Article 19 – You have the right to be protected from being hurt and mistreated, in body and in mind.
At Oakley Cross Primary School, we regard the safeguarding of children as our main priority. We believe that we all have the right to be happy, to be safe and to learn. We all have a duty to make this happen.
To ensure all children can access their right to be safe and feel protected, we will:
- Ensure that the welfare and well-being of each child is of paramount importance regardless of age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and sexual identity
- Respect and value each child as an individual
- Ensure we are a listening school, and encourage an environment where children feel free to talk, knowing that they will be listened to
- Ensure that the protection of children from abuse is a whole school issue, and is the responsibility of the entire school community
- Ensure that we will use the school curriculum to resource our children to protect themselves from abuse, both as victims and as potential perpetrators
- Ensure all suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and reported swiftly and appropriately
Areas of Safeguarding
Our safeguarding policies cover all areas of school life and include:
- Staff and visitors; ensuring they have DBS clearance are informed of school policies and trained appropriately
- Children’s behaviour; through our Respectful Relationships Policy
- Parents and Carers; promoting partnership working and supporting families
- Our school premises; keeping them safe, inviting and fit for purpose
- Our school curriculum including our commitment to a robust internet safety curriculum
- Our enhanced curriculum; ensuring children can participate in safe enrichment activities
Designated Staff
All staff and volunteers have a responsibility to report any concerns to one of our designated safeguarding leads: Mrs Brannan (Head Teacher) and Miss O’Neil (Acting Deputy Head Teacher and SENDCo).
Staff Training
- All staff are trained in child protection expectations and are aware of the procedures to follow
- All staff are asked to remain vigilant and report concerns to ensure all of our children stay safe
- All staff complete a school induction, have regular safeguarding updates and have access to the ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ document provided by the DfE
Sharing Information
We are obliged to hold necessary information regarding our children. This will be obtained prior to your child starting school and will include:
- your emergency contact numbers,
- your child’s address,
- information about who has parental responsibility for the child,
- any special health requirements including allergies,
- any special dietary requirements.
Parents and carers must let us know as soon as any of these details change.
Links with External Agencies
We work in partnership with a number of other agencies to ensure your child has the full range of support he/she needs in school. These include our School Nurse, the Educational Psychology service, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), the Behaviour Intervention (EWEL) Team, our school Educational Welfare Officer, Social Services and other specialists supporting Special Educational Needs.
Our first concern is always for the safety and well-being of your child and as such there may be times when we need to consult with other agencies before we contact you. These procedures are in line with local authority procedures.
Reviewing our Policies and Practices
To ensure we maintain best practice at Oakley Cross, our policies are regularly reviewed to incorporate the latest statutory guidance as it emerges.
For more information on safeguarding you can view our policies section on this website or contact the school. You may also want to look at our Safeguarding Leaflet.
