What would you do with a student such as this?

[Snowflakewater]

I’ll always ask every student as they enter “how’s today been” or something along those lines. This student would just smile initially and be very polite or be very kind, now they’re quite the opposite. I raised it with the relevant staff as it was odd behaviour, they did nothing. Raised it again, nothing. Then eventually it was sorted and they spoke with the relevant members of staff.

Things briefly got better But again something seems wrong, they’re just very pissed off at something and it’s clear. I’m not sure if it’s my teaching or maybe even me. But I have flagged it again so I don’t know whether a chat with me and maybe my hod and the students hoy might be worth it to see if we can do a group meet to discuss the lesson side of things? As I’m noticing a head down approach but just lack of interest all through time. I tried to have a chat with the student in afternoon form time to see if all was ok. I just got “yep” I always ask at the end of the lesson “all ok” to just make them feel better but I get nothing back.

I just don’t know now whether their attitude to learning is great and tbh I don’t want to see anyone feel upset that I teach. So if it is Me I would want to fix it as they were a really good student.

How do i proceed? I also think I have tried my hardest now, and there really is no more I can do to make sure they’re happy in my classroom?

I also did flag with all relevant staff to cover all bases incase anyone asks!

Maybe they're having a shit time and they don't want to talk about it?
You've raised it with the people you need to raise it with. You really can't do anything more than keep a watchful eye.

I suppose, but all staff have said the student won’t talk to anyone at all no matter what. I suppose I was just concerned but can’t do much about it I guess! I just don’t want to keep asking either I suppose I reckon I’ll just take a step back and let them approach staff as/if they wish

So she doesn't want to talk.
Staff say she doesn't want to talk.
Stop asking if she's okay. She's obviously not okay. If she wants to talk to you, she will.

Keep an eye but stop asking them stuff and forcing the issue. For whatever reason they aren't ready to talk.

If their behaviour towards you isn't acceptable, follow the school behaviour policy.

Sometimes a chat with home can unearth issues that teaching staff aren't aware of. But I'd advise caution here. If you don't have a preexisting relationship with home then you're unlikely to get much. This doesn't sound like a situation where home contact would be appropriate.

She will talk when she's ready, and probably not to the people who keep asking.

I presume, 'you've talked to the relevant people' means you've reported it via the correct systems as per your school's safeguarding policy?

Yes I know that, but no one guides us on how we’re supposed to proceed we’ve never received safeguarding training since I’ve been here, so by me asking “you okay” when I see the student looks really sad, it’s partly me not actually knowing how to handle it and I’m trying to learn separate me as a sister to a young girl of a similar age, from me as a teacher who needs to just remember to do the practical part of logging things and escalating.

You’re assuming I’ll know this stuff, however, I don’t and I’m still learning all the time just like everyone else when they started out. But thanks for the reply.

When did you start at the school? You have honestly had no safeguarding training?

No none! Last September I started. I flagged it with SLT many times as I said I literally don’t know what I’m doing ever in some situations and they said see if you can find some CPD around it that might support or look at page x on the school drive. My other PGCE friends did an actual training course of the basics. I however did not.

Safeguarding is poor here. It’s sadly just not something anyone cares about.

Yeah I realise this. I’m trying to look out but I’ll leave it now

Yes

I think you're possibly over estimating "safeguarding training". Ours is a run down of the legal position, signposting DSLs and gives signs of the types of abuse to look out for. We aren't trained in how to talk to students.

Are you sure it's something the school doesn't care about? You knew the correct channels to report via. That's your job done then aside from keeping and eye. If you think there's been a safeguarding failure, or a child is in immediate danger, then you can refer to SS yourself. This doesn't sound like that situation.

I think you're possibly over estimating "safeguarding training". Ours is a run down of the legal position, signposting DSLs and gives signs of the types of abuse to look out for. We aren't trained in how to talk to students.
Same. Our new staff induction was yesterday. They had done some online modules in advance and yesterday was "meet the DSL" and a brief overview.
If you've passed your concerns on, that's all you can do.

Didn’t have that either during my induction. I researched who to find pre interview that’s how I knew who was who.

Your school is either failing horribly at everything and needs to be reported to ofsted, or you're exaggerating for comic effect. No school can surely be so incompetent that you didn't get told who the DSL is.

I honestly find this difficult to believe. I cannot imagine any school not doing basic safeguarding - there is no way out of a whole staff no one would report them for flouting requirements.

I was given the card of safeguarders at my interview with names and that’s it. If that’s training then yes I’ve had training. Beyond that, nothing I just ask my mentor what to do or my HOD. I haven’t got time to make jokes for comic effect. I’m at an RI school that was also once inadequate and the report clearly stated poor safeguarding practices and it’s slipping back to inadequate, it’s not exactly hard to believe.

You've had no online modules about safeguarding?
No copy of Keeping Children Safe in Education to read?
No safeguarding talks/ discussions in directed time?
No introduction to the school's online or paper reporting system? (Although you confirm that you've used the proper channels so you must know them.)

In that case your duty is to report them to Ofsted.

• ie report the school

No, I haven’t, had any of the above. My mentor taught me how to report because I had a big issue happening and that combined with my knowledge from the interview, I became aware of how to report.

If a chat with a mentor counts as training and also reading the card on the back of a lanyard at interview which has names on it, then I guess yes I am trained enough.

Is disclosing this to ofsted anonymous though? Seeing as I’m so early in my career.

I'd imagine so.

You should have covered KCSIE in your training. It's part of safeguarding - or should be - in placements.
If you've not covered this stuff in your job, you need to report to ofsted, anonymous or not.

Here you go: contact.ofsted.gov.uk/online-complaints

We've had even more safeguarding training this year than usual, who knew that was possible it is already hours and hours per year as we have it in September inset plus online modules (that mysteriously never appear on the directed time breakdown) we have to do and provide a copy of our certificate of completion for, because of the report on sexual harassment and peer on peer abuse. Even our site staff have to do safeguarding training.

Yes if there has been no safeguarding training for all staff, let alone new and newly qualified staff, in your school definitely report to ofsted.