Personal Safety Workshop

We were fortunate to have our rescheduled careers week visit, featuring representatives from the Metropolitan Police, who led a self-defence course for our upper school students across both pathways on Tuesday. 

All students (and staff who participated) were given a goody bag which contained assorted crime-prevention advice and goodies such as anti-theft purse bells, a stretchy keyring to keep your keys secured in your bag and an alarm. 

Our personal safety session was a great success, with pupils actively engaging throughout. They participated in demonstrations, acted out real-life scenarios, and asked insightful questions about staying safe and protecting themselves in critical situations.

The session was highly interactive and informative, ensuring that pupils of different ages and levels of understanding could take away valuable lessons. By practising techniques and discussing key safety strategies, they gained more confidence in handling potential risks.

Overall, it was an empowering experience that provided essential knowledge and skills to help keep our pupils safe.

Reminders from the police: 

If you are worried about your safety and someone has threatened you, then talk to a trusted adult such as your parents/carers, form tutors and senior leaders, and report to the police if appropriate (and if you’re not sure if it’s a police matter, report it anyway and a trained person will assess the situation).

In general, carrying weapons in the UK is illegal, as is carrying any normal everyday items with the expressed intent of causing injury with it/intending it to be used as a weapon.

Under Common Law, you are allowed to use reasonable force to protect yourself/others from imminent harm, but the force must be proportionate to the threat. 

How to report matters to the police:

• Call ‘999’ for any emergency (crime in action with suspect still on scene/someone is seriously injured/ someone is in immediate danger/risk of serious damage to property)
   
• Call ‘101’ for any non-urgent matter (if the crime has already happened), or alternatively
   
• Complete a report online, including for anti-social behaviour (ASB): Report a crime or incident | Metropolitan Police [met.police.uk] .