Keeping Your Child Safe
St John’s Primary School ensures children learn in a safe, caring and enriching environment. Children are taught how to keep themselves safe, to develop positive and healthy relationships, how to avoid situations where they might be at risk including by being exploited.
The school has a statutory responsibility to share any concerns it might have about a child in need of protection with other agencies and in particular police, health and children’s services. Schools are not able to investigate concerns but have a legal duty to refer them.
In most instances, the school will be able to inform the parents/carer of its need to make a referral. However, sometimes the school is advised by Children’s Services or police that the parent/carer cannot be informed whilst they investigate the matter. We understand the anxiety parents/carers understandably feel when they are not told about any concerns from the outset. The school follows legislation that aims to act in the interests of the child.
It is advised that ALL parents/carers are familiar with our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy which is available on our website and on request.
A child should be able to go to school and feel safe so that they can achieve their very best. St John’s Primary School will ensure:
- that anybody who works or volunteers at our school will have had the appropriate checks carried out to ensure that they are safe to work with children and then provided with training to identify child abuse and what to do if they are concerned.
- that we always listen to you and work closely with you if we are concerned about your child but, sometimes, we may not be able to discuss our concern. The school has a safeguarding policy which tells you more about this and when we must speak to the police or children’s services. Please ask us about how you can see a copy of this policy.
- we will help your child to learn about keeping themselves safe. Lessons can include healthy eating, anti‐bullying, e‐safety, road safety, healthy relationships, drugs and alcohol awareness.
- as part of the keeping safe lessons, your child will be told what to do if they are worried or concerned about their own safety.
Parents are the most important people to keep their children safe. You should always:
- feel confident to raise concerns about your child
- talk to school if you need help or support
- read the school policies about safety issues available on request and on the schools website
- let the school know if your child has a medical condition
- let the school know if you have any court orders relating to the safety of your child
- let the school know if there is a change in your circumstances such as a house move, a new contact number, a change of name, a change of parental responsibility
- inform the school who will be dropping off or collecting your child and two other emergency contacts. You must inform the school of any changes to agreed arrangements
- let the school know if your child is going to be absent and the reasons why