they have been safely
received and to obtain any relevant updates as necessary.
• Report any accidental injuries, which have occurred within an Early Years setting,
to Ofsted and the relevant SLES consultant in the Early years Improvement Team
Working With Others
• Manage issues especially ongoing enquiries under section 47 of the Children Act
1989 and police investigations.
• Liaise with the three safeguarding partners and work with other agencies in line
with Working Together to Safeguard Children.
• NSPCC – When to call the police will be used to help the DSL understand when
they should consider calling the police and what to expect when they do.
• As required, liaise with the “case manager” and the designated officer(s) at the
local authority for child protection concerns in cases which concern a staff
member.
• Manage the DSL and SGO team and meet regularly with the team to discuss issues
and concerns.
• Liaise with staff (especially teachers, pastoral support staff, school nurses, IT
Technicians, senior mental health
leads and special educational needs
coordinators (SENCOs) on matters of safety and safeguarding (including online
and digital safety) and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with
relevant agencies.
liaise with the senior mental health lead and, where available, the Mental Health
Support Team, where safeguarding concerns are linked to mental health;
•
• promote supportive engagement with parents and/or carers in safeguarding and
promoting the welfare of children, including where families may be facing
challenging circumstances;
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Working With Others Cont.
• work with the head teacher and relevant strategic leads, taking lead responsibility
for promoting educational outcomes by knowing the welfare, safeguarding and
child protection
in need are experiencing, or have
experienced, and identifying the impact that these issues might be having on
children’s attendance, engagement and achievement at school.
This includes:
issues that children
•
o ensuring that the school knows who the cohort of children who have or
have had a social worker are, understanding their academic progress and
attainment, and maintaining a culture of high aspirations for this cohort;
and,
o support teaching staff to provide additional academic support or
reasonable adjustments to help children who have or have had a social
worker reach their potential, recognising that even when statutory social
care intervention has ended, there is still a lasting impact on children’s
educational outcomes.
• Act as a source of support, advice and expertise for all staff.
• Cooperate with Children’s Social Care for enquiries under section 47 of the
Children Act 1989.
• Attend, or ensure other relevant staff members attend, child protection
conferences, core group meetings and other multi-agency meetings, as required.
• Liaise with other agencies working with the child, share information as appropriate
and contribute to assessments.
• Be responsible for online safety.
Training
The designated safeguarding lead (and any deputies) will undergo training to provide
them with the knowledge and skills required to carry out the role. This training will be
updated at least every two years. The DSL will undertake Prevent awareness training.
This training will provide the DSLs with a good understanding of their own role, how to
identify, understand and respond to specific needs that can increase the vulnerability
of children, as well as specific harms that can put children at risk, and the processes,
procedures and responsibilities of other agencies, particularly children’s social care,
so they:
• understand the assessment process for providing early help and statutory
intervention, including the East Sussex continuum of need and the SPOA referral
arrangements;
• have a working knowledge of how East Sussex conduct a child protection case
conference and a child protection review conference and be able to attend and
contribute to these effectively when required to do so;
• understand the importance of the role the DSL has in providing information and
support to children social care in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children;
• understand the lasting impact that adversity and trauma can have, including on
children’s behaviour, mental health and wellbeing, and what is needed in
responding to this in promoting educational outcomes;
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Training Cont.
• are alert to the specific needs of children in need, those with special educational
needs and disabilities (SEND), those with relevant health conditions and young
carers;
• understand the importance of information sharing, both within the school, and
with the safeguarding partners, other agencies, organisations and practitioners;
• understand and support the school with regards to the requirements of the Prevent
duty and are able to provide advice and support to staff on protecting children
from the risk of radicalisation;
• are able to understand the unique risks associated with online safety and be
confident that they have the relevant knowledge and up to date capability
required to keep children safe whilst they are online at school;
• can recognise the additional risks that children with special educational needs
and disabilities (SEND) face online, for example, from online bullying, grooming
and radicalisation and are confident they have the capability to support children
with SEND to stay safe online;
• obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses;
and,
• encourage a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and
feelings, among all staff, in any measures the school may put in place to protect
them.
