“Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm. It includes a wide range of issues relating to pupils' welfare, health and safety.”

(Briefing for Section 5 Inspectors on Safeguarding Children, Ofsted April 2015)

Our school is a community and all those directly connected (staff, governors, parents, families and pupils) have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure. We welcome suggestions and comments that will contribute to this process.

St Thomas’ recognises the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; encourage them to talk openly; and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to.

We recognise that children who are abused or witness violence are likely to have low self-esteem and may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame. Our school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in their lives.

St Thomas’ will endeavour to support the welfare and safety of all pupils through:

• maintaining children’s welfare as our paramount concern

• ensuring the content of the curriculum includes social and emotional aspects of learning

• ensuring that child protection is included in the curriculum to help children stay safe, recognise when they don’t feel safe and identify who they might / can talk to

• providing suitable support and guidance so that pupils have a range of appropriate adults to approach if they are in difficulties

• promoting a positive, supportive, neutral and secure environment where pupils can develop a sense of being valued and heard in their own right

• ensuring all steps are taken to maintain site security and pupils’ physical safety

• working with parents to build an understanding of the school’s responsibility to ensure the welfare of all children including the need for referral to other agencies in some situations

• ensuring all staff are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and are aware of the school’s procedures and lines of communication

• monitoring children and young people who have been identified as having welfare or protection concerns;  keeping confidential records which are stored securely and shared appropriately with other professionals

• developing effective and supportive liaison with other agencies.

Our Safeguarding Team consists of:

Miss L D'Agostini, Headteacher, (Designated Safeguarding Lead)

Mrs C Brooker, Deputy Headteacher, (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead/Online Safety/E-Safety)

Miss V Hill, SENCo, (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead/Training)

Ms N Bayly, Parent Support Advisor, (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead)

Mrs G Milroy & Canon Anthony Charlton, (Safeguarding Governors)

Policies & Advice

• Click here for our Safeguarding Policy
• Click here for our Online Safety/Digital Safety/E-Safety Policy