Westbury Leigh Church of England Primary School

Safeguarding

Safeguarding Statement:

 At Westbury Leigh C of E Primary School we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all pupils in our care. The health, safety and well-being of all our pupils is a priority; all staff and volunteers are aware of their responsibilities and will do all they can to provide a safe, caring and positive environment where children feel happy and secure. We have a robust recruitment procedure and professional development programme which ensures all staff uphold our strong ethos and values. 

We listen to our pupils and take seriously what they tell us. All school staff are trained in Child Protection, and children are made aware of the adults they can talk to if they have any concerns.  If you have a concern about the well-being or safety of a particular child, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the safeguarding team via the school office on 01373 822230.  

Wider School Work on Safeguarding

All staff are trained in child protection and regularly updated on this as part of ensuring a strong and consistent approach to keeping children safe.   

All members of staff  and volunteers will require DBS (Disclosure Barring Services) certification.  We follow safer recruitment principles in ensuring staff are fully vetted and meet the requirements of working in school. 

Visitor Leaflet

Not all children have consent for photos to be used and we monitor our use of school photos in line with this.   

Any photographs or videos taken by parents, carers and relatives at school productions, sports days or other events are for the enjoyment of individual families. They must not be used in any way that could potentially place a child at risk. This would include publishing images in any form of print or on the internet including social media.

Any concerns about safeguarding should be raised through the schools complaints procedure.    

Private Fostering and Looked After Children

Private fostering is when a child under the age of 16 (under 18 if disabled) is cared for by someone who is not their parent or a 'close relative'. This is a private arrangement made between a parent and a carer, for 28 days or more. Close relatives are defined as step-parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles or aunts (whether of full blood, half blood or marriage/affinity).  There is a duty to notify the local authority of this, please also ensure the school is informed. 

A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a looked after child. Looked after children are also often referred to as children in care, a term which many children and young people prefer.  Looked after children come under the responsibility of our school lead for this: Mrs Pam Robertson, Inclusion Team Leader.

Radicalisation and Extremism

"Our school is a place that inspires and engages young minds. Our school believes in democracy and the laws of the country, where every individual has a voice that is heard and respected, no matter what their faith or belief. Our school values discussion, debate and learning from others. Our school believes that division belongs in mathematics, not the classroom. There is no place for extremism in our school." Educate against hate, DFE. 

Educate against hate

If children are worried about being safe they should talk to a member of staff or parents.  There are safety lines which children can also ring:  

Support for children and young people