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Safe to speak, ready to act: SaferSpace tackles harassment, misconduct and safeguarding concerns in schools 

In today’s education climate, where safeguarding, wellbeing and staff retention are under increasing scrutiny, the message is clear: schools must be places where every adult feels safe, heard and supported. While much attention rightly focuses on protecting pupils, staff wellbeing and protection are just as critical – and often overlooked. From harassment and discrimination to safeguarding concerns and inappropriate behaviour, school staff must be permitted to speak up without fear, and leaders must be ready to act.

In today’s education climate, where safeguarding, wellbeing and staff retention are under increasing scrutiny, the message is clear: schools must be places where every adult feels safe, heard and supported. While much attention rightly focuses on protecting pupils, staff wellbeing and protection are just as critical – and often overlooked. From harassment and discrimination to safeguarding concerns and inappropriate behaviour, school staff must be permitted to speak up without fear, and leaders must be ready to act.

8 May 2025, 14:48

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SaferSpace is a digital reporting and governance platform, first developed in 2024 and refined in partnership with EducationScape, to support schools in meeting statutory responsibilities, while fostering a culture where all members of the school community – including teachers, support staff, volunteers and leadership – can raise concerns with confidence. 

A safe, secure way for staff to raise concerns 

While schools are increasingly equipped to protect pupils, staff often find themselves navigating grey areas when it comes to raising concerns. Whether it’s inappropriate conduct by a colleague, discriminatory treatment, safeguarding worries, or workplace harassment, speaking up can feel risky, especially in small teams or close-knit environments. 

Staff may worry about confidentiality, retaliation, or being perceived as disloyal. Too often, issues are downplayed or handled informally, leaving individuals unsupported and schools exposed to reputational and legal risk. 

SaferSpace removes these barriers. It provides a secure, confidential route for staff and other stakeholders to report concerns, including anonymously, with built-in clarity around what will happen next. All reports are triaged, monitored and resolved in line with internal safeguarding, HR and equality policies. 

Examples of issues that can be reported include: 

  • Harassment or bullying by colleagues or leadership 
  • Discrimination based on protected characteristics 
  • Safeguarding concerns about pupils, staff or families 
  • Concerns about workload, burnout or wellbeing 
  • Misconduct, malpractice or breaches of professional boundaries 

By enabling safe disclosure, clear pathways for resolution, and strong governance oversight, SaferSpace ensures no issue is left to fester. It creates a culture where concerns are taken seriously, not just because they’re raised, but because schools are equipped to respond effectively. 

Meeting the needs of today’s schools and tomorrow’s expectations 

SaferSpace is designed to help schools navigate a complex and evolving landscape of regulation, accountability and culture change. It supports full compliance with core safeguarding and employment standards, while helping leaders demonstrate credible, proactive management across four key areas: 

Ofsted 

Safeguarding remains a top priority for Ofsted, and the inspection framework now considers the culture, transparency and confidence around reporting as much as the systems in place. SaferSpace helps schools demonstrate: 

  • A clear and accessible route for all staff to raise concerns 
  • Robust record-keeping and follow-up 
  • Evidence of a proactive, preventative approach to safeguarding and wellbeing 

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) 

KCSiE sets out the duties of all staff, not just DSLs, to safeguard children. But it also places obligations on leaders to ensure staff are supported in raising concerns and whistleblowing. SaferSpace helps by: 

  • Enabling anonymous or named reporting from staff, pupils and parents 
  • Allowing DSLs to triage, manage and document cases securely 
  • Offering consistent handling of low-level concerns and allegations against staff 
  • Ensuring patterns are spotted and early intervention is possible 

Prevent Duty 

School staff are on the frontline of identifying potential signs of radicalisation, extremism or vulnerability. SaferSpace: 

  • Supports early reporting of Prevent-related concerns 
  • Helps designated staff manage and escalate these effectively 
  • Provides audit trails for referrals and outcomes 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 

SaferSpace includes a built-in chatbot that helps users understand whether their concern may relate to one of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. This is especially valuable in situations involving microaggressions, unconscious bias, or structural inequality, where staff may be unsure whether or how to raise an issue. 

By enabling staff to self-check their experiences and find a pathway forward, schools can reduce the stigma around reporting and encourage open, inclusive dialogue. 

Trusted by professionals, designed with schools in mind 

SaferSpace has been developed in collaboration with safeguarding leads, HR professionals, legal experts and individuals with lived experience of discrimination and harassment in education. The result is a flexible, easy-to-use system that works seamlessly in all school settings – from small primaries to large MATs. 

Key features include: 

  • A confidential reporting portal for staff, governors and other stakeholders 
  • Secure triaging and case management tools for DSLs, HR and SLT 
  • Real-time dashboards showing trends, risk areas and unresolved issues 
  • Built-in alignment with safeguarding, HR and equality policies 
  • Configurable access for different campuses, roles or departments 

Reports are logged, tracked and resolved in one central place, with automated audit trails to support compliance, inspection and internal governance. 

Driving safer cultures, stronger teams and confident leadership 

When staff feel safe to speak up, and trust that their concerns will be heard, schools become healthier, stronger and more resilient. SaferSpace helps school leaders: 

  • Create a culture of trust and psychological safety 
  • Reduce staff attrition caused by unresolved conflict or poor wellbeing 
  • Identify issues before they escalate 
  • Build a reputation as a supportive, inclusive employer 

For governors and SLT, SaferSpace also offers powerful insights. Dashboards provide visibility over reporting volumes, themes and resolution rates – enabling evidence-based decision making and a proactive approach to workforce wellbeing and risk management. 

In Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), this cross-site visibility is especially valuable, helping central teams identify trends, support local leaders, and ensure policy is consistently applied across all settings. 

Set the standard for safe, confident schools 

SaferSpace is now being adopted by schools and trusts preparing for the new academic year. From maintained schools to academies and MATs, it offers a unified, professional approach to managing safety, wellbeing and accountability. 

In a landscape of growing expectations, from Ofsted, local authorities, the DfE and wider public scrutiny – SaferSpace helps schools move beyond compliance, towards cultural leadership. 

Learn more 

SaferSpace is now open for demo bookings and early implementation planning. To find out more, visit www.saferspace.io, or speak directly with our team

Because every member of your community deserves to feel safe. And every school deserves the tools to make that possible. 

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