Staying Safe

The safety and welfare of all pupils is of paramount importance at Hoole Church of England Primary School

Introduction

Schools have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils under legislation including the Education Act 2002.

“Schools should create and maintain a safe learning environment for children and young people, identify where there are child welfare concerns and take action to address them, in partnership with other organisations where appropriate.” Education Act 2002

“Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as: protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.” Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022

At Hoole Church of England Primary School, we understand that the school has a key role in early identification, intervention and support for all children, including those at risk of significant harm.

We are proud of our status as a church school and we seek to apply Christian principles to the manner in which we care for, nurture and safeguard pupils in line with our school vision and values.

The Learning Mentor, Mrs Robertson, offers support for children and their families. The Designated Safeguarding Leader is Mrs Flanders, Head teacher. The Deputy Designated Leader is Miss Sprowson.

The school works alongside a variety of external agencies to safeguard children, including the Education Welfare Officer, the School Nursing Service, Family Support Workers, Health Visitors, Early Intervention Services and Children’s Social Care.

What do we do to safeguard children at Hoole Church of England Primary School?

Examples of how we work to safeguard children at Hoole Church of England Primary School are shown below. This is not a full list of the activities undertaken, but examples of some key actions to illustrate our commitment to safeguarding pupils.

Policy & Procedures

All policies and procedures formulated based on the foundations of our Christian values and ethos and in line with the school vision “Let your light shine.”
Policies linked to Safeguarding reviewed regularly and shared with all stakeholders.
Policies and procedures reviewed regularly in conjunction with, for example, Serious Case Review reports.
Reports provided to the Governing Body regarding safeguarding activities in school.
Regular audits of safeguarding procedures in school to secure continuous enhancement.
Regular meetings held between the Learning Mentor, Head teacher and the Deputy Safeguarding Leader/Inclusion Manager.
Robust record keeping mechanisms maintained.
Principles of safer recruitment of staff applied consistently and rigorously.
Positive relationships maintained with other agencies including Health Visitors, School Nursing Service and the Educational Welfare Service.

Pupils

Attendance monitoring procedures undertaken frequently in line with the school schedule.
School rules and code of conduct reviewed regularly.
Pastoral support mechanisms reviewed regularly, in consultation with all stakeholders, including pupils.
Procedures in place to support children in with medical conditions in line with the guidance document Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions (2015).
Enrichment activities such as the Globetrotters Club and Sports Ambassadors to develop self-confidence, empathy and tolerance.
Opportunities to support children develop skills to keep themselves safe maximised, for example, Safer Internet Day and swimming awards.
Liaison with other agencies, such as NSPCC.

Parents

Clear communication to parents regarding expectations about attendance, punctuality, conduct and standards of school uniform.
Open door policy operated by all staff.
Regular consultation with parents via a variety of mechanisms including annual questionnaires.
Liaison with parents to support pupils with special educational needs/disabilities, disadvantaged pupils, children with medical conditions or other potential barriers to learning.

Staff

Relevant safeguarding policies shared with all staff and reviewed regularly.
Induction process for all staff and governors.
Safer recruitment processes undertaken and register maintained.
Regular training and development for staff.
Whistleblowing Policy prominently displayed in school.
Relevant documentation including Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018) & Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) reviewed regularly by staff.
Risk assessments undertaken on regular basis.

Site Safety

School site secured with adequate boundary fencing.
Risk assessments undertaken regularly.
Robust procedures for managing access of visitors to the school site.
Play and outdoor equipment regularly audited and reviewed.
Scheduled checks by Site Supervisor to verify safety and security of the school building and site.

Behaviour & Conduct

Conduct of all members of the Hoole school family underpinned by our Christian ethos and values. This is reinforced via our collective worships in addition to class based worship activities.
Consistent Behaviour Management Policy in operation underpinned by our Christian values and ethos.
Anti-bullying Policy operated and reviewed regularly. Regular work on diversity, tolerance and respect undertaken to embed anti-bullying messages.
Robust Personal Social Health & Citizenship Education curriculum in school, including Sex & Relationships Education (SRE) and Drugs Education.
Protocols in place for ensuring that children use ICT safely and responsibly.
Proactive engagement with external agencies, for example Police Community Support Officers.
Pupil Forums operational in school, taking responsibility and making a positive contribution to the school community in roles such as the Church Ethos Team.

Extra Curricular/Visits

Comprehensive risk assessment process undertaken for trips and activities, including residential visits.
Additional risk assessment activities undertaken to support inclusion of children with specific needs.

Additional information

If you have any questions relating to safeguarding procedures at Hoole Church of England Primary School, please contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Flanders, or our Deputy Safeguarding Leader, Miss Sprowson.

Policies linked to Safeguarding are available via the school website (see below).

If you would like copies of any of the policy documents, including modified versions (such as large print or translated versions), please contact the School Office.

Useful Links

Files to Download

E-Safety Parent Checklist E-safety Preventive Measures Internet safety points Parents' Guide to Cyberbullying Parents' Guide to Facebook Parents' Guide to Instagram Parents' Guide to Momo Parents' Guide to Snapchat Safeguarding Contact Numbers Safeguarding Policy SMART thinking Social Media Presentation