Safeguarding
The Academy is committed to the vital contribution all governors and staff can make to safeguarding children. We will strive to make sure that every student in the Academy feels secure, well cared for, and able to reach their full potential.
We will ensure all our own staff, other professionals, parents/carers and students work together to know the rules about keeping children safe. They will understand the importance of following procedures and listening to each other, especially when there are concerns about safety. The Academy will work hard to reduce all the kinds of harm that children can suffer, including abuse, bullying, discrimination and avoidable injuries.
If you have any concerns at all about the safety or welfare of any child that attends our Academy please do not hesitate to contact us. The Academy Designated Safeguarding Lead and Prevent Lead is Ms O'Regan j.oregan@harrispeckham.org.uk and the safeguarding mobile is 07793 223572 (Available term time only 8:00am - 5:00pm). If there is any emergency please call Southwark MASH on 0207 525 5000 or the Police on 999.
If contact with the Principal or the Safeguarding team cannot be made, reports can be made to the Harris Federation Secondary Education Director, Ms Rebecca Hickey via 0208 253 7777.
A whistleblowing helpline is available from the NSPCC on 0800 028 02825.
Meet the HAP Safeguarding team
We have a fantastic safeguarding team who are always happy to support anyone who has a worry or a concern. We encourage all of our HAP community to reach out if you think anyone needs our help.
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads
- Student Welfare Officer – Ms Williams L.Williams@harrispeckham.org.uk
- Mental Well-Being Officer – Mr Ranger N.Ranger@harrispeckham.org.uk
- Education Welfare Officer – Ms Barrett A.Barrett@harrispeckham.org.uk
How to reach us...
You can also reach out to the safeguarding team (term time only 8:00am - 5:00pm) to report your worry or concern via the QR code below. All students have been given a copy of this.
E-safety
The online world is a wonderful place for young people to explore, with unprecedented opportunities for learning and creativity. But just like the real world there are risks and dangers they should be aware of, and which we can act to protect them from. Although the academy teaches students e-safety as part of the curriculum, it is vital that parents are aware of the risks too, and what they can do to develop a culture of e-safety in the home.
This page has some helpful resources for parents that will enable you to help your child stay safe online. If you have any concerns about your child's e-safety, there is always someone at the academy who is available to talk to you. Simply call the school and ask for our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Jessica O'Regan, or speak to any member of staff.
TikTok
TikTok is a very popular social media platform for young people. Download TikTok: What parents need to know, produced by the Metropolitan Police and National Online Safety. The leaflet also details key safety tips for parents.
Think You Know
The Think You Know website is created by the police for parents of children at secondary school. It contains useful information about:
- what children are doing online
- how to talk to children about what they are doing online
- what risks your child might face
- what tools are there to help them stay safe.
Think You Know have also produced a Parents' Guide to E-Safety and also the following booklets to provide parents/carers with helpful information on how to explore and monitor their children’s apps.
Sexting
The term ‘sexting’ describes the use of technology to share intimate images of yourself. It’s a word-mix of sex and texting. The content can vary, from text messages to images of partial nudity to sexual images or videos. For more information and guidance for parents and children visit the Childnet website.
Other useful resources
www.internetmatters.org - tools, tips and resources to help children benefit from connected technology smartly and safely
List of helpful online resources produced by Childnet
www.childnet.com – Visit the ‘Know It All’ Section for an interactive guide about online safety
www.getsafeonline.org – Free up-to-date security advice
www.ceop.police.uk – Website of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre
www.bbc.co.uk/onlinesafety – guidance about how to make the most of being online while staying safe.
www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware - the NSPCC has launched the Share Aware campaign which provides straightforward advice to parents on how to keep their 8-12-year-olds safe on social networks
https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/professionals-online-safety-helpline - resources for professionals working in the area of safeguarding with children and young people, but could be of interest to parents too
Gangs
A gang can be summarised as a group who see themselves and are seen by others as a gang, and for whom crime and violence are a central part of their activities. Children and young people face all sorts of pressures, including possibly feeling pressure to follow friends who may be in a gang. If you have any concerns or questions about gangs please do contact our safer schools police officer (contact details below). You might also like to read the Home Office leaflet Gangs: You and Your Child which gives advice to parents on gangs and how to help children make the right choices.
What is a 'money mule'?
More young people across the UK are being approached by criminals who want to use their bank accounts or pin numbers for criminal purposes. This is called being a ‘money mule’. A ‘mule account’ is used to hide money that comes from illegal activities. The young person may be asked to transfer money, allow access to their account or open up a new one. Sometimes criminals will try and force young people to become mules or they might offer financial incentives such as cash or mobile phone credit.
