• One of JCG’s core values is belong; we think that being safe, and feeling safe, is integral to your sense of belonging. It is this foundation of safety and belonging that allows you to aspire, inquire and excel.
• JCG is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, Governors and volunteers to share this commitment. We recognise that children have a fundamental right to be protected from harm and that students cannot learn effectively unless they feel secure. We therefore aim to provide a school environment which promotes self-confidence, a feeling of self-worth and the knowledge that students’ concerns will be listened to and acted upon.

• Be healthy
• Be safe
• Achieve
• Grow in a stimulating and nurturing environment
• Be responsible and respected
• Have a voice and be heard
• Move confidently into adulthood
• Have confidence, dignity and self-respect

A child is anyone under 18. Child abuse can take place when someone causes harm or when someone fails to take action to prevent harm. Children can be abused by adults and by other children (peer on peer abuse); abuse can happen in a family or community setting or elsewhere, and it can take place partly or wholly online.

There are four main categories of abuse:

• Physical abuse: includes hitting, shaking, suffocating and otherwise causing physical harm
• Emotional abuse: can involve making a child feel worthless and unloved, can involve bullying/cyberbullying
• Sexual abuse: includes unwanted sexual contact, but can also take place entirely online and involve sharing/sending of sexually explicit material
• Neglect: involves failing to meet a child's basic needs, including food, shelter, clothing and medical care

• There are many possible signs of abuse, and all staff at College are trained to spot these
• You might become concerned about a friend because they talk to you about something worrying or because you notice a change in their behaviour
• If you are ever concerned about your own safety, or the safety of another student at College, we are here to help

The first step is to talk to a trusted adult. This might be a parent or another family member, but you can also talk to any adult in College, including the following people:

• Your Tutor
• One of your subject teachers
• A school counsellor
• A member of the Student Support Team (e.g. your Head of School/Sixth Form)
• Mr Milner (the Designated Safeguarding Lead) or any member of the Senior Leadership Team

For more details, see the 'Who Can I Talk To' posters displayed in every classroom

• You will be taken seriously, regardless of what you are worried about or when it happened (sometimes, it takes a while to feel able to speak about things that worry us)
• The member of staff will listen to what you have to say and may ask you some open questions, such as 'is there anything else you'd like to tell me?'
• The member of staff will make a record (notes) of the conversation either during your discussion or immediately after
• The member of staff may need to pass on what you have told them, and they will discuss this with you

• If we have reason to be concerned about your safety, we will always act in your best interests and we will always talk to you about the steps we need to take in order to keep you safe
• Your welfare will be the priority, and you will always remain at the centre of the process; a member of staff will speak to you about anything we need to do to support you

• The full policy is available through our website: https://jerseycollegeforgirls.com/pages/about-jcg/our-policies-and-procedures
• The policy is reviewed every year; if you think there is something missing from the policy, which should be included, please speak to Mr Milner
• Thank you for reading the student version of this policy: keeping you safe is the most important thing we do at College