Safeguarding

We are committed in our responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of the children entrusted into our care, by establishing a safe environment in which children can learn, develop and flourish. We fully understand that prompting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility and have clear systems in place to ensure our procedures are highly effective. All policies and procedures in reference to Child Protection are formally reviewed each year.

Our Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) provide support to staff members to carry out their safeguarding duties and liaise with other services as and when necessary. We invest in Clennell Education Solutions which provides support and advice to school about behaviour and safety.

All staff members have annual safeguarding and child protection training and are aware of the referral process they should follow if they have a concern about a child’s welfare.  We have a thorough Safeguarding Induction for all new staff and volunteers.  

We are aware of our responsibilities to closely monitor the progress, achievement and emotional well-being of our Looked After Children.  We also have clear policies and procedures for children missing or at risk of becoming missing from education.

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Visitors to our school frequently complement us on the good manners and behaviour of our children. We work hard to maintain this ethos. We promote positive attitudes, self-discipline, independence and a sense of responsibility in all that we say and all that we do. We encourage and praise qualities such as being caring, courteous and respectful at all times.

Our  approach to behaviour is achieved through a consistent and incremental approach to rewards and consequences. We give high priority to clear communication within the school and to a positive partnership with parents/carers, since these are crucial in promoting and maintaining high standards of behaviour.

In all we do, we try to live out our school's mission statement:

Learning to Value, Learning to Give, Learning to Achieve, Growing together in the Peace of Christ.

Learning how to be safe online is an integral part of education in today's digital world. The internet is so important for children- they use it to play, learn and socialise. It is a place of fantastic opportunities; however the technology children use can cause worry regarding the potential risks they may face.  

At St Peter and Paul's we want to help our parents and children improve their own understanding of issues that may arise online. We want everyone to learn to use the internet and all digital media in a safe and secure way. We expect children to actively learn the responsible use of the internet through our ongoing work on being safe online through age-appropriate understanding of the potential risks.  

This year the children have been introduced to SMART, to help keep themselves safe online:

• S- SAFE- Don't give out your own information.  
• M- MEET- Don't meet up with people you have met online.
• A- ACCEPTING- Only open messages from people you trust.
• R- RELIABLE- Only talk to real world friends and family when online.
• T- TELL- Tell a trusted adult if something you see online makes you feel uncomfortable.  

You can help support your child at home by being aware of risks that may occur. Talking to your child about how they use the internet can also be beneficial. If you need more information, you may find these links helpful, or talk to your child's teacher.

Grooming is when someone builds an emotional connection with a child to gain their trust which can lead to sexual abuse or exploitation.

Children and young people can be groomed online or in the real world, by a stranger or by someone they know - for example a family member, friend or professional. Groomers may be male or female and they could be any age.

Many children and young people don't even know when they are being groomed, or that what is happening to them is abuse.

The following link takes you to a video on the NSPCC website. Parents of Year 5 and 6 children may decide after watching this video to share it with their children to advise them of contacting strangers online.

• NSPCC - Grooming

There is also a poster for you to downoad giving you more advice on how to protect your children from grooming.

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As a healthy school we promote the health and well-being of all our pupils in school. We fully understand the role we have to help children to succeed and support them to be resilient and mentally healthy. We are aware that children can experience a range of events both happy and sad throughout their time at school. Staff at school are sensitive and skilled at working with children who may have experienced loss or separation, life changes such as moving house, a birth of a sibling and events of a traumatic nature.  

At St Peter and Paul’s we have a range of support that children and families can access. We aim to work closely with parents, carers and other professionals to ensure we provide timely interventions to meet mental health needs.

If you have a concern please speak to your child’s class teacher in the first instance. Alternatively, you might like to read the information about our School Counselling Service below.

What we deliver....

Operation Encompass directly connects the police with schools to secure better outcomes for children who are subject to or experience police-attended incidents of domestic abuse. Rapid provision of support within the school environment means children are better safeguarded against the short, medium and long-term effects of domestic abuse.

What we do....

Operation Encompass provides an efficient, confidential channel of communication between police forces and Key Adults within schools. This enables the immediate and discrete recognition of the child's situation by the Key Adult, ensuring a secure and sympathetic environment is provided and the broader effects of abuse are addressed.

