What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is the term used to describe the measures put in place to protect the health, wellbeing and human rights of children and young people. In schools, safeguarding is essential to ensure that all pupils are safe from harm, both inside and outside the school environment.

All schools in the UK have a legal duty of care to safeguard children. This means creating a safe and supportive environment where children can thrive and where concerns about their welfare are identified and addressed promptly.

Effective safeguarding in schools includes:

  • Whole-school policies and procedures that promote safety and wellbeing.
  • Staff and volunteers who are confident in identifying and raising concerns about a child’s welfare.
  • Leadership that is skilled in responding to concerns, making referrals and working with external agencies to protect children.
  • Teaching and learning resources that promote emotional wellbeing, resilience and awareness of personal safety.

Safeguarding is a shared responsibility. We work collaboratively with parents and carers, as well as external agencies such as social care, the police, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and charities that offer advice and support. Together, we aim to create a safe, nurturing environment where every child feels protected and valued.

Our safeguarding team:

Mrs Natalie Pickard, Head Teacher, Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead
Mrs Lorna Guerbaouy, Deputy Head Teacher/SENCO, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Mr Jonathan Smith, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Our safeguarding governor is Mr Justin Newsham

If you have any concerns, no matter how small they may seem, about the safety or welfare of any child, please contact us.

Nottinghamshire Encompass Scheme

Our school is part of the Nottinghamshire Encompass scheme, a safeguarding initiative that supports children who may have been exposed to domestic abuse. When the police attend a domestic incident involving a child, they notify the school’s designated safeguarding lead before the start of the next school day. This allows us to provide timely and appropriate support to help the child feel safe, secure, and ready to learn. The information shared is minimal and confidential and is used solely to ensure the wellbeing of the child. Encompass is a vital part of our commitment to safeguarding and works in partnership with Nottinghamshire Police and the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) to protect children from harm.

Operation Encompass Parent Information

PREVENT STRATEGY

What is Prevent?

Prevent is part of CONTEST, the Government’s strategy to address terrorism. The main aim of Prevent is to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Prevent focuses on all forms of terrorist threats.  E.g. international terrorism, far right extremists (among others).

Three key themes:

The police, Local Authorities and our partner organisations are working together to help strengthen and empower our communities to reject those who want to cause harm. We work together and focus on 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

Prevent Team

The Prevent Engagement Team of officers and police staff aim to encourage discussion ensuring that terrorism is prevented from taking root in our communities. They support the wider engagement activities already taking place in schools, places of worship and community groups.

Through this work they aim to strengthen communities in order to challenge the ideologies and messages of hate which lead to terrorism.

How you can help?

It is important that we all work together, so that we can protect our communities. There are many ways you can help:

  • You can get in touch with your local neighbourhood or Prevent team for advice and support, if you are worried about someone you know who you believe may be vulnerable to radicalisation
  • You can speak to your local officers or Prevent contact about helping run community events to bring people from different communities together
  • You can provide facilities that could help us and our partners hold community engagement events

As a school, we recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation is as important as safeguarding against any other vulnerability. As part of our commitment to safeguarding and child protection, we fully support the government’s Prevent strategy. Natalie Pickard, our Head Teacher, is our Prevent Lead