Safeguarding our children

It is no accident that an entire page is dedicated to safeguarding on our website.  It is the single most important thing that our staff and school community do on a daily basis.  Keeping your children safe from harm is absolutely critical whether it be in the classroom, on the playground, a school visit or a residential.  It is rightly high on the Governors agenda and parents have recently engaged with us about e-safety and how they can help at home.

Safeguarding starts so small – an adult to talk to, someone to share a worry with; it’s a basic need being met by all the adults in the setting.

Having an adult in class with whom your child is familiar, comfortable with and most importantly trusts, is the key to good safeguarding practice. Each of our classes has at least 2 linked adults as well as Mrs Jefferies.

Within school;

Mrs Jefferies is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Mrs Cooper, is the deputy DSL in the main school

Mrs Evans is the Deputy DSL in pre-school 

Mrs Williamson and Mrs Mantell share the safeguarding Governor role with Mrs Richards taking a watching brief to ensure succession planning for this critical area of school provision.

This means that any concerns a child or member of staff may have, are shared with the DSL and the right course of action taken. Staff are relentless in their pursuit of safeguarding support and will refer back to the DSL, should they raise any concerns, to check that action has been taken.

All of our staff, governors and volunteers, including car drivers, are DBS checked and a record kept of their details.

As part of their critical friend role, the full governing body amends and approves the child protection and safeguarding policy annually and staff receive training annually too. This ensures that we are all up to date with the most current best practice and do all we can to safeguard your child from harm. Each year, the governor with the responsibility for safeguarding audits the safeguarding provision with the Headteacher and submits a return to County.

Children also need to be taught about how to keep themselves safe – this doesn’t just happen overnight and we have a structured sex and relationships policy (available on the policies section of the documents tab) which teaches children about people who are here to help us, making and keeping friendships and, as they get older, about the relationships that may develop and how to manage these.  Our e-safety policy is also critical and ensures we promote safe online working practices so that children are well educated and knowledgeable before leaving us.

Whilst this is extremely rare, if you have any concerns about any child or adult who you suspect might be at risk of radicalisation, there is a dedicated team in Hampshire who deal with all aspects of the Prevent duty.  If can be accessed:

via email:  prevent.engagement@hampshire.pnn.police.uk (this mailbox is not constantly monitored so any immediate concerns should be reported by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency).

via phone (children): 0300 5551384

via phone (adults): 0300 5551386

Further information can be found by clicking on this link to the Hampshire Police Prevent pages.