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Dear Colleague,
This is an extraordinary annual Safeguarding in Education Update in preparation for the start of the 2025-2026 Academic Year.
We hope you have all managed to have a good break over the summer and feel refreshed for what will be another busy year!
For ongoing Shropshire Safeguarding in Education updates; please make sure you are subscribed to the wider Education Updates | Shropshire Learning Gateway
Best wishes,
Charlotte Percival, Emma Harding & Jane Parsons
The Education Quality Safeguarding Team
For more information about us visit the Shropshire Learning Gateway Safeguarding Pages.
An updated Local Authority Schools Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy Template for the academic year 2025-2026 is now available for you to use, adapt and adopt as you so wish for your individual school in preparation for the start of the academic year.
The document can be downloaded from the Shropshire Learning Gateway (shropshirelg.net): Early Years and Schools Safeguarding Policies and Guidance.
We have also provided a Table of updates to School Safeguarding and CP Policy 2025-2026.docx to further assist.
Please contact Emma Harding (Emma.Harding-Safeguarding@shropshire.gov.uk) if have difficulties accessing the document.
As we have done in the last couple of years; we have developed KCSIE 2025 quizzes available using Microsoft Forms for you to duplicate and send out.
You can still print the form off to use in a paper version if you so wish (the answers can be viewed by you once you’ve duplicated the form).
Please click the link and duplicate the form to use as your own and do not forward the links directly to staff/governors (we will delete any responses that we receive on the master form and will not retain or analyse them).
You will see that there are 2 quizzes that incorporate and highlight some of the key changes in the revised Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) 2025 statutory guidance; as well as encouraging staff to be aware of local arrangements. The quiz is designed to be completed after staff/Governors have read the parts of the guidance that are relevant to them. As a school you can determine whether you want to administer this as a stand-alone quiz after KCSiE has been read, or if you want them to undertake the quiz alongside reading the guidance.
Keeping Children Safe in Education Quiz 2025: All Staff/Volunteers
Keeping Children Safe in Education Quiz 2025: Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body
Please contact Emma Harding (Emma.Harding-Safeguarding@shropshire.gov.uk) if you have difficulties.
An updated electronic Hate Incident Reporting Form will be available for use by all schools and educational settings across Shropshire from September 2025.
This revised form has been developed collaboratively with input from West Mercia Police, Victim Support, local authority colleagues and representatives from local schools and settings. It is designed to simplify the reporting process and ensure a more coordinated response to hate-related incidents.
The primary aim of the new form is to support the collection of intelligence on hate-related incidents occurring within schools, colleges and settings. This information will help identify trends and enable early intervention, allowing Police and Victim Support teams to offer timely and targeted support to schools, colleges and settings where it is most needed.
By streamlining the process, we aim to make it easier for schools to report concerns and access the support they need to maintain a safe and inclusive learning environment for all.
If you haven't already done so; please take a look at and book on to the courses/networks via our Safeguarding in Education Training and Leads Networks Schedule Autumn Term 2025.
Please remember that Shropshire Council Joint Training Team also have a suite of multi-agency safeguarding training courses available. This includes Funded Suicide First Aid: Understanding Suicide Intervention Training (A 1 day workshop that aims to develop awareness, confidence and skills for delegates to appropriately identify and respond to suicide risk.). The next session will take place on 9th October 2025 (9:30am - 4:30pm) at the Lantern Centre in Shrewsbury. For further information and details on how to book please visit: Suicide First Aid: Understanding Suicide Intervention | Shropshire Council
Also just to make you aware of:
Please be aware that many Shropshire Council staff (including staff working in the Education Quality and Safeguarding Service and Children's Social Care) are now using AI tools (Magic Notes ) to help them carry out assessments and education quality assurance activities.
All Shropshire Council staff are expected to follow the following process when they visit you at school:
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If you use Magic Notes and want to record a session with a young person or their family or a discussion with school staff in a school or early years setting, please be mindful that there will be policies in place around the use of technology on site.
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Please explain when you sign that you will be using Magic Notes and why you need to use it as a meeting recording tool.
- Remember that Magic Notes has been agreed by the Shropshire Council Information Governance Team and is covered by the Acceptable Use of AI Policy.
Please contact Emma Harding (Emma.Harding-Safeguarding@shropshire.gov.uk) if you would like to discuss further.
And just in case you're not already subscribed to the below updates (if you're not we strongly recommend you do so)
Compass Team Newsletter Q1 (Apr-Jun) 2025
SSCP Communications Update - June 2025 — Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership
Early help news - August 2025 | Shropshire Council
Young Person's Serious Violence Prevention Project - Schools
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