Whistle-blowing Policy

LoveSpring Nursery School - Speaking Up Safely

Introduction

LoveSpring Nursery School is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and ethical practice. We recognize that our staff and volunteers are often the first to identify potential wrongdoing, and we encourage everyone to speak up about genuine concerns without fear of reprisal.

This policy provides a clear framework for raising concerns about serious wrongdoing in our nursery, ensuring that all voices are heard and appropriate action is taken to protect children, staff, and our nursery community in Coventry (CV1 5HA).

1. Policy Aims

Our Commitment to Transparency

This policy aims to:

Encourage early reporting of suspected wrongdoing with confidence in confidentiality
Provide clear procedures for raising and responding to whistle-blowing concerns
Protect individuals who raise legitimate concerns from victimisation
Ensure concerns are taken seriously and investigated appropriately
Maintain public trust in our nursery's operations and safeguarding
Promote a culture of openness and accountability

Scope and Application

This policy applies to all employees, volunteers, contractors, agency workers, and self-employed consultants providing services to LoveSpring Nursery School. It does not form part of any employment contract and may be amended at any time.

2. Legal Framework

2.1 Legislative Requirements

This policy operates within the framework of:

Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998
Employment Rights Act 1996
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework 2024
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Equality Act 2010
Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR

2.2 Statutory Guidance

Our procedures follow government guidance on whistle-blowing and reflect best practice recommendations from Protect (formerly Public Concern at Work), ensuring compliance with all legal requirements for early years providers.

3. What is Whistle-blowing?

3.1 Definition

Public Interest Concerns

Whistle-blowing involves reporting wrongdoing that is "in the public interest." Examples include:

Criminal offences: Fraud, theft, corruption, or financial mismanagement
Health and safety risks: Endangering children, staff, or visitors
Legal breaches: Failure to comply with statutory obligations
Safeguarding failures: Inadequate child protection practices
Cover-ups: Attempts to conceal any of the above wrongdoing
Environmental damage: Actions causing environmental harm
EYFS breaches: Serious failures in early years standards

3.2 What Whistle-blowing is Not

Whistle-blowing Concerns	Other Concerns	Appropriate Procedure
Affects the wider public interest	Personal employment issues	Grievance Policy
Serious wrongdoing or risk	Bullying or harassment (personal)	Anti-bullying Policy
Criminal or illegal activities	Individual contract disputes	Grievance Policy
Systemic safeguarding failures	Individual performance issues	Capability Policy

Getting Advice

If unsure whether a concern qualifies as whistle-blowing, individuals can:

Contact the Nursery Manager for confidential advice
Speak to a trusted senior colleague
Contact Protect's free confidential advice line
Review guidance on the Protect website

4. Raising a Whistle-blowing Concern

4.1 When to Raise a Concern

Key Considerations

Before raising a concern, consider whether the issue involves:

Illegal activities or criminal behaviour
Breaches of statutory requirements or nursery procedures
Significant risks to health and safety
Attempts to cover up serious wrongdoing
Systemic failures affecting children's welfare

4.2 Who to Report To

Situation	Contact Person	Alternative Contact
General Concerns	Nursery Manager	Deputy Manager
Concerns about Manager	Chair of Governors	Vice Chair of Governors
Safeguarding Concerns	Designated Safeguarding Lead	Deputy DSL
All Governors Involved	Local Authority Designated Officer	Ofsted

4.3 How to Raise a Concern

Making Your Report

For effective investigation, include:

Written Details: Provide a clear, factual account in writing
Specific Information: Names, dates, times, locations
Evidence: Any supporting documents or information
Context: Background and circumstances of the concern
Personal Interest: Declare any personal involvement
Witnesses: Names of others who may have relevant information

Confidentiality: Your identity will be protected wherever possible.

5. Responding to Whistle-blowing Concerns

5.1 Investigation Process

Stage	Action	Timeline
Initial Response	Acknowledge receipt and arrange meeting	Within 2 working days
Assessment Meeting	Gather detailed information and evidence	Within 5 working days
Investigation Decision	Determine if further investigation needed	Within 3 working days of meeting
Full Investigation	Thorough examination of concerns	Reasonable timeframe

5.2 Investigation Standards

Our Investigation Commitment

When investigating concerns, we will:

Treat all concerns seriously and confidentially
Conduct impartial and thorough investigations
Keep the whistle-blower informed of progress
Protect against victimisation or unfair treatment
Involve external agencies when appropriate
Ensure natural justice for all parties

5.3 Investigation Outcomes

After the Investigation

Following investigation, we will:

Prepare a detailed report of findings
Inform the whistle-blower of the outcome
Implement necessary corrective actions
Review relevant policies and procedures
Consider external referrals if required
Learn from the experience to prevent recurrence

Note: Some details may remain confidential due to legal or privacy requirements.

6. Protection and Support

6.1 Protection for Whistle-blowers

Your Rights and Protections

We guarantee that individuals raising genuine concerns:

Will not suffer victimisation or detrimental treatment
Will have their identity protected where possible
Will not be dismissed or disciplined for raising concerns
Will be supported throughout the process
Can be accompanied by a colleague or union representative
Will receive feedback on the outcome

6.2 Malicious or Vexatious Allegations

Important Distinction

Good Faith Concerns: No action will be taken against individuals who raise concerns in good faith, even if the investigation finds no wrongdoing.

Malicious Allegations: Deliberately invented or malicious allegations may result in disciplinary action against the person making the allegation.

7. External Reporting

7.1 Prescribed Bodies

Concern Type	External Body	Contact Information
Education Standards	Ofsted	0300 123 1231
Safeguarding	Local Authority Designated Officer	Coventry LADO
Criminal Activity	Police	101 (non-emergency)
Health and Safety	Health and Safety Executive	0345 300 9923
Fraud	Action Fraud	0300 123 2040

External Reporting Considerations

While we encourage internal reporting first, individuals have the right to report concerns externally to prescribed bodies. Protect's advice line can provide guidance on when and how to make external reports.

8. Confidentiality and Record Keeping

8.1 Information Management

Confidentiality Assurance

We maintain strict confidentiality by:

Limiting access to investigation information
Storing records securely and appropriately
Protecting whistle-blower identity where possible
Following data protection requirements
Establishing clear retention periods
Ensuring sensitive information is handled properly

9. Monitoring and Review

9.1 Policy Management

Biennial policy review by Management and Governors
Regular monitoring of whistle-blowing cases
Anonymous staff feedback on policy effectiveness
Training updates for all staff
Benchmarking against sector best practice
Continuous improvement based on experience

Contact Information

Nursery Manager: [Manager's Name]

Chair of Governors: [Chair's Name]

Designated Safeguarding Lead: [DSL's Name]

LoveSpring Nursery School: 8 Albert St, Coventry, CV1 5HA

Telephone: +44 (0)24 1234 5678

Email: admin@lovespringschool.com

Protect Advice Line: 020 3117 2520

Approved by: Mrs

Last reviewed on: 01/09/2025

Next review due by: 30/08/2026

Signed: _________________________

Position: Nursery Manager, LoveSpring Nursery School