Safeguarding and Child Protection
At St Joseph’s we understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. All members of staff, including teaching and support staff receive annual safeguarding training and updates throughout the year as needed. This covers all areas in the DFE document, Keeping Children Safe in Education (updated September 2024 - see link below) – including the Prevent Strategy, FGM, mental health, up skirting, Peer on peer abuse and Child Sexual Exploitation. Mary Geen is our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and attends regular training to keep up to date with all issues relating to child protection and safeguarding. The School has tight procedures that record issues that relate to child protection and safeguarding. We work with an array of agencies including Children’s Services, the School Nurse, Early Help (FSS) and the police. Additional updates and training are given to staff as needed throughout the year. Bill James, Deirdre McNeill, Joan van Zyl and Grace Curry act as the DSL in Mary Geen’s absence. The named Safeguarding Governor/ Director is Stephanie Dew.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children who have a right to feel safe and secure and cannot learn effectively unless they do so. To achieve our commitment and prime responsibility, we will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust safeguarding processes and procedures that promote a culture of safeguarding amongst all of our staff, governors and volunteers.
We are committed to inspiring, challenging and safeguarding our pupils, enabling them to become:
- Successful learners, who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve.
- Confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
- Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution, both socially and economically, to society.
Our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policies, Procedures and Safeguarding Guidance applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school.
SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION for Parents/Carers
“To Keep children safe in education you have to allow yourself to think the unthinkable.”
"It could happen here."
2024/25
Please see HERE to see our Autumn Safeguarding Newsletter for Parents/Carers
2023/24
Please see HERE to see our Spring Safeguarding Newsletter for Parents/Carers
Please see HERE to see our children's Spring Safeguarding Newsletter
Please click HERE to see our Autumn Safeguarding Newsletter for Parents/Carers
Please see HERE to see our Autumn Children's Safeguarding Newsletter KS1
Please see HERE to see our Autumn Children's Safeguarding Newsletter KS2
Safeguarding Surveys Summer 2024
Our latest Parent and Pupil Survey was carried out during the summer of 2023. It's terrific to see so many positive comments from parents, carers and children regarding St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and the results give us much to celebrate. We will also be using the results to further improve the school in the future, so thank you so much to everyone who took the time to complete it.
Please see the links below for the survey results and action points.
Please click HERE to go to our Parents/Carers Information Page.
SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION - What our children need to know.
Trusted Adults and what to do.
The following PowerPoints are provided to support you as Parents/Carers to discuss with children who to reach out to in times of need. This follows on from what we teach here in school. 
EYFS/Key Stage 1
The Underwear Rule
“To Keep children safe in education you have to allow yourself to think the unthinkable.”
The following information is about educating children to protect themselves through recognising and understanding right from wrong. The Underwear Rule is taught in both Reception and Year 2.
Please see HERE for the Underwear Rule Children's Guide.
Please see HERE for the Underwear Rule Parent's Guide.
NSPCC Underpants Rule - for more information.
2024/25 – Roles & Responsibilities
DSL - Mary Geen
Deputy DSLs - Deirdre Mc Neill, Bill James, Joan van Zyl and Grace Curry
Responsible Person for First Aid – Helen Thompson
Paediatric First Aid – Rachel Nash, Emma Reddie, Gillian Legg, Steve Eagar, Emma Lally, Mary Geen, Lucy Kelly, Helen Thompson, Lucy Dudley
First Aid at work – Helen Thompson
First aid at school – all staff
Fire Officer – Neil Biggs
Risk Assessor – Neil Biggs
Designated teacher for looked after children – Mary Geen
Common Assessment Framework Completer – Bill James
Mental Health Lead:
Mrs Lauren Williams
Safer Recruitment, Qualified Staff:
Bill James Deirdre McNeill Judy Westwood Lauren Williams Mr R Fridge Mrs Curry Mrs Geen
Health & Safety Governor/Director:
Mr Sean Kelly
Training for Pupils:
The children are taught about safeguarding through our preventative PHSE curriculum. This gives our children the knowledge and information they need to help them stay safe and develop healthy relationships, beliefs and attitudes as they grow up.This covers topics like online safety and safety inside and outside school, for more details please see our curriculum map. We also have a safeguarding and anti- bullying week every November. We also have a trained Mental Health Lead for the school (Mrs L Williams).
