At Bromstone Primary School the safeguarding of our children is the highest priority. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everybody’s responsibility and everyone has a role to play. All members of our community (staff, volunteers, governors, leaders, parents/carers, wider family networks, and pupils have an important role in safeguarding children and all have an essential role to play in making our community safe and secure.

Staff working with children at Bromstone will maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ where safeguarding is concerned. When concerned about the welfare of a child, staff will always act in the best interests of the child and if any member of our community has a safeguarding concern about any child or adult, they should act and act immediately.

Bromstone Primary School recognises the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help children to be safe and to feel safe. In our school children are respected and are encouraged to talk openly. We will ensure children’s wishes and feelings are taken into account when determining what safeguarding action to take and what services to provide.

The list below shows the safeguarding team at Bromstone Primary School

As Safeguarding Leads we have the overall responsibility for the day-to-day oversight of safeguarding and child protection systems within our school.

Within our role we liaise effectively and supportively with all school staff and other agencies and always in the best interests of children and families. These agencies can include Early Help, Children's Social Care, CAMHS, Local Housing Associations and Domestic Abuse Services.

If you have a safeguarding concern about a child or an adult, or if you would like confidential advice, please contact us by ringing the school office on 01843 867010.

We work with the strictest of confidentiality and will not share any information you give us without discussing this with you first.

If you, or someone you know, is at immediate risk of harm please dial 999 or contact Children's Social Services on 03000 41 11 11.

Safeguarding

Bromstone Primary School 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.  Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:
• protecting children from maltreatment
• preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Safeguarding and Child Protection Training

All Designated Safeguarding Leads complete training every two years to provide them with the knowledge and skills to perform the role.   All school staff are trained annually in September to ensure they are updated on all current legislation and are clear on what to do if they have a safeguarding concern. At Bromstone staff are also required to complete questionnaires on KCSiE Part 1 to demonstrate staff understanding.  There is also additional training where necessary on key elements of safeguarding e.g. FGM, CSE, Prevent, Online Safety etc.  Staff who join the school mid-way through the year will undertake safeguarding training (Child Protection, Online Safety and The Prevent Duty) during their staff induction.  Staff receive regular safeguarding updates via email, staff briefings and staff meetings in order to provide staff with the skills and knowledge they need to safeguard pupils effectively. 

Safer Recruitment

Bromstone Primary School is committed to ensuring that all steps are taken to recruit staff and volunteers who are safe to work with our pupils and have their welfare and protection as the highest priority. The Governing Body and Senior Leadership Team are responsible for ensuring that the school follows safe recruitment processes outlined within county guidance, including accurate maintenance of the Single Central Record; and an application, vetting and recruitment process which places safeguarding at its centre, regardless of employee or voluntary role.

Security

All staff have a responsibility for maintaining awareness of buildings and grounds security and for reporting concerns that may come to light. We operate within a whole-school community ethos and welcome comments from pupils, parents and others about areas that may need improvement, as well as what we are doing well.

Appropriate checks will be undertaken in respect of visitors and volunteers coming into school as outlined within guidance. Visitors will be expected to sign in and out via the school entry system and to display a visitor's badge whilst on school site. Any individual who is not known or identifiable should be challenged for clarification and reassurance.

The school will not accept the behaviour of any individual (parent or other) that threatens school security or leads others (child or adult) to feel unsafe. Such behaviour will be treated as a serious concern and may result in a decision to refuse access for that individual to the school site.