Setting

Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0300 123 1231 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Ms L Khalil Headteacher Darell Primary School Darell Road Richmond upon Thames TW9 4LQ

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Ofsted 2010 11 good practice survey: safeguarding in schools

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff, governors and pupils, during my visit on 19 October 2010 to look at work in safeguarding.

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Ofsted 2010 11 good practice survey: safeguarding in schools

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our publication about good practice in safeguarding in schools. The publication will include case studies about individual schools. If Darell Primary School is included as a case study, you will have an opportunity to comment before publication. Individual institutions will not be identified in the main text without their consent.

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Features of good practice

 The school has established clear policies and procedures to ensure its good commitment to the safeguarding of pupils. This responsibility is partly shared by members of the senior leadership team, governors and office personnel. This good practice ensures a consistency of approach by staff across the school when dealing with any issues raised by staff, parents or pupils.  The school makes good use of volunteers, support staff and offsite visits to enhance learning. The school has established a series of events which enhances the curriculum and extends learning by enabling pupils to safely leave the school accompanied by trusted and well-trained adults.  You, and other senior and office staff, have developed the roles of responsibility which ensures procedures are updated and regularly monitored. Good records, including regular risk assessments are kept and rigorously monitored and updated.  Arrangements for vetting staff, volunteers and contractors are thorough

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Features of good practice

and in line with the good guidance provided by the local authority. The local authority provides good ongoing support and good-quality training for staff and governors at the school.  Good, regular and relevant training is provided for staff, such as in child protection and first aid; expertise is constantly being developed among all staff and the governing body.  Pupils say they feel safe while at school but are also learning about how to keep safe while using information and communication technology and making visits outside the school.  Communication between staff, including volunteers, is good and ensures that they have detailed, up-to-date knowledge about individual pupils and their needs. A good system developed has been the welfare concerns book which is regularly reviewed at staff meetings and provides an informal log of minor incidences that occur in any class during each year. This informal

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Features of good practice

log is over and above official systems already established in the school.  Arrangements for risk assessments are thorough, regularly updated and changed to suit particular needs and circumstances. Governors play a key role in ensuring health and safety through their rigorous monitoring of the school site and classrooms. The school site is very secure.

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Features of good practice

I hope that these observations are useful as you continue to develop safeguarding in the school.

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Features of good practice

As explained previously, a copy of this letter will be published on the Ofsted website. It may be used to inform decisions about any future inspection. Except in the case of academies, a copy of this letter is also being sent to your local authority.

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