Safeguarding

Safeguarding at St. John Fisher RC Primary School

At St John Fisher, the safety of the children in our care is paramount. We recognise our duty to ensure arrangements are in place for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and to carry out this duty through our teaching and learning, pastoral care and extended school activities. All members of the school community work together to establish and maintain a safe and stimulating environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk to adults they can trust and are listened to.
At St John Fisher there is a Designated Safeguarding Team comprising of the following staff members:

Safeguarding Team

The team have received appropriate training and are responsible for the completion of the required paperwork and ensuring that confidential records are stored securely. It is the responsibility of the designated members of staff to have discussions with Social Care, when concerns arise regarding the safety of a pupil in this school, and to make appropriate referrals. All such pupils are closely monitored and where extra concerns arise these are passed on to the appropriate agencies.

Designated Governors

Our school has a designated Safeguarding Governor (Mrs L Asgill) who acts as the link between the governing body and the designated officers. The safeguarding governor reviews safeguarding procedures and practices. Where safeguarding concerns arise regarding a member of staff, the governor will liaise with the Chair of Governors.

Staff recruitment

In line with the guidance for Safer Recruitment, the designated officers and specific governors, have completed Safer Recruitment training. All staff, including volunteers who have access to children in our school, have been carefully selected and screened and all have had an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks (DBS) prior to commencing their role in school. Details of all appointments/checks are held in a single central record.
All staff are trained to recognise the signs of abuse and understand their responsibilities when a child may be at risk of harm. Training of all staff is updated in line with guidance and also forms part of new staff induction procedures.

Parents

This school believes in working closely with parents and in most cases where we have a concern about a pupil, the parents will be informed. The school can signpost and refer to a wide range of support services through the Headteacher and/or Inclusion Manager.

Children

Through assemblies, PSHE lessons and cross-curricular learning, children have a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

Online safety

Digital Citizenship is an integral part of our school curriculum throughout the year. Additionally, during Internet Safety week, all pupils are formally reminded of how to stay safe and be responsible online. The school runs on line workshops for children and parents during the course of the year. All safeguarding concerns regarding on line activity should be reported to a member of the Designated Safeguarding Team.

Preventing Radicalisation and Extremism

In line with recent legislation (July 2015), which requires schools to have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’, St John Fisher follows the Merton Safeguarding Board’s guidance, which is available on their website together with a parental guidance leaflet 

Helpful links and Documents

Click on this link below for a range of resources to support parents and children in understanding and seeking support in both online safety and safeguarding from all the major providers. 

Key Documents