Who we are....

Operation Encompass is a charitable organisation set up in 2011, which has since enabled effective interventions to many thousands of children who've experienced domestic abuse. Our volunteers, trustees, and patrons are working tirelessly to ensure that police and schools throughout the country are able to address victims of domestic abuse consistently and coherently.

Prevent in Northumberland

Prevent is part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST, and is designed to safeguard vulnerable people and communities from the threat of radicalisation and being drawn into terrorism.

Prevent is a national safeguarding programme that supports people who are at risk of becoming involved with terrorism through radicalisation.

Radicalisation means someone is being encouraged to develop extreme views or beliefs in support of terrorist groups and activities.

There are different types of terrorism, and Prevent deals with all of them. Find out more about what terrorism means.

The most common types of terrorism in the UK are extreme right-wing terrorism and Islamist terrorism.

What is Prevent?

1. About Prevent
2. Understand why Prevent is important to reduce terrorism
3. Spot the signs of radicalisation
4. What to do if you’re worried about someone
5. What happens when a person is referred to Prevent
6. Find out more about how Prevent works
7. Northumbria Police - PREVENT

The Counter Terrorism Co-ordinating Group is about stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

The Counter Terrorism Co-ordinating Group is about stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. If you are concerned about someone being drawn into terrorism, please get in touch:  

Email: prevent@northumberland.gov.uk

In an emergency where your own or others' safety is at risk call 999.

Anti-Terrorist Hotline

If you are concerned about a person who may do something to harm themselves and/or other people, you can call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.

Report online material promoting terrorism or extremism

You can report any illegal terrorist information, pictures, videos found on the internet through the Government's website:  https://www.gov.uk/report-terrorism

Principles

This statement has been developed in accordance with the principles established by the Children's Acts 1989 and 2004; the Education Act 2002, and in line with government publications: ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ 2013, Revised Safeguarding Statutory Guidance 2 ‘Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families’ 2000, ‘What to do if You are Worried a Child is Being Abused’ 2003. The guidance reflects, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ 2014 and our responsibilities with regard to the Prevent Strategy 2011.  

Aims

- To ensure staff are aware of the Prevent Strategy and able to protect children and young people who are vulnerable or at risk of being radicalised

Managing Referrals

- To refer any child/ren at risk of being radicalised or extremism through the Local Authority Channel Referral and Intervention processes.

Raise Awareness

- Ensure staff and governors are aware of how to identify and respond to risks to children from extreme or radical views.

Vulnerability to radicalisation or extreme view points

The school recognises its duty to protect our students from indoctrination into any form of extreme ideology which may lead to the harm of self or others.  This is particularly important because of the open access to electronic information through the internet.  The schools aims to safeguard young people through educating them on the appropriate use of social media and the dangers of downloading and sharing inappropriate material which is illegal under the Counter-Terrorism Act.

The school vets all visitors carefully and will take firm action if any individual or group is perceived to be attempting to influence members of our school community, either physically or electronically. Our definition of radical or extreme ideology is ‘a set of ideas which could justify vilification or violence against individuals, groups or self.’  Staff are trained to be vigilant for spotting signs of extremist view and behaviours and to always report anything which may suggest a student is expressing opinions which may cause concern.  Our core mission of diversity permeates all we do.

We place a strong emphasis on the common values that all communities share such as self-respect, tolerance and the sanctity of life. We work hard to broaden our students' experience, to prepare them for life and work in contemporary Britain. We teach them to respect and value the diversity around them as well as understanding how to make safe, well-considered decisions.

The school's Family Support worker is Michelle Foulkes-Jones. Her role encompasses working with our pupils and their families to ensure that by offering support, guidance and building effective relationships our children can flourish. It is our aim at Ss Peter and Paul's to work in partnership with our families to facilitate the well being of the Whole Child through support, nurture and encouragement; both in and out of school, resulting in well rounded, confident,  happy children who feel safe and ready for the next step on the educational journey.

Our Family Support Officer's role covers the following areas:

• Attendance
• Pastoral Care
• Family Support
• Health and Well- being
• Parent workshops/ Family Learning
• Parent groups
• Signposting to other agencies
• Supporting parents to access other agencies
• Safeguarding
• Early Help
• Children Protection
• Operation Encompass