POLICY AIM
This whole school policy aims to provide a practical guide to ensure that all staff know how to support young people who are affected by sexual violence and sexual harassment between children.

Principles
The principles which underpin this policy are largely covered in this document. Any repetition simply reflects the spirit of the guidance and mandate the school has in Keeping Children safe in the school and are stated below;

• The school has a whole school approach to safeguarding which means that all school policies practices should be underpinned by these core values (which are stated below)
• Sexual violence and sexual harassment can occur between two children of any age and sex from primary through to secondary stage and into colleges.
• It can occur through a group of children sexually assaulting or sexually harassing a single child or group of
• It can occur between teachers to teachers and/or teachers to students.
• Sexual violence and sexual harassment exist on a continuum and may overlap; they can occur online and face to face (both physically and verbally) and are never
• ‘It could happen here’. Gloryfield School makes reference to this statement but goes further to say ‘it does happen here’ and it is everyone’s responsibility to remain alert to the signs. Therefore, even if we do not have any reports of sexual harassment, violence or bullying we assume it is happening and we should consider and challenge the school culture
  • Do children feel safe to report it?
  • Do children understand how to report it?
  • Do children have enough suitable student voice to explain how they feel?
• A child abusing another child may be a sign they have been abused themselves or a sign of wider issues (domestic or not) that require addressing within the culture of the school or
• The school has ‘zero tolerance’ approach to behaviour around sexual violence and sexual harassment i.e. it will be taken seriously, ‘banter’ will always be challenged and reported and it will not be

The school’s role

• To create a safe environment in which young people feel comfortable and know how to disclose issues which worry them including sexual violence and sexual harassment
• To ensure all staff know how to manage a disclosure around sexual violence and sexual harassment
• To ensure all staff are trained to be aware of the signs of abuse and neglect (including sexual violence and sexual harassment)
• To provide education around safeguarding (including sexual violence and sexual harassment) which challenges everyday sexism and other protected characteristics.
• To ensure children understand that the law is in place to protect rather than to criminalise them
• To be proactive so that the school can work with statutory safeguarding partner

Definitions

What staff should be aware of

1. They should ensure their behaviours in school set the right example so that they stand out as good role models. This means not only challenging and reporting inappropriate behaviour with pupils but also challenging and reporting inappropriate behaviour between staff (or staff to pupils). This is also explained in the staff code of
2. They should be aware of the principles behind the school behaviour policies and what role they play in enacting these
3. They should be aware of reasonable force, what it is, how it can be used to keep children and young people
4. They should have a zero tolerance approach towards sexual violence and sexual harassment and should never see ‘banter’ or ‘just having a laugh’ as
5. They should be aware of what child on child abuse is, causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing to strip, touch themselves sexually or to engage in sexual activity with a third party is also abuse.
6. Children subjected to sexual violence and sexual harassment are likely to
   1. Be less motivated and therefore attainment in class will suffer
   2. Change in mood
   3. Change in physical appearance
   4. Change in friendship groups
   5. Change in attendance at school
   6. Change in possessions

1. Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are three times more likely to be abused than their peers.
   1. Additional barriers can sometimes exist when recognising abuse in SEND
   2. These can include: • assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child’s disability without further exploration; • the potential for children with SEND being disproportionately impacted by behaviours such as bullying and harassment, without outwardly showing any signs; and • communication barriers and difficulties overcoming these
2. All staff are responsible for being alert to any safeguarding concerns (including sexual violence and sexual harassment), to act on these concerns appropriately depending on the level of need eg if a pupil is at risk of immediate then the member of staff should act in their best interests.
3. All staff should be aware that effective record keeping is essential in supporting the child and therefore in each part of the school they should understand their role and how they support this. There is a broader element to this – ‘a whole school approach to preventing child on child sexual violence and sexual harassment’ – by which the school has in place suitable systems to ensure that staff can report abuse. This is covered in training.
4. Technology: staff should be aware that technology plays a significant role in many safeguarding and wellbeing
5. Older pupils: should be aware of the role they have in being good role models and in caring for others, intervening and reporting behaviour which falls below the standard expected within our behaviour and safeguarding policies.
6. How to manage a disclosure: see Appendices below

How staff deal with a disclosure around sexual violence or sexual harassment