Raise Awareness
The designated safeguarding lead will:
• organise whole school safeguarding and child protection training for all staff
members annually and provide regular ongoing updates throughout the year;
• ensure each member of staff has access to, and understands, the school’s child
protection policy and procedures, especially new and part-time staff;
• ensure the school’s child protection policy is reviewed annually (as a minimum)
and the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly,
and work with the governing body regarding this;
• ensure the child protection policy is available publicly and parents are aware of
the fact that referrals about suspected abuse or neglect may be made and the
role of the school in this;
link with the safeguarding partner arrangements to make sure staff are aware of
any training opportunities and the latest local policies on local safeguarding
arrangements; and
•
•
• help promote educational outcomes by sharing the information about the
welfare, safeguarding and child protection issues that children who have or have
had a social worker are experiencing with teachers and school leadership staff.
This will include ensuring that the school, and staff, know who these children are,
understand their academic progress and attainment and maintain a culture of
high aspirations for this cohort; supporting teaching staff to identify the challenges
that children in this group might face and the additional academic support and
adjustments that they could make to best support these children.
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Raise Awareness Cont.
• Ensure that staff understand that children who have a social worker due to
safeguarding or welfare needs may need this help due to abuse, neglect and
complex family circumstances. A child’s experiences of adversity and trauma can
leave them vulnerable to further harm, as well as educationally disadvantaged in
facing barriers to attendance, learning behaviour and positive mental health.
• Where children need a social worker, this will inform decisions about safeguarding
(for example, responding to unauthorised absences or missing education where
there are known safeguarding risks) and promoting welfare (for example,
considering the provision of pastoral and/or academic support, alongside action
by statutory services).
• Ensure that staff are aware that mental health problems can, in some cases, be
an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or
exploitation.
• Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a
mental health problem. Staff however, are well placed to observe children day-
to-day and identify those whose behaviour suggests that they may be
experiencing a mental health problem or be at risk of developing one.
• Where children have suffered abuse and neglect, or other potentially traumatic
adverse childhood experiences, this can have a lasting impact throughout
childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. It is key that staff are aware of how
these children’s experiences, can impact on their mental health, behaviour and
education.
If staff have a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding
concern, immediate action should be taken, following the safeguarding and child
protection policy and speaking to the DSL.
•
Child Protection Files
The DSL will ensure that child protection files are kept up to date and that information
will be kept confidential and stored securely.
Records will include:
• a clear and comprehensive summary of the concern;
• details of how the concern was followed up and resolved;
• a note of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome
The DSL will ensure that files are only accessed by those who need to see them and
where files or content are shared, this will happen in line with information sharing
advice and guidance.
Where children leave the school to join another (including in year transfers), the DSL
will ensure their safeguarding and child protection file is transferred to the school as
soon as possible, and within 5 days for an in-year transfer or within the first 5 days of
the start of a new term. This will be transferred separately from the main pupil file,
ensuring secure transit, and confirmation of receipt should be obtained.
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Child Protection Files Cont.
Receiving schools should ensure key staff such as DSLs and SENCO or the named
person with oversight for SEN in colleges, are aware as required.
Because a lack of information about their circumstances can impact on a child’s
safety, welfare and educational outcomes, in addition to the safeguarding and child
protection file, the DSL will also consider if it would be appropriate to share any
information with the new school in advance of a child leaving to help them put in
place the right support to safeguard this child and to help the child thrive in the new
school or college.. For example, information that would allow the new educational
establishment to continue supporting victims of abuse and have that support in place
for when the child arrives.
Where a parent/carer has expressed their intention to remove a child from the school
with a view to educating at home, the DSL will liaise with East Sussex Elective Home
Education (EHE) Team to ensure that any safeguarding concerns (should there be
any) are shared adequately with them, so as to inform next steps.
Availability
During term time the DSL or a deputy will always be available (during school hours) for
Staff in the school to discuss any safeguarding concerns.
Where any activities take place outside of regular school hours, the school will ensure
that the DSL or a DDSL is available to be contacted during this time.
