This form must be completed by Schools (Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres, Free Schools, Academies, Community, Voluntary Aided and Independent), Pupil Referral Units and Further Education Colleges in order to monitor their compliance with Sections 157 & 175 of the Education Act 2002. The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, the Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015, and the Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Act 2021.
The purpose of this audit is to enable the Local Authority to carry out its statutory responsibility and report back to the Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership under S11 of the Children Act 2004 in relation to the safeguarding compliance of educational settings in Leeds. In particular the existence and operation of appropriate safeguarding policies, procedures that promote a safer working culture within the organisation, and the training of staff, including the senior person with designated responsibility for child protection.
Navigating around the website
Please follow the instructions below to create your account. Please note that you need to create a new account even if you completed an audit on this system last year.
- Click on the ‘Section 175' button
- Then click on 'create new account’
- Complete all the fields
- Then click the ‘Create New Account’ button.
- An email will be sent to the email address you used in the form
- Check your email including your spam or junk email folders
- Click on the link in the email or copy and paste the link into your web browser.
- Choose a password (make sure the password is in line with your organisations IT policy)
- Repeat the password
- Click 'Submit' and your account is created. You can now begin to complete your Section 175 audit.
Navigating your way around the s175 Annual Review Safeguarding Compliance return form
Completing your 's175 ARM form'
This form should be completed by the senior designated safeguarding lead/head teacher within your setting. Please note that the reporting period for all data requested is from 1st September 2022 to the 31st of March 2023.
Please answer each question by selecting the most appropriate response for your organisation. Please ensure that where narrative is requested (i.e contact details, specific details requested) that all boxes are fully completed.
If a question is not applicable, please add N/A into the text box provided and explain the reason for this not being applicable, if appropriate.
When you click on 's175 ARM form' you will be taken through a series of questions which need to be completed in full.
- Complete each field and then click ‘next’ to move onto the next set of questions.
- You have the option to save the document throughout the process.
- There is an autosave function built in, but you will need to click the ‘save draft’ button before logging out to ensure that all your responses have been captured.
Please note that you should answer all the questions prior to submission.
- When you have answered all the questions and are ready to submit your audit, please click on the ‘Submit’ button at the bottom of Question 18.3. A copy of your audit will then be sent to the Education Safeguarding Team.
The data submitted will be used to inform city wide reporting of the safeguarding arrangements across the education sector, and to identify emerging issues and themes that can inform the planning strategy of the Education Safeguarding Reference Group, in relation to future training and policy development. The return will be used to inform any related LA investigations and queries from regulatory bodies relating to safeguarding practice/compliance within your organisation.
It is important to ensure that the information provided is an accurate reflection of school/college practice. Once completed, the author of the return must share a copy of their final submission with the Chair of the Governing Body. It is the responsibility of the Governing Body (preferably the safeguarding governor) to independently verify that the data submitted is accurate. Once this has been done, the 's175 ARM form' must be formally noted by the Governing Body as an accurate reflection of school practice in Governing Body minutes. Governors should work with the designated safeguarding lead and senior leaders to ensure that areas of practice improvement are addressed in a timely fashion.
Lost password
If you lose your password please use the lost password function to create a new one. You will be sent an email to your email box provided. PLEASE ALSO CHECK YOUR EMAIL SPAM FOLDER.
Downloading a word version of your audit
You have the option of printing out the draft or completed version of your audit, allowing you to email this to senior leaders/management committees/governing boards.
To download your Section 175 as a word document:
- Click on the "My Submissions" tab on the top right of the screen. The ‘My Submissions’ page shows you most recent version of the assessment you have worked on. If this is empty it means that you have not yet filled out any part of your 's175 ARM form'
- In the drop down menu select "download submission for Section 175"
- Check the box ‘apply to selected items' then press the button "apply to selected items"
- The document will automatically download a ‘Word’ version of your 's175 ARM form with your completed responses.
- You can then save this onto your computer.
If you have any questions or queries in relation to completing this submission please contact ESTconsultation@leeds.gov.uk
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