LSCBLocal Safeguarding Children Board Northamptonshire

Schools Audits

The NSCP 2021/22 Schools Audit process is currently underway all returns should be back with the NSCP by Friday January 2022, if you have not received an email with the template attached it can be found at the bottom of this page.

Schools audits are carried out in accordance with the details given in Working Together 2018 below, and is provided in an Excel spreadsheet, for completion by the School.

Working Together 2018 states:

  • the legislative requirements and expectations on individual services to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; and
  • the responsibility for the joining up of services rests with the three safeguarding partners (Police, Health and Local Authority) who have a shared and equal duty to make arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in a local area.

Schools and Colleges

11. The following have duties in relation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children:

  • governing bodies of maintained schools (including maintained nursery schools), further education colleges and sixth-form colleges
  • proprietors of academy schools, free schools, alternative provision academies and non-maintained special schools . In the case of academies and free school trusts, the proprietor will be the trust itself
  • proprietors of independent schools
  • management committees of pupil referral units .

12. This guidance applies in its entirety to all schools.

13. Schools, colleges and other educational settings must also have regard to the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education, which provides further guidance as to how they should fulfil their duties in respect of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in their care .

As previously the outcomes will be used to inform local priorities, training needs and ensure schools receive the right information to meet their specific needs regarding the safeguarding of children and young people in their care. The audit also ensures that all schools are aware of and are implementing the recommendations made as a result of recent Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews (CSPR) findings in Northamptonshire.

Upon completing your audit, you will have a concise document to evidence the outcomes that can be passed to your Board of Governors. You will also have an automatically populated school action plan to address any areas you may not be fully compliant with.

2021 / 2022 Schools Audit Template

2021 / 2022 Guidance Notes

Last updated: 25 November 2021

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