We need your support to help educate young people around this issue. Has your child been approached or asked for their bank account to be used? Check any bank statements. Is there money going in and out that cannot be accounted for? Ask questions if you are unsure about anything.
Bank accounts are private and must only be used by the account holder. Any misuse could not only be criminal but could cause serious credit issues for the account holder. Police are working in partnership with many schools across London to combat this issue. If you have any concerns, speak to your Safer Schools Police Officer (see below) and/or Action Fraud (www.actionfraud.police.uk) on 0300 123 2040.
Drugs networks ('County lines')
The National Crime Agency, the UK body charged with fighting organised crime, is very concerned that crime gangs are taking over drug networks using telephone hotlines (called 'county lines') and recruiting vulnerable people, often children, to act as couriers and to sell drugs. Please see our information sheet about 'county lines' and 'cuckooing' - the practice whereby professional drug dealers take over the property of a vulnerable person and use it as a place from which to run their drugs business.
Drugs - Edibles
Click HERE to read information for parents from the Metropolitan Police about edible drugs and what to look for on packaging that may look like sweets.
Harris Academy Peckham Mental health and well-being support
At Harris Academy Peckham we want every child to be able to reach out if they feel that they would like some extra support from either a member of staff or one of the specialist internal or external services that we work with. Mr Ranger N.Ranger@harrispeckham.org.uk is our student Mental Well -being Officer and he is responsible for ensuring all students receive a universal provision of mental health across our Academy. Every week approximately 80 of our students will see a specialist on our Academy site. We currently work with two psychotherapists, five life coaches (including a Spanish speaking life coach) and an expert mental health practionner. We also work very closely with local organisations such as The NEST, CAMHS, Young Roots Refugee support and St Christophers (bereavement specialists). Our basketball coach and governors also mentor students.
Mental Health Student Buddy Ambassadors
We are extremely lucky to be working with the amazing charity Joes Buddy line and we now have over 20 student buddy ambassadors. The charity have provided: training for our students with a psychologist, framed mental health support posters, a buddy bench and in the summer term they are providing the funding to transform our CALM SPACE. Mr Ranger meets with our Buddy ambassadors once every two weeks providing support and training across many different aspects of mental health. By September our buddy ambassadors will be trained by Rio Ferdinand Organisation to get a qualification in Mental Health First Aid. All of the above provides an extra layer of mental well-being support for our wonderful students.
If you feel that a child in our Academy could benefit from extra support please contact Mr Ranger on N.Ranger@harrispeckham.org.uk or another member of the safeguarding or pastoral team.
Mental well-being support
Local links:
- Southwark Council website
- Croydon Council website
- Lewisham Council Local Offer
- Lambeth Council Website
National or London organisations
- https://www.kooth.com/
- https://www.papyrus-uk.org/
- https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
- https://www.thenestsouthwark.org.uk/
- https://www.themix.org.uk/
- https://joesbuddyline.org/
- https://solace.org.uk/
- https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
- https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
Cost of living - HAP Community help
We are always here to support our HAP families and with the increases in the cost of living we will be doing as much as we can to support our HAP families. We make sure that no one in our Academy goes without food and if you require help in any way please reach out to us. Also, if you require help applying for Free School Meals then please contact us.
Every two weeks we give out bagels and cereals to the students for breakfast so please let us know if you wish to reserve some (email safeguarding@harrispeckham.org.uk)
Uniform – If you have uniform at home that no longer fits your child then please donate this to the Academy so we can give it to a family in need. Thank you to so many ex-students/parents/carers who have already donated items.
Every local authority has an advice page on the cost of living crisis:
- https://www.southwark.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/cost-of-living-support/financial-support-and-advice/southwark-council-cost-of-living-fund-scolf
- https://lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/cost-of-living
- https://www.croydon.gov.uk/get-help-rising-cost-living
- https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/cost-living-crisis-support
- https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/
Email us if you would like us to send you your local offer if your local authority isn’t one of the above boroughs.
Kids eat free
‘Kids eat free’ wasn’t invented as a direct response to the current crisis, but some shops have expanded, tweaked or highlighted their children’s meal offers in light of it.
- Asda - Kids eat for £1 at any time of day in any Asda Café in England and Wales, seven days a week, with no minimum adult spend required.
- Morrisons has a permanent 'kids eat free' offer for every adult meal purchased over £4.99.
- Aldi and Lidl are the cheapest supermarkets for weekly shops according to a recent survey by Which.
- Southwark Foodbank https://southwark.foodbank.org.uk/
- Peckham Pantry https://www.pecan.org.uk/peckham-pantry/
Food parcels
We are so lucky to be working with the charity MCKS who are kindly donating food parcels to us each week.
The range of products is amazing and so many of our families have benefitted from this support already. If you are in need of some extra help please email enquiries@harrispeckham.org.uk
