Safeguarding at WGP

Safeguarding at GEMS Wesgreen International School, Sharjah.

The safety, wellbeing, and protection of every student are at the heart of all we do. As a proud member of the Association of British Schools Overseas (AoBSO) a founding member of the British International Schools Safeguarding Coalition (BISSC) our policies and practices meet the highest international standards in safeguarding and child protection. This means that keeping your child safe and well is not only our top priority, but also a responsibility we share as a whole school community.

Our Whole School Executive Vice Principal, Ms Janet Foley, is our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). She is supported by a team of fully trained Deputy DSLs, who work closely with staff across all phases to investigate concerns and ensure that student welfare remains our top priority. Our safeguarding team is further supported by the GEMS Central Safeguarding Team who report directly to GEMS Vice President - Risk, Global Lead - Safeguarding and Child Protection.

Every member of staff at GEMS Wesgreen International School, Sharjah, undertakes comprehensive safeguarding and child protection training, which includes how to recognise the signs of neglect or abuse, and staff are expected to act promptly if they have any concern about a child or adult in our school. All staff are also trained in, and expected to follow, both national and GEMS policies as well as the Ministry of Education Codes of Conduct. This ensures that our professional standards consistently reflect the highest values of safety, care and respect.  

We also provide ongoing support for student wellbeing. Our trained school counsellors offer regular sessions for students and also host workshops for parents and teachers, helping all our stakeholders to understand and address key aspects of mental health and safeguarding. 

Safeguarding at GEMS Wesgreen is not limited to responding to recorded concerns, it is embedded in our culture and curriculum. Throughout the year, we organise special event days and activities to raise awareness and engage students in important topics such as online safety, anti-bullying, and children’s rights. We also host regular parent information sessions to provide guidance, updates, and practical strategies for keeping children safe at home. In addition, our weekly parent newsletter shares timely information and tips to support parents at home and inform parents of key trends and initiatives.

Safer Recruitment

Our recruitment processes are thorough and transparent, including detailed reference checks for all staff before they join GEMS Wesgreen. In addition, all leaders involved in recruitment complete GEMS Safer Recruitment training, ensuring that we uphold the highest standards of safety and compliance is accordance with British Schools Overseas (BSO), BISSC and UAE standards.  Adult volunteers, including members of our Family First parents’ group and the Local Advisory Board members, must complete the required safeguarding training and undergo clearance checks in order to come into school on a regular basis.

What you should do if you have a safeguarding concern

If you ever have a concern about the safety or wellbeing of a child, or are troubled by the behaviour of an adult at GEMS Wesgreen, please contact our DSL or one of our Deputy DSLs without delay. Posters around the school identify the Safeguarding Team and you can contact any member of the team directly, by email, or reach out via the school reception to be connected.  It is important that concerns are raised immediately so that the appropriate support and safeguarding measures can be put in place quickly. No concern is ever too small,  if you are unsure, we encourage you to share it. Together, we can ensure that every child at GEMS Wesgreen is safe, supported, and able to thrive.

Information for Visitors

If you are visiting GEMS Wesgreen, we kindly ask that you familiarise yourself with our Safeguarding and Child Protection expectations before entering the school. All visitors are kindly requested to:

• Sign in with security and wear a visitor badge/ID visibly at all times,
• Follow staff instructions and stay in authorised areas only.
• Report any concerns about a student’s wellbeing immediately
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with all students.
• Keep mobile phones on silent and use only in designated areas.
• Seek permission before taking any photographs (strictly limited and only if approved).
• Use designated washrooms.

Our Commitment to Children’s Rights

GEMS Wesgreen International School, Sharjah, is fully committed to upholding the rights of every child, especially their right to be safe from harm, abuse, and exploitation. We actively promote the values of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the UAE is a proud signatory, helping students understand both their rights and responsibilities.  Our team are fully committed to abide by and follow the guidance set out in Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 (formerly Wadeema’s Law), which is the UAE’s cornerstone child protection legislation, safeguarding all children under 18 from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

We encourage all parents to familiarise themselves with our safeguarding policies and to contact our DSL or any member of the Safeguarding Team if you have any questions or concerns. By working together, we can continue to provide a safe, caring, and supportive environment for every child in our school.

Safeguarding Team