“Safeguarding lies at the heart of all things in this setting.”

Safeguarding at EDClass: Our Top Priority

EDClass is committed to the highest standards of safeguarding. Our platform and practices have been praised by Ofsted for their robust approach to student well-being.

Key Features

EDClass offers a wide range of Safeguarding DSL, SEND, DDSLs and Trauma support to assist your organisation and your most vulnerable students especially those that are absent from school, particularly repeatedly and/or for prolonged periods, and children missing education.

Secure Online Environment

EDClass provides a secure online platform specifically designed for learning. EDClass has a tailored alert system based on each student’s inactivity on the system. Absent students can be at risk of several dangers so they must be safeguarded even when they are not attending school. EDClass can fully safeguard these students.

Monitoring and Tracking

EDClass allows for detailed tracking of student activity, including login times, lesson completion, and interactions within the platform. This helps staff to identify patterns of disengagement or concerning behaviour, which can be indicators of underlying welfare issues.

Live Classroom Safety

All live interactions within EDClass are recorded, and in some cases, can be monitored live by schools. This offers an extra layer of transparency and accountability, ensuring that interactions between students and staff are appropriate. This feature is particularly important for safeguarding students in alternative provision settings where they may be working remotely or in smaller groups.

Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) and DDSLs

EDClass has a team of expert DSLs who are trained to a high standard. They provide guidance and support to staff, ensuring that safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented effectively. This expertise is vital for handling complex safeguarding cases and ensuring compliance with KCSIE. All EDClass staff receive mandatory safeguarding training, which covers key areas like child protection, online safety, and mental health awareness. This ensures that everyone who interacts with students is equipped to recognise and respond to potential safeguarding concerns.

Proactive Welfare Checks

EDClass staff actively monitor student well-being and engagement with learning. They may conduct proactive checks with students to ensure they are safe and well, especially those who are identified as being particularly vulnerable. This proactive approach helps to identify and address potential issues early on.

Effective Communication and Collaboration

EDClass emphasises strong partnerships with schools, multi-academy trusts, and local authorities.
They maintain open communication channels to share information and concerns about students' welfare. This collaborative approach ensures that students receive coordinated support from all relevant agencies.

A Trauma-Informed Approach

Our teachers employ a trauma-informed approach to safeguarding, medical and behaviour management, which recognizes the impact of traumatic experiences on students' behaviour, learning, engagement and well-being.

Targeted Interventions

By providing targeted interventions and additional support, EDClass helps to improve academic outcomes for all learners, raising the overall attainment levels of the MAT. Our teachers implement evidence-based interventions to address specific learning gaps and improve outcomes which are fully safeguarded.

How EDClass Supports Your Organisation

Enhanced Risk Identification

Our DSLs and DDSLs are trained in online safeguarding are better equipped to recognize the diverse and evolving risks that students face online. This includes:

  • Cyberbullying: Recognising subtle forms of online harassment and abuse.
  • Sexting and Online Sexual Exploitation: Understanding the dynamics of these situations and how to intervene.
  • Online Grooming: Identifying signs that a child may be targeted by an adult online.
  • Radicalization and Extremism: Being aware of how online platforms can be used to spread harmful ideologies.
  • Self-harm and Suicide: Recognizing online content that may promote or encourage self-harm.
Improved Response and Intervention

Our safeguarding team know the appropriate steps to take when a student is at risk online. This includes:

  • Knowing how to handle disclosures from students who have experienced online harm to all stakeholders.
  • Understanding when and how to report concerns to external agencies, such as social services or the police.
  • Implementing effective strategies to support the student and prevent further harm.
  • Being familiar with school policies and procedures related to online safety and learning within EDClass.
Proactive Prevention

Our safeguarding team can play a vital role in educating students, staff, and parents about online risks and how to stay safe. This includes providing guidance on responsible online behaviour and digital citizenship, and also working with parents to support their children's online safety at home.

Staying Up-to-Date

The online world is constantly changing, with new technologies and risks emerging all the time. Our DSLs and DDLs receive extensive online safeguarding training are committed to continuous professional development, ensuring they stay informed about the latest trends and best practices. This allows them to provide the most effective and relevant support to your students.

Supporting Vulnerable Students

Certain student groups may be particularly vulnerable to online risks. The EDClass safeguarding team, teaching team, SEND and Trauma have specialised knowledge can provide tailored support for:

  • Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), EHCPS and Risk Assessments: Recognizing how their needs may increase their vulnerability online.
  • Students experiencing mental health difficulties: Understanding how online experiences can exacerbate mental health issues.
  • Students from diverse backgrounds: Addressing potential cultural or linguistic barriers to online safety.
Collaboration and Communication

Our safeguarding team acts as a central point of contact for online safety concerns within the school. They facilitate communication and collaboration between:

  • Staff: Ensuring that all staff members are aware of their responsibilities.
  • Students: Creating open channels for reporting online safety issues.
  • Parents: Working in partnership to support online safety at home.
  • External agencies: Liaising with social services, police, and other organisations as needed.

In essence, the EDClass safeguarding DSLs and DDSLs are crucial for creating a safe and positive online learning environment for all students, but especially those who are most vulnerable. Their expertise and dedication help to protect students from harm and empower them to learn, engage, be safe and well.

How EDClass Aligns With KCSIE 2024

EDClass’s safeguarding practices are designed to align with the principles and requirements outlined in KCSIE 2024.

It’s important to remember that safeguarding is an ongoing process, and EDClass is committed to continuously improving its practices to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.

Our teaching staff are also trained at DSL level, list 99 checked, safer recruited and it is mandatory for all EDClass staff to be trained in:

ACT Awareness (Counter Terrorism)
ADHD
Advanced Child Protection
Anxiety
Aspergers
Autism
Bipolar
British Values
COVID-19 Psychological
CSE
Depression
Down's Syndrome
Eating Disorders
FGM
First Aid
Forced Marriage
Gangs and County Lines
Harmful Behaviour
Honour-based Violence
LGBTQ+
Mental Health
OCD
Personality Disorder
Phobias
Prevent
Prevent Referrals
Prevent Reporting Process
Safeguarding online
Schizophrenia
Self-harm
Suicide Awareness
Training Mental Health
Trauma
Understanding Vulnerable Adults
Understanding Vulnerable Children
Wellbeing
Emphasis on Online Safety

KCSIE places a strong emphasis on online safety, and EDClass's secure platform and monitoring features address this.

Focus on Vulnerability

KCSIE highlights the need to recognise and address the specific needs of vulnerable groups of students, which EDClass aims to do through its personalized learning and safeguarding support.

Multi-agency Working

KCSIE promotes collaboration between different agencies, and EDClass fosters strong partnerships with schools and local authorities.

Training and Awareness

KCSIE mandates comprehensive safeguarding training for all staff, which is a key component of EDClass's approach.

Contact Our Safeguarding Lead

Kim Light (Head of Safeguarding): kim.light@edclass.com or 01909 568 338

Discover How EDClass Can Improve Safeguarding in Alternative Provision