Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people regardless of age, ability, race, culture, religion, sexuality or class. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding children.

This section contains the information you need to be able to find and understand what we mean by safeguarding and how we ensure we have the systems and processes in place to keep children safe. This section also contains information on how we assure that our work is effective.

If you have any questions then please contact either the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL.

• Hazel Glassford is the DSL - from August 2025
• Ailsa Jackson is the DDSL - from August 2025

The DSL is the person appointed to make sure that schools adhere to their safeguarding policies. The role is to commit resources to safeguarding actions and issues and support and direct staff and parents on safeguarding issues. 

Both staff can be contacted via the school office. You can leave a message and contact details and we will call you back.

Our Five Guiding Principles Are:

1. Nothing is More Important Than Keeping Children Safe.
 

2. Everyone Has a Part to Play.
 

3. Everyone Must be Vigilant.

4. Everyone has an Absolute Duty to Report Concerns and Ensure they are Acted Upon.
 

5. Concerns Must be Reported Immediately.
 

What is Child Protection and Safeguarding?

When we talk about safeguarding, we mean things which promote children’s welfare and reduce the risk of them suffering harm. Our polices on our buildings, routines, curriculum planning, behaviour and attendance to name a few are all designed to:

• Protect children from maltreatment;
• Prevent impairment of children’s health or development;
• Ensure children grow up with safe and effective care;
• Allow us to take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Child protection is part of this definition and refers to activities undertaken to prevent children suffering, or being likely to suffer, significant harm.

Positive behaviour management is crucial for safeguarding children, and our school prioritises this.

We ensure all parents/carers are fully informed about our behaviour policy through the school website, home-school agreements, and new parents’ information packs. We make the policy and procedures accessible to parents/carers and pupils in appropriate languages and formats.

Our school’s positive behaviour management policy aims to create a safe and nurturing environment for all children, promoting ‘Success for All’. The policy outlines the roles and responsibilities of the governing body, headteacher, staff, parents, and pupils in implementing and upholding positive behaviour expectations. It emphasises the importance of prosocial behaviour, rewards, sanctions, and reasonable force, while acknowledging and addressing antisocial and unacceptable behaviours.

The school promotes positive behaviour through praise, rewards, and recognition. This includes Celebration Worship, recognition boards in classrooms, and certificates for exemplary behaviour. The school also provides support for pupils with behavioural difficulties, including access to Emotional Literacy Support Assistants, peer mentoring, and restorative approaches.

The school’s behaviour policy outlines a progressive approach to addressing misbehaviour, starting with subtle reminders and escalating to time-outs, loss of privileges, and ultimately, internal or external exclusion. The policy emphasises restorative practises, including catch-up conversations and natural consequences, to repair harm and reinforce expectations. For pupils with SEND, the policy considers their specific needs and may adapt sanctions accordingly, while also recognising the potential for unidentified SEND in cases of challenging behaviour.

The school’s behaviour management policy outlines procedures for addressing incidents, including investigations, staff training, and referrals. It emphasises pupil involvement, parental/carer communication, and community engagement. The policy is regularly reviewed and monitored to ensure its effectiveness in promoting positive behaviour and addressing any disparities.