Safeguarding
Safeguarding is the action taken to make sure children are safe from harm and flourish, physically, emotionally and mentally.
At St Thomas à Becket Primary School the safety and well-being of our children is our absolute priority.
Safeguarding includes:
- protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
- preventing harm to children’s health or development
- ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.
Child protection focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. It includes procedures for responding to concerns about a child.
Schools have a key role to play in Safeguarding Children and Child Protection. We have regular contact with children so are in a strong position to identify signs of abuse and neglect.
We can safeguard children by:
- creating safe environments for children and young people through robust safeguarding practices
- maintaining an environment where children feel confident to approach any member of staff if they have a worry or problem
- ensuring that adults who work in the school, including volunteers, don’t pose a risk to children
- making sure staff are trained, know how to respond to concerns and keep-up-to-date with policy and practice
- teaching children and young people about keeping safe
Safeguarding may include issues such as:
- Bullying
- Harassment and discrimination
- Racist abuse
- Use of physical intervention
- Providing First Aid
- Drug and substance misuse
- Internet Safety
- School site security
- Preventing radicalisation
- Children Missing from Education (CME)
- Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
If you have about concerns about the health and safety or well-being of a child at this school, or feel that something may be troubling them, you should share this information with an appropriate member of school staff immediately.
Do not worry that you may be reporting small matters – we would rather you tell us things that turn out to be small than have us miss a worrying situation.
If you think the matter is very serious and may be related to a child protection concern for example, physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect, you must talk to one of the people below immediately.
| Headteacher
Safeguarding Lead |
Nicki Boast | head@st-thomas-a-becket.wilts.sch.uk |
| Deputy Safeguarding Lead | Chloe Stobbart | cstobbart@st-thomas-a-becket.wilts.sch.uk |
| Deputy Safeguarding Lead | Elka Priddin | epriddin@st-thomas-a-becket.wilts.sch.uk |
| Designated teacher for Looked After Children | Chloe Stobbart | cstobbart@st-thomas-a-becket.wilts.sch.uk |
| Nominated Governor | Antoinette Fish | afish@st-thomas-a-becket.wilts.sch.uk |
| Chair of Governors | Keith Ratcliffe | kratcliffe@st-thomas-a-becket.wilts.sch.uk |
If you are unable to contact them, please ask the school office staff to find them and ask them to speak to you immediately about a confidential Safeguarding matter.
Child Friendly Safeguarding Policy 2023
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy 2023