Safeguarding Statement

Westgate CP School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff, governors, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment. To achieve this commitment, we ensure continuous development and improvement of robust child protection processes and procedures that promote a culture of keeping children safe.

We have a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy here. All adults who work in school have a responsibility to read and understand these policies.

The school must be a safe environment in which children thrive and develop. We know how important it is to listen to our pupils and take seriously what they tell us. All school staff are trained in Child Protection and children are made aware of the adults they can talk to if they have any concerns. Staff are trained to look out for signs of physical or emotional harm or neglect and are required to report these to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

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 their parents/carers first, unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child's welfare.

We actively support the Government's Prevent Agenda to counter radicalism and extremism.

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Mrs Kidd and our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs McGhee

Alternate DSLs are: Mrs Dalgoutte, Mrs Sawyer, Mrs Spencer and Miss Clifton

All members of the safeguarding team can be contacted via the School Office

 

 

Child Protection Policy and Practice

Our Safeguarding Policy outlines our commitment to safeguarding, roles and responsibilities of all adults that work with children in our school and detailed practice guidance.  This policy is available here.  Alternatively, a hard copy can be requested through the school office.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Westgate CP School, like all schools and colleges in England, follows the Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance from the Department for Education when carrying out our duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Safer Recruitment and Selection

We ensure that all appropriate measures are applied in relation to everyone who works in the school who is likely to be perceived by the children as a safe and trustworthy adult, including volunteers and staff employed by contractors.

Our safer recruitment practice pays full regard to current DFE guidance Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education and Keeping Children Safe in Education. 

 

Safeguarding Information for Pupils

 

 

All children in our school are aware of a number of adults in school who they can talk to. The school is committed to ensuring that pupils are aware of behaviour towards them that is not acceptable and how they can keep themselves safe.

All pupils know that we have senior members of staff with responsibility for child protection and know who this is.  They know where they can get additional support from other agencies, for example the NSPCC and Childline, and how they can access this support.

Children are taught, through PSHE lessons, assemblies, awareness days and through day-to-day interactions with adults, ways they can keep themselves safe both in real life situations and online.