Vetting Procedures:
All members on the school staff have to have a DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service ) in order to work in school. This is regardless of the employee’s role so that cleaners, admin staff as well as teachers must all be checked. In addition all volunteers and anybody else who has regular contact with children are checked. Visitors to the school either provide their own DBS on arrival or are members of professional bodies who are registered by their employer, such as OFSTED inspectors or Local Authority Employees who have a DBS through their own professional body. Any one off visitor, such as a visiting author either provides their own DBS or signs one of the school’s Occasional Visitors’ forms. Parents who help out occasionally on school trips or provide lifts for sporting events sign a Occasional Visitors’ form. On entry all visitors have to sign in using our electronic system.
Risk Assessments:
All areas of the school undergo biannual risk assessments by the school’s qualified risk assessor. This means that whist we cannot remove risk we have looked at ways of minimising that risk. These risk assessments are undertaken on areas such as classrooms, halls, playground and the car park. We carry out risk assessments for all school trips including our annual Year 4 residential trips and Year 6 trip to France. The format of these risk assessments were revised in summer term 2022.
In addition risk assessments are undertaken on special events that might occur in the school such as the Year 5 sleepover. During previous inclement weather (snow), we undertook a risk assessment before we re opened the school. Playground equipment is annually inspected by Wicksteed and our PE equipment is annually inspected by Universal Services. We have a separate Covid- 19 risk assessment which is regularly updated.
Security:
Access to the campus, both for vehicles and pedestrians is via security gates. Staff have access to both gates by key fob. Visitors can only gain access by gate release authorised by Office staff. Access to the external doors where we have classrooms are by key fob. All fire exits are either twist lock or bar push exits. We have installed a ‘lockdown system’ in the event of a bomb or terrorism threat.
Internet Security:
The school has an Internet Security Policy to help children stay safe online. This is supported by a training programme for children, information sessions for parents and regular updates via our communications. The school system is “fire wall” protected so that inappropriate material can not be accessed by pupils or staff. All staff are annually trained on internet safety. This is in line with the DfE document Teaching online safety in schools’ (2019). Staff have also had training in the school's filtering and monitoring systems (KCSIE 2023).
Fire Protection:
Neil Biggs is the School’s Fire Officer and he carries our regular checks such as on emergency lighting. Each term we have a fire drill and the results are recorded in the School’s Fire Manual. All teaching staff are trained in the use of fire extinguishers.
First Aid:
Helen Thompson is our responsible person for first aid and takes charge in emergency situations. (Bill James in her absence) We have 2 qualified paediatric first aiders on the school site and a list of qualified first aiders is displayed at all first aid stations. There are first aid stations in all school buildings and school halls. All staff are First Aid trained and qualifications are renewed every three years. This includes EpiPen training.
Health & Safety:
Dave Kenny OBE is the Director/Governor representative are for health & safety in the school. He carries out termly health & safety inspections on all areas of the school. Ray West is our outside consultant.
Equality:
The school has an Equality policy that monitors any possible discrimination in the school in relation to any of the nine protected characteristics (Equality Act 2010). The Governing Body is reported to annually on the effectiveness of the policy. The School also makes annual returns on any racist incidents.
Pupils’ Survey:
The school conducts a regular pupils’ survey with questions that directly relate to how safe pupils feel. In the summer of 2021, 100% of KS1 and over 80% of pupils said they felt safe at school. In the summer of 2023 94% of all children said they felt safe at school, with 6% saying that they didn't know how they felt.
Review:
The School has an annual cycle of review and we are always looking for ways of improving our safeguarding procedures. If you have any comments or suggestions please jot them down and hand them to the office or ask to speak to Bill James or Deirdre McNeill.
What to do if you are concerned about the safety or welfare of a child…(for more information see Safeguarding for Parents/Carers under the Safeguarding and Wellbeing tab)
A child is in immediate danger. What should I do?
If a child is in immediate danger, do not hesitate to call 999 and report your concern to the police.
Are you concerned about the safety or welfare of a child?
You don’t need to know everything about the child before contacting Children’s Services. If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, it is important that you talk to someone about this.
Contact Children’s Services on 0300 555 1384
Are you concerned about someone working with children?
If you are concerned about the conduct of a member of staff, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, contact the Local Area Designated Officer (LADO).
Contact the LADO on 01962 876 364
Do you work in the community?
If your job involves entering and working in people’s homes and something concerns you about a child, contact Children’s Services.
Contact Children’s Services on 0300 555 1384 (out of hours – 0300 555 1373)