By Karel Van Der Linden
Deputy Head of Primary
Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students is a top priority at Northbridge International School Cambodia, an esteemed international educational institution. We are deeply committed to maintaining a secure environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Central to our safeguarding efforts are robust policies and practices designed to protect and support our school community.
Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs)
At the forefront of our safeguarding strategy are our four dedicated Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs), it is also notable that this team has been expanded since last year. These individuals, trained extensively in safeguarding protocols, serve as accessible points of contact for students, parents, and staff members. Their role involves promptly addressing concerns, providing guidance, and coordinating appropriate interventions to ensure the safety and welfare of our students. The DSLs are advertised throughout the school to ensure that staff, parents and ultimately students know who they can go to if there is an issue.
Regular Staff Training
Continuous education and awareness are fundamental to effective safeguarding. Thus, we conduct regular training sessions for all staff members, including teachers, administrators, and support staff. These sessions cover various topics such as recognizing signs of abuse, understanding reporting procedures, and fostering a culture of vigilance. By equipping our staff with the necessary knowledge and skills, we empower them to fulfill their role as guardians of student safety. Being a part of Nord Anglia also means that we can engage in training through the Nord Anglia University and ensure our standards across the school and organization remain high.
Monthly Online Survey Drip Feed Questions
To continually assess and enhance our safeguarding practices, we utilize monthly online surveys with drip feed questions for our teachers. These surveys solicit feedback on various aspects of safeguarding, including awareness of policies, perceptions of safety, and satisfaction with support services. The insights gleaned from these surveys enable us to identify areas for improvement and implement targeted interventions to strengthen our safeguarding framework further.
In addition to internal training initiatives, we recognize the value of external expertise in bolstering our safeguarding efforts. We engage external trainers and experts to provide specialized workshops and seminars on safeguarding best practices for key individuals, which is then fed back to the team. These opportunities allow our staff to stay updated on the latest developments in safeguarding.
Recent Successes:
Visitor Lanyard Policy - An example of our commitment to safeguarding is the implementation of a visitor lanyard policy. In accordance with this policy, all visitors to our school are required to wear designated lanyards prominently displaying their identification badges. This measure enhances visibility and accountability, enabling staff members to quickly identify authorized visitors and ensuring a secure campus environment.
Primary pick up - This was addressed at the start of the academic year, and now there are clearer and safer protocols for student pick up at the end of the day. Students are handed over directly to an adult by the class teachers rather than what was taking place previously. This has minimized any risk to our young students and has been extremely well supported by families.
Student toilets - This was a recent issue that was quickly addressed and highlighted our community's commitment to safeguarding. Some adults were using the student toilets at the end of the day, and in response the DSLs provided clearer signage, messages to the community to highlight and educate the community. Since there have been far less reports of adults using student toilets.
At NISC, safeguarding is not merely a policy, but a fundamental ethos ingrained in our school culture. Through the dedication of our DSLs, ongoing staff training and increased awareness and support from the community, we demonstrate our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the well-being of our students. Together, we strive to create a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment where every student can thrive and succeed.
Thank you for entrusting us with the safety of your children. We remain steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding, fostering a culture of care and vigilance within our school community.
Last week, our second annual NISC Cup kicked off, with four schools and over one hundred students facing off to see who would be taking home the silverware on offer in separate boys’ and girls’ competitions. Last year CIA girls’ team won a thrilling final and were hoping that the cup would be returning to their school for a second year in a row, while our own NISC boys’ team were hoping to retain their hard won 2023 title.
World Children's Day, celebrated on November 20th, is a global occasion dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of children everywhere.
Metacognition is the process of thinking about one’s own thinking. It involves reflecting on how you come to conclusions, understanding why you think the way you do, and recognizing patterns in your thought processes. By developing an awareness of your thinking, you can learn to reduce cognitive biases or identify and reuse effective thought processes in different situations. Essentially, metacognition helps people become more intentional and effective in their actions and decision-making.
At Northbridge International School Early Learning, we believe that children's curiosity is a powerful tool for learning, sparking discoveries that help them develop important skills for life. Through loose parts play, we create an environment where children’s natural inquisitiveness shines.
