When the new edition of Keeping Children Safe in Education was published last Tuesday, a whole host of organisations began to offer their views on the changes and marketed CPD to support people with implementing the new version of the document.
We all read the changes with a different lens. Often the first people who analyse the document are those who specialise in the area. This could be colleagues whose main day to day focus is around safeguarding whether as a DSL or someone who supports DSL’s.
As an experienced system leader, I have to be aware of the changes in KCSIE but this is not my whole world so I probably take a slightly different view. I found a copy of the new KCSIE which was highlighted to show the differences from 2022 in the LinkedIn feed of Lorna Ponambalum. As a I read through the document I made some notes covering what appeared to be the most significant changes to me.
“Life could have been very different but then
‘Something changed, Pulp’
Something changed”
KCSIE 2023 appears to be tightening up areas that many school leaders are probably already doing rather than providing significant new threads of work. However as we are all aware, ‘life could be very different’ for school leaders who do not tie up these loops. Below are my thoughts on the three key areas which we need to ensure are included in our systems and processes.
1. Children absent from education
There were a number of references to children who were missing education for prolonged reasons. This is not surprising that this is a focus with the significant changes in pupils attendance figures and the anecdotal information from school leaders from OFSTED inspection of inspectors tenacity at considering whether schools are ‘eyes on’ those most vulnerable children. This represents the realisation that we are keeping the children safe who are missing education in addition to those who are in education. We need to continue to look at our processes as to how we are keeping ‘eyes on’ on those children who are not in our schools for a whole range of reasons.
2. Filtering and Monitoring
The way in which schools filter and monitor young people’s use of the internet also received repeated mention. In paragraph 14 which discusses staff training, it explains that filtering and monitoring now needs to be covered in training, ‘(including online safety which, amongst other things, includes an understanding of the
expectations, applicable roles and responsibilities in relation to filtering and monitoring –
see para 141 for further information)’. In annex A, page 136 this is re-iterated: ‘Receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training (including online safety which, amongst other things, includes an understanding of the expectations, applicable roles and responsibilities in relation to filtering and
monitoring).
We need to look at our staff training at the begining of the year and consider how we ensure that our staff understand their roles and responsibility with respect to filtering and monitoring.
3. Recruitment and on-line checks
Communicating with shortlisted candidates the requirement for on-line checks is also covered. So in footnote 221, ‘Clarification that it is good practice for schools to inform shortlisted candidates that online searches will be carried out’ is now included. We need to ensure that our recruitment pocesses highlight to candidates that we will complete online searches after they have been shortlisted.
What are your key points?
It would be interesting to consider what key points other school and system leaders are looking to address following their reading of KCSIE 2023.
Next steps:
- Ask your DSL to provide you an update on their thoughts of the changes and see how they compare to these thoughts.
- If you are DSL, have a look at page 177 of the new KCSIE which gives a useful summary of the changes from 2022.
- Ensure processes are in place for keeping ‘eyes on’ on those children who are not in school for a whole range of reasons.
- Ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibility with respect to filtering and monitoring.
- Ensure recruitment processes highlight to candidates that online searches will be completed after shortlisting prior to interview
References:
Keeping children safe in education 2023
Keeping children safe in education 2023 statutory guidance with changes highlighted in green.
The Author
Paul K Ainsworth is an experienced system leader and facilitator. His latest book, ‘No Silver Bullets: Day in, day out school improvement’ was published in February 2021 which contains 108 strategies for improving schools.
He is the author of Bloomsbury’s, ‘CPD Library: Middle Leadership’, ‘The Senior Leader’s Yearbook’ from Optimus and six other books. He is well versed in developing Middle leader, Senior Leaders and Trust.
Please contact him via LinkedIn or twitter for more information. SHe can be commissioned through Infinity Academies Trust.
Day in, day out. Day in, day out. 
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