We are committed to the vital contribution that all governors, teaching and nonteaching staff make to safeguarding and the protection and welfare of our children.

We aim to ensure that all child protection and welfare concerns and referrals are handled sensitively and professionally, in ways that support each child's specific needs.

We aim to foster an atmosphere of trust, respect and security by providing a caring, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of all our children.

Key People

School Safeguarding Team

John Henson (Headteacher): Designated Safeguarding Lead

Kate Lloyd (Assistant Head): Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Steve Preston (Assistant Head): Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead 

You can reach our designated safeguarding leads by ringing the school office on 01353 612780. 

Governors

Lis Every: Safeguarding Governor

Jon Hudson: Chair of Governors

Key Principles 

Under the Education Act 2002 (section 175), schools must ‘make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children’. 

We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. The school will therefore be alert to signs of abuse and neglect and will follow the Safeguarding Children Partnership Board’s procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support and protection.

Parents/carers should know that the law requires all school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. The school should make parents/carers aware that it may keep records of safeguarding concerns about their child. They should be informed that school staff will generally seek to discuss any concerns with them, including referrals to other agencies.

Local procedures state that ‘Consent should always be sought from an adult with parental responsibility for the child/young person before passing information about them to Children’s Social Care, unless seeking consent would place the child at risk of significant harm or may lead to the loss of evidence, for example destroying evidence of a crime or influencing a child about a disclosure made.’ This includes allowing them to share information without consent if it is not possible to gain consent, if it cannot reasonably be expected that a professional gains consent, or if gaining consent would place a child at risk.

Where there is a need to share special category personal data, the Data Protection Act 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows professionals to share information.

In accordance with legislation and local information-sharing protocols, we will ensure that information is shared securely and sensitively. Information will only be shared with other services where it is deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure children and young people are safe and receive the right service. In all circumstances, the child's safety will be the paramount concern.

Schools will contact children’s social care when they have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later shown to be unfounded. Parents/carers will appreciate that the member of staff in the school with responsibility for child protection (known as the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) was carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acting in the best interests of all children.

Under Section 3 (5) of the Children Act 1989, any person who has care of a child ‘may… do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the purpose of safeguarding or promoting the child’s welfare’. This means that on rare occasions, a school may need to ‘hold’ a child in school whilst children’s social care and the police investigate any concerns further.

Please see below for the most current guidance, protocols and policies that form the basis of safeguarding at Ely St John's.