SAFEGUARDING

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

At St. Michael’s CE Primary School, safeguarding is central to our mission and vision. Grounded in our Christian values of Love, Serve, Grow, we believe every child is uniquely created in the image of God and deserves to grow up in safety, free from harm. Our vision compels us to provide a school environment that is calm, secure, and nurturing, where children can flourish academically, personally, and spiritually.

We recognise our legal and moral duty to safeguard all pupils and create a culture of humility, gentleness, and compassion. We work in partnership with families and external agencies to ensure every child receives the highest standard of care and protection.

Designated Safeguarding Lead

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is responsible for safeguarding and child protection. The Designated Safeguarding Lead is: Mrs Harris - Headteacher

The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are: 

Mrs Dodman - Deputy Headteacher 

Mrs Jennings - Assistant Headteacher 

Miss Bostock - Assistant Headteacher

Janet Ayinde - After School Care Manager

The Designated Safeguarding Governor is: Mr Whitehouse - Co-Chair

The key role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead is to:

• manage referrals from school staff or any others from outside the school;

• work with external agencies and professionals on matter of safety and safeguarding;

• undertake training;

• raise awareness of safeguarding and child protection amongst the staff and parents; and

• ensure that child protection information is transferred to the pupil’s new school;

• be aware of pupils who have a social worker;

• help promote educational outcomes by sharing the information about the welfare, safeguarding and child protection issues with teachers and school and college leadership staff.

All safeguarding staff are trained in line with the latest version of Keeping Children Safe in Education and regularly updated.

Safeguarding Policies and Procedures

We follow national and local guidance including the latest version of Keeping Children Safe in Education. All staff and volunteers comply with our policies and receive regular training.

Training includes:

• Child protection

• Prevent duty

• Peer-on-peer abuse

• Online safety

• FGM awareness

• Safer working practices

1st of the Month Monitoring

There are a series of 1st of the month checks which take place to ensure school compliance. They are as follows:

• Monthly ’Safeguarding Single Central Record (SCR) Check:  The SCR is reviewed and monitored on a monthly basis and kept up to date daily as/when a visiting person arrives or a new application for clearance is approved. This monitoring, by members of the SLT, involves checking those who have been uploaded onto the register as well as those who need to be reviewed to ensure compliance of all safer recruitment and Disclosure Barring Service checks. 

• Monthly Pupil Voice: Each month the Phase Leaders ask a random sample a question relating to safeguarding. Please refer to the link to get an overview of their responses.

• Monthly Staff Monitoring: Each month, a safeguarding question is presented to a representative sample of staff members. Their responses are recorded and an overview is retained in the safeguarding folder. Analysis of the responses informs leaders of staff confidence, understanding, and application of safeguarding procedures. Any gaps in knowledge or training are documented and incorporated into staff CPD, ensuring that safeguarding practice is consistent, current, and embedded across the school.

• Reporting to Governors: All Staff monthly safeguarding discussion questions are reported to governors and Safeguarding is a minuted discussion point where questions and challenges are presented to the Headteacher.

Looked after Children (LAC) & Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children (IAPLAC) 

At St. Michael’s we are fully committed to the well-being of all our pupils.  We do recognise that children who are designated as “Looked After Children (LAC)” including the  "Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children" (IAPLAC) due to their social circumstances may require additional support.  We have designated members of staff and Governors who oversee and support this area.

The Designated Teacher for LAC/IAPLAC at St. Michael’s CE School is Mrs Constable (SENCo)

The Designated Governor Safeguarding and LAC/IAPLAC Lead at St. Michael’s CE School is Mr Whitehouse (Co-Chair of the Board of Governors) . 

The designated LAC/IAPLAC Leads must:

• Promote a culture of high expectations and aspirations for how Looked After Children (LAC) including the Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children (IAPLAC) and learn;

• Ensure the young person has a voice in setting their learning targets;

• Be a source of advice for staff about differentiated teaching strategies appropriate for individual children;

• Ensuring that the pastoral support is in place to support learning and development;

• Have lead responsibility for the development and implementation of the child’s personal education plan (PEP).  Ensure interventions are in place to raise attainment and progress;

•  Monitor the use and impact of Pupil Premium Grant (PPG) focused on raising attainment and use of wider enrichment eg after school clubs;

• Working in partnership with the parents to ensure the children are developed nurtured and supported.

Children Missing in Education (CME) and Attendance Monitoring

At St. Michael’s CE School, we have due regard to our statutory duty to safeguard pupils and to identify when children are not attending school regularly or may be deemed ‘missing from education’ (CME).

Knowing where children are during school hours is a vital aspect of safeguarding. Persistent or unexplained absence can be an indicator of abuse, neglect, or other safeguarding concerns, including the risk of criminal or sexual exploitation, radicalisation, or involvement in county lines activity.

Daily Attendance Procedures

• Registers are taken at the start of the morning and afternoon sessions in accordance with statutory requirements.

• Any unexplained absence is followed up promptly with a first-day call to parents/carers.

• Where no response is received, the school will continue attempts to contact parents/carers and may undertake a safe and well home visit, or request a police welfare check, if concerns remain.

• We require at least two up-to-date emergency contacts for each pupil, in line with statutory guidance (Keeping Children Safe in Education). Parents/carers are expected to update the school immediately if contact details change.

Children Leaving the School Roll

• The Admissions Officer ensures that any child leaving the school is accounted for. The school follows the statutory requirements for deletion from the admissions register, as outlined in the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (as amended 2016).

• No pupil will be removed from the roll until the school has received confirmation of the child’s new school place or has formally recorded their status as electively home educated.

• If the school cannot establish the destination of a pupil, we will make a referral to the Local Authority Children Missing Education (CME) Officer without delay.

Monitoring and Oversight

• A member of the Senior Leadership Team monitors admissions and leavers monthly, ensuring that all pupils who have left the school are fully accounted for.

• Attendance data is reviewed regularly to identify patterns of persistent or severe absence, and appropriate intervention or escalation is put in place.

Safer Recruitment

The Leadership and Board of Governors of the school ensure that we have robust safer recruitment procedures in place. All aspects of safer recruitment are followed when appointing staff and Governors to any post / role at our school preventing the risk of allegations about adults who may be a risk to children working in our school.  Any issues that are identified prior to start are acted upon following the advice from our HR consultants and the Local Authority. 

The Senior Leadership Team, School Business Manager and two governors have received Safer Recruitment Training.

E-Safety

Whether on a computer at school, a laptop at home, a games console or mobile phone, children and young people are increasingly accessing the internet whenever they can and wherever they are. As you would protect your child in the real world, you will want to make sure that they are safe whatever they are doing. Like learning to cross the road, online safety skills are skills for life. If your child understands the risks and can make sensible and informed choices online, they can get the most from the internet and stay safe.

We teach online safety across the curriculum. This includes:

• Online safety lessons

• Safer Internet Day

• Acceptable Use Agreements

• Guidance for parents

Whistleblowing and Staff Culture

Staff are encouraged to report concerns without fear. We uphold openness, transparency, and accountability. Our policy is available on our website, in our main shared folders and a paper copy is in our staffroom.

A Christian Ethos of Care

Safeguarding is a Christian responsibility founded in our mission to love, serve, and grow. We are committed to protecting God's children through just, compassionate care.

...so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God... Colossians 1:10