Safeguarding
St Edmund's school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
This means that we have ‘Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy’ and procedures in place to safeguard children. All staff (including supply staff, volunteers and governors) must ensure that they are aware of these procedures. Parents and carers are welcome to read the policy upon request.
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding Means:
- protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
- preventing harm to children’s health or development
- ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes
Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18. Child Protection is part of Safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
Staff members at St Edmund's Catholic Primary have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn. They have a responsibility to identify children who may need extra help or those who are likely to suffer significant harm (Keeping Children Safe in Education).
Through our curriculum, we teach children to stay safe and happy. We encourage the understanding that any problem or worry that they may have is legitimate, and to share their worries, big or small with their trusted adult; at home; school or with Child-Line.
Key Contacts:
- Designated Safeguarding Lead – Mrs Higgins head@stedmunds.surrey.sch.uk
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead – Mrs Hua, Mrs Hughes, Mrs Mills
- Chair of Governors-Mrs Gordon
If your concerns relate to the actions or behaviour of a member of staff (which would suggest that s/he is unsuitable to work with children) then you should report this to the DSL in confidence, who will refer the matter to the Headteacher who will consider what action to take.
If the concern relates to the Headteacher, please report this to the CEO Xavier Catholic Education Trust, James Kibble - j.kibble@xaviercet.org.uk.
Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about our pupils are discussed with his/her parents/carers first unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child’s welfare.
If you are concerned about a child’s welfare, please record your concern, and any observations or conversation heard, and report to one of the Designated Safeguarding Leads as soon as possible the same day.
Do NOT conduct your own investigation. If your concerns relate to the actions or behaviour of a member of staff (which could suggest that she/he is unsuitable to work with children) then you should report this to the Head Teacher (or the Chair of Governors if the concern relates to the Head Teacher) – who will undertake the appropriate actions.
Below are a number of links that relate to safeguarding at St Edmund's Catholic Primary. If you have any questions about safeguarding please come and speak to Mrs Higgins, Mrs Hua, Mrs Hughes or Mrs Mills. You can also visit the NSPCC website by clicking on their link for extra resources and information.
Child Protection and Safeguarding 2024
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
Edibles Information for Parents
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
NSPCC Children's Services
Our services are crucial in our fight for every childhood.
We transform lives by working directly with children and families at our service centres. But it's about more than those children and families we help face-to-face. Find out how we develop new ways to keep more children safe.
The NSPCC have an initiative called “PANTS” to help parents teach their children to keep themselves safe. On the website there are downloadable booklets for children and parents. There are also copies of the downloads available in other languages and specific booklets to support children with ASD and other learning difficulties.
The Prevent Strategy
Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation is seen as part of schools’ wider safeguarding duties, and is similar in nature to protecting children from other forms of harm and abuse.
From 1 July 2015, schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent duty.
The Government’s Prevent strategy can be found at the following address: www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Three key themes:
- Safeguarding vulnerable individuals through the provision of advice and support and intervention projects.
- Working closely with institutions such as Universities, Schools, Prisons, Health, Charities and faith establishments.
- Challenging terrorist ideology by working closely with other local and national agencies, partners and our communities
Preventing Extremism in Schools and Children's Services
Email: counter.extremism@education.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 7340 7264
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-children-from-radicalisation-the-prevent-duty
E-Safety
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/parents-guide-to-technology
Anti Bullying
We are a telling school and the school is committed to preventing and dealing with any incidents of bullying. As part of the PSHE curriculum, children learn about what bullying is, the different forms of bullying as well as the effect it can have on the victim. The school takes the opportunity to reinforce this message annually during national Anti-Bullying week. The school has a trained ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) who works with pupils 1:1 to develop their social skills. Full details of the school's approach to bullying, roles and responsibilities and how bullying is reported and responded to are outlined in the Anti-Bullying Policy.