Mill House School maintains comprehensive child protection and safeguarding policies, procedures and training arrangements that reflect current statutory guidance and legal requirements, including Keeping Children Safe in Education (2026), the Children Acts 1989 and 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026) and the Independent School Standards.

All staff, governors, volunteers, contractors, third-party providers and regular visitors receive appropriate safeguarding information, guidance and training relevant to their role. Safeguarding training begins as part of our robust induction programme and is reinforced through annual safeguarding training, termly refresher sessions, fortnightly safeguarding bulletins and ongoing professional development.

As part of induction, staff are provided with key safeguarding documents, including:

• Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
• Staff Code of Conduct
• Online Safety Policy
• Acceptable Use of ICT Policy
• Behaviour Policy
• Whistleblowing Policy
• Low-Level Concerns Procedures
• Managing Allegations Against Staff Procedures
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (Part One)
• Staff safeguarding updates and guidance

All staff understand their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and receive regular updates to ensure their knowledge remains current.

Policies are available on request and key safeguarding policies can also be accessed via this website.

Reporting Concerns

Mill House School takes its safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously. Concerns about a child’s welfare, safety or wellbeing will be acted upon promptly and, where appropriate, referrals will be made to Children’s Social Care, the Police or other relevant agencies.

All staff understand their responsibility to take action if they are concerned about the welfare, safety or wellbeing of a child. Concerns are reported promptly in accordance with the school’s safeguarding procedures and are acted upon without delay. The welfare of the child is always our paramount consideration.

Any member of the school community who is concerned about the safety or welfare of a child should contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead or one of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads immediately.

Where necessary, the school works closely with:

• Children’s Social Care
• Family Help Services
• The Police
• Health Professionals
• Local Safeguarding Partners
• Social Workers
• Placing Local Authorities
• Other relevant agencies

The school recognises that safeguarding incidents can occur both online and offline. Through effective filtering and monitoring systems, online safety education and staff vigilance, we seek to protect pupils from online risks, including cyberbullying, exploitation, radicalisation, harmful content and online abuse.

Supporting Vulnerable Pupils

As a specialist school, we recognise that many of our pupils may be particularly vulnerable due to their special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), communication differences, mental health needs, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, previous adverse experiences or additional safeguarding factors.

We therefore take enhanced measures to promote safety, wellbeing and positive outcomes through:

• High levels of pastoral support
• Individualised and therapeutic approaches
• Bespoke curriculum pathways
• Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education
• Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
• Life Skills education
• Online safety education
• Positive behaviour support
• Pupil voice and participation
• Multi-agency working
• Individual risk assessments and support plans where appropriate

Listening to Children

At Mill House School, we place great importance on listening to our pupils and understanding their lived experiences. We actively encourage pupils to share any worries, concerns or safeguarding issues and ensure that they know who they can talk to if they need help.

We are committed to creating a culture where children feel safe, are listened to and know that their views will be taken seriously. We carefully listen to our pupils’ experiences and actively support them to make informed, healthy and safe choices.

Through building positive relationships, promoting emotional wellbeing and teaching children how to recognise risk, seek help and keep themselves safe, we help our pupils develop the knowledge, confidence and resilience they need both in school and beyond.

If you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm, contact the Police on 999. Non-urgent safeguarding concerns can be reported to the school’s safeguarding team using the contact details provided above.