safeguarding
At Avanti House Primary School, the pupil’s welfare is of paramount importance. We fully recognise the contribution that we can make to protect children and support pupils in our school. We believe that it is everybody’s responsibility, within our school community, to safeguard and protect children.
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At Avanti House Primary School, the pupil’s welfare is of paramount importance. We fully recognise the contribution that we can make to protect children and support pupils in our school. We believe that it is everybody’s responsibility, within our school community, to safeguard and protect children.
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We recognise the following four elements as pivotal to our responsibilities:
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Prevention (e.g. positive school atmosphere, teaching and pastoral support for pupils, safer recruitment procedures);
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Protection (by following agreed procedures, ensuring staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to Child Protection concerns);
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Support (to pupils and school staff and to children who may have been harmed or abused);
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Working with parents (to ensure appropriate communications and actions are taken).
Our Safeguarding Team: If you have any concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child please contact a member of the safeguarding team at safeguarding.ahp@avanti.org.uk
Our Safeguarding Team
If you have concerns over a child’s safety, it is your responsibility to inform the designated teacher immediately.
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All concerns are taken seriously and confidentially on a need-to-know basis.
Tim Burns
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Lalita Joshi
Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Anjali Pant
Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Monica Solanki
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Out of Hours
If you have a concern and the school is not open, please contact the London borough of Harrow Safeguarding Team:
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Golden Number: 020 8901 2690
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MASH: Emergency Duty team, weekends, bank holidays and between 5 pm and 9 pm during the week: 020 8424 0999
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Emergency Duty Team: 01454 615 165
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Police: 101 or for immediate emergency: 999
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FGM – Mandatory reporting Police on 101 – Initial referrals via MASH/Golden Number above (For ongoing cases)
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Local Authority Designated Officer for Allegations (LADO):Rosalind South. Tel: 07871 987254
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Children and Young People with Disabilities 0-25 years: click here
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Local Multi Agency procedures (& links to Pan London procedures), guidance and Training:
Whistleblowing
The Avanti Schools Trust Policy can be found here
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Whistleblowing Advice Line: The NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line is available 8am-10pm Monday to Friday and 9am-6pm at the weekend.
However, you can email help@NSPCC.org.uk at any time. It’s free and you don’t have to say who you are. If you think a child is in immediate danger, please call the police on 999 straight away.
Call 0800 028 0285
More information can be found here
Safeguarding Curriculum
Safeguarding is of high importance, and we want to teach each and every one of our pupils how to stay safe in and outside of school.
We ensure that opportunities are identified in the taught curriculum and wider curriculum for pupils to learn about safeguarding.
We are sensitive in our teaching and recognise that some more sensitive subjects need to be taught at an age appropriate level, or by specialist services or one-to-one level where a more urgent need arises.
Operation Encompass
Our school is part of Operation Encompass which is a national scheme that operates jointly between schools and police forces. Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools when a child or young person has experienced or witness domestic abuse, gone missing, or has an Adverse Childhood Experiences.
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As a school, we ensure that a member of our staff (Designated Safeguarding Lead) has been trained in Operation Encompass procedures allowing us to use the information which has been shared, in confidence, to support child(ren) in our care.
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The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 identifies children who experience or witness domestic abuse as victims in their own right. We are keen to offer the best support to all our students and we believe this will be extremely beneficial for all those involved.
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NSPCC: 0800 800 5000
Childline: 0800 1111
Compass Elevation (Harrow Drug and Alcohol Service) is a free confidential service for 5 to 24 year olds who need support around their own or another person’s drug or alcohol (substance) use. For more information click here
Support for Parents and Pupils
The following sections provide useful links to further information.
Addiction
SupportLine - SupportLine provides a confidential telephone helpline offering emotional support to any individual on any issue. The Helpline is primarily a preventative service and aims to support people before they reach the point of crisis. SupportLine is open to any individual of any age. Calls are received from children, young adults and adults.
Frank - Talk to Frank for facts, support and advice on drugs and alcohol.
Bereavement
Childhood Bereavement Network - A hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families across the UK.