Providing Support to Staff
Training will support the DSL in developing expertise, so they can support and advise
staff and help them feel confident on welfare, safeguarding and child protection
matters. This includes specifically to:
• ensure that staff are supported during the referrals processes; and
•
support staff to consider how safeguarding, welfare and educational outcomes
are linked, including to inform the provision of academic and pastoral support.
Understanding the Views of Children
It is important that children feel heard and understood at our school. Therefore, the
DSL will be supported in developing knowledge and skills to:
• encourage a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and
feelings, among all staff, and in any measures the school may put in place to
protect them; and
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Understanding the Views of Children Cont.
• understand the difficulties that children may have in approaching staff about their
circumstances and consider how to build trusted relationships which facilitate
communication.
Holding and Sharing Information
Due to the critical importance of recording, holding, using and sharing information
effectively the DSL will be equipped to:
• understand the importance of information sharing, both within the school, and
with other schools and colleges on transfer including in-year and between primary
and secondary education, and with the safeguarding partners, other agencies,
organisations and practitioners;
• understand relevant data protection legislation and regulations, especially the
Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK
GDPR); and
• be able to keep detailed, accurate, secure written records of concerns and
referrals and understand the purpose of this record-keeping.
Quality Assurance
• Monitor the implementation of and compliance with policy and procedures,
including periodic audits of child protection and welfare concerns files (at a
minimum twice a year) and lessons learnt.
• Complete an audit of the schools safeguarding arrangements at frequencies
specified by local Safeguarding Partners.
• Provide regular reports, to the governing body detailing changes and reviews to
policy, training undertaken by staff members and the number of children with child
protection plans and other relevant data.
•
Take lead responsibility for remedying any deficiencies and weaknesses identified
in safeguarding and child protection arrangements.
Other
•
To line manage the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and promote their
development.
• Other tasks and responsibilities as required by the Headmaster and Trustees
including but not limited those required by Keeping Children Safe In Education
(KCSIE).
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Desirable Criteria
Qualifications
& Training
Evidence of continuing and relevant
professional development in the
field of safeguarding
Experience
Experience of working in a
safeguarding environment
Experience of providing training to
colleagues
Knowledge &
Understanding
Knowledge and commitment to
child protection, health and safety,
equal opportunities and SEN/
inclusion
Knowledge of health and safety
procedures
Experience of working in schools
Experience of working in the independent
sector
Experience of working as a Social Worker
in Child Services or Family Services
An understanding of the independent
school sector
Skills & Abilities Ability to effectively deal with a
range of people: internal and
external colleagues, agencies and
stakeholders
Ability to observe and assess
children’s development
Record keeping and reporting
Ability to form appropriate
relationships with young people
Adaptable and flexible and the ability to
cope with changing needs
Emotional resilience in working with
challenging behaviours
Caring, friendly, approachable,
open, welcoming and personable
Outstanding communication skills
Proactive and positive team player,
able to work constructively as part
of a team
Ability to work under direction but
use own initiative
Ability to maintain confidentiality
Reflective approach and
commitment to personal
development
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634
Terms and Benefits
Start Date - As soon as can be arranged with the successful candidate.
Working hours - This is a full-time role throughout the year. Core office hours are
Monday to Friday 8.00 - 17.00. This is a senior role with fluctuating demand and the
holder will be expected to work the hours needed to achieve their objectives.
Holiday - The holiday entitlement is 35 days per year plus public holidays. It is expected
that holiday will normally be taken in school holidays.
Salary - The starting salary will be between £50,000 - £55,000.
Pension - A contributory pension scheme is offered together with death in service
benefit.
Lunch - Subsidised lunch is available in the dining room each working day when the
kitchens are open.
Gym - Subsidised sports club membership.
Fees - School fees remission for dependents of the job holder attending the School; if
not already at the school, any child would have to meet all of the normal entrance
requirements.
Further Details
Applications must be made using the school’s Application Form, Equal Opportunities
Form along with a covering letter of application, including full contact details of two
referees. CVs will not be accepted without a completed application form.
Lewes Old Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare
of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this
commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo Child Protection screening
appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers, the Disclosure and
Barring Service and sign a self-disclosure form.
Contact us
01273 472634
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS
HR@logs.uk.com
www.logs.uk.com
HR@logs.uk.com
140 High Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1XS 01273 472634