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Safeguarding our pupils and staff

the guardian

Woodridge has partnered with The Guardian to proactively safeguard our pupils and staff members.

They are the preferred safeguarding partner to several sporting federations and schools in South Africa, as well as the Olympic and Paralympic teams. Our partnership with The Guardian has enabled us to establish new proactive safeguarding structures and strengthen our existing measures.

The Guardian assists us with the following:

  1. Adherence to our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures Manual.
  2. Appointment and training of Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSO).
  3. Access to the anonymous reporting app for all pupils, parents, and staff members.
  4. Safeguarding awareness certification of staff, coaches, and volunteers.


The Guardian’s anonymous reporting app can be downloaded from the Play Store or App Store. It enables pupils, parents, or staff members to anonymously submit reports about anything they feel they cannot report openly or even serious safety concerns about a friend.

purpose of our safeguarding policy

The safeguarding policy ensures that pupils and others participating in any activity at Woodridge can do so without fear of harassment or abuse. The key objectives of the policies are to:

  • Ensure everyone at the school understands that all forms of harassment and abuse are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
  • Ensure anyone who has witnessed or experienced harassment or abuse within the school can report the incident without fear of victimisation or retaliation.
  • Ensure an appropriate and coordinated response to any incidents of harassment or abuse within any environment connected to the school, irrespective of whether it is on school premises or not.
  • Implement effective measures that minimise the likelihood of incidents of harassment and abuse arising at the school.
  • Ensure all reasonable steps are taken during the recruitment of staff and volunteers to prevent unsuitable individuals from working at the school.


faq's

Q: If I report an incident, how will The Guardian deal with it?
A: The guardian will alert the Designated Safety Officer at the school about the incident. They will launch an investigation. 

Q: Is it really anonymous reporting or will my details be visible?
A: The app does not provide the contact details of the reporter, however, the administrators could obtain these under very specific circumstances, namely, if a crime has been committed, if someone's life is in danger, or if forced by a court of law in the interest of justice. In these cases, your identity will be treated as highly confidential. 

    PLEASE NOTE THAT FALSE REPORTING OR PRANKS ARE TAKEN VERY  SERIOUSLY AND CAN BE TRACED IF FOUND TO BE UNTRUE. 

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