Grief Encounter - We work closely with individuals, families, schools and professionals to offer a way through the anxiety, fear and isolation so often caused by grief.
Hope Again – Supporting young people coping with bereavement and living after loss.
Winston's Wish – Supporting children and their families after the death of a parent or sibling.
Bullying
Anti-Bullying Alliance - The Anti-Bullying Alliance is a coalition of organisations and individuals that are united against bullying.
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Bullying UK - Bullying UK, part of Family Lives, is a leading charity providing advice and support to anyone affected by bullying.
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Ditch the Label - Advice, information and tips for young people who are being bullied or are affected by bullying.
Children Missing
Runaway Helpline - Runaway Helpline is here if you are thinking about running away, if you have already run away, or if you have been away and come back.
Crime
Fearless - Fearless is a service that allows you to pass on information about crime 100% anonymously.
Domestic Abuse
Wellbeing Connect Services (WCS) – offers a one-stop-shop care approach to families experiencing mental health and domestic abuse through variety of services.
Refuge - Refuge supports women, children & men experiencing domestic violence with a range of services.
Honour-Based Abuse
AFRUCA - AFRUCA works in UK BAME communities to protect and safeguard children from abuse and harm.
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Karma Nirvana - Karma Nirvana is an award-winning British human rights charity supporting victims of honour-based abuse and forced marriage.
Housing
Shelter - Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support, and legal services.
LGBTQ+
Stonewall - Information and support for LGBTQ+ communities and their allies.
Mental Health
Anxiety UK - Anxiety UK is a national registered charity for those affected by anxiety, stress and anxiety based depression.
Beat - Beat is the UK's eating disorder charity. We exist to end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders.
CALM - The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide.
Harmless - Harmless is a passionate organisation who works to address and overcome issues related to self-harm and suicide.
Heads Together - Heads Together work to ensure that people feel comfortable with their own and their friends and family everyday mental health and well being.
MindEd - MindEd for Families has advice and information from trusted experts and will help you to understand what problems occur, what you can do to best support your family, and how to take care of yourself.
Samaritans – Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide
Self Harm UK – Access to Alumina. Alumina is a free, online 7 week course for young people struggling with self-harm.
Young Minds - The UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people's mental health.
Online Safety
Thinkuknow - Thinkuknow is the education programme from NCA-CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline.
UK Safer Internet Centre - Advice about smartphones, gaming devices, tablets and other internet-connected devices.
Net Aware - Your guide to apps, games and social media sites.
Parent Support
Click – Click is a unique service providing early intervention relationship support from a mobile-friendly platform. Individuals, couples, families and professionals can use Click to access helpful, evidence-based support from a secure, mobile-friendly space.
DAD.Info – Europe’s largest advice and support website for fathers. It celebrates the changing role of Dads with engaging, helpful, practical, entertaining resources and content for every stage of their journey. It is home to the largest connected community of active, involved Dads through its interactive forum, providing great peer to peer support and advice for what can be one of the most challenging and rewarding life experiences.
Netmums – The UK’s most relevant, inclusive and supportive parenting community, welcoming millions of parents every month to explore forums, parenting content, recipes, local listings, product reviews and courses.
Relate – The UK's largest provider of relationship support. Here to help you make the most of your couple and family relationships, past, present or future. Services include Relationship Counselling for individuals and couples, Family Counselling, Mediation, Children and Young People's Counselling.
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Place2Be - Parenting advice from child mental health experts, practical tips to support children’s wellbeing and behaviour
Sexual Abuse
The Havens - support anyone in London who has been raped or sexually assaulted in the past 12 months including men, women, young people and children of all ages. The service offers treatment, advice and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Mosac - Mosac helps all non-abusing parents and carers whose children have been sexually abused.
Stop It Now - Stop It Now! offers anonymous and confidential support to help you prevent child sexual abuse.
The Lucy Faithful Foundation - The Lucy Faithfull Foundation is the only UK-wide child protection charity dedicated solely to preventing child sexual abuse.
“Difference is celebrated here, everyone is included and pupils are inquisitive about what they can learn from other cultures. ”
Ofsted, May 2025