Safeguarding
Mission Statement
Witton Church Walk CE Primary School recognises that every member of its staff has a key role in prevention of harm, and the early identification, intervention and support for pupils at risk of significant harm. The School endeavours to provide an environment where children are valued and know that their concerns will be taken seriously.
Witton Church Walk CE Primary School aims to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels happy, safe and secure. We promote an atmosphere of truth and honesty in which everyone feels valued and shows respect for each other and their surroundings. As a team, we are committed to high expectations and continuous improvement. We adopt a child centred approach to high quality teaching and learning, inspiring everyone to achieve their full potential
Statement of Intent for Safeguarding
At Witton Church Walk Primary School we are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all our pupils so they can learn in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. We believe every pupil should be able to participate in all school activities in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from harm. This is the responsibility of every adult employed by, or invited to deliver services at our school. We recognise our responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all our pupils by protecting them from all types of abuse; for example neglect and bullying.
At Witton Church Walk Primary School we are determined to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to protect children and young people from harm. We believe every pupil should be able to participate in all school activities in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from harm.
This is the responsibility of every adult employed by or invited to deliver services at Witton Church Walk Primary School. As an organisation, we recognise our responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all our pupils, which includes all aspects of health promotion and prevention.
Prevent Strategy
As part of Witton Church Walk’s ongoing safeguarding and child protection duties, we are fully behind the government's Prevent Strategy.
Since 1 July 2015, all schools have been subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent Duty for Schools.
is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our children and families. We recognise that in an ever-changing and fast-moving world it is essential that we promote children's well-being, confidence and resilience, and that we provide them with up to date and age-appropriate information and signpost them to places where they can find support, where necessary.
We see protecting our children from the risk of radicalisation as part of our wider safeguarding duties, and that it is similar in nature to protecting students from other harms (e.g. drugs, gangs, cyber-bullying, neglect, and sexual exploitation), whether these come from within their family or are the product of outside influences. We acknowledge the ‘Prevent Duty’ and we have due regard to the need to prevent children and their families from being drawn into any illegal activity, including terrorism.
We build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British Values and enabling our pupils to challenge extremist views.
At Witton Church Walk all staff and governors are expected to uphold the fundamental principles of British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and demonstrating an understanding of different faiths and beliefs. These values are promoted through our values and ethos, the curriculum, citizenship, assembly themes and PHSE work.
All our staff and governors have undertaken the Channel Awareness accredited training in conjunction with the College of Policing which includes guidance on how to identify people who may be vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism, and how to refer them into the Channel process. Channel is a key process within the Prevent strategy for assessing individuals’ vulnerability to being drawn into terrorism. It focuses on early intervention and diverting people away from risk.
Please refer to ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024’ below for further information as well as our Safeguarding policy.
Operation Encompass
In conjunction with Cheshire Police, Witton Church Walk CE Primary School is involved in a new initiative called Operation Encompass. The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in, heard or witnessed a domestic abuse incident. Following such an incident, children will often arrive at school distressed, upset, worried and unprepared. Operation Encompass aims to enusre that appropriate school staff (called Key Adults) are made aware early enough to support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe and included.
Pathway for sharing information when a child has attended hosptial following an incident of self-harm
A new arrangement has been put in place in Cheshire West and Chester for children living within the authority, this agreement aims to support children who are affected by self-harming behaviour, this is an inititative that we will be supporting here at Witton Church Walk. Where a child under the age of 16 attends A&E or is admitted onto a hospital ward following a self-harm incident, the hosptial will communicate this, at the earliest opportunity, to the Safeguarding Lead in school. This will help to ensure that the school are able to support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe and included. There may be the need, in some cases, for ongoing communication with CAMHS in order to meet the needs of the child.
At Witton Church Walk CE Primary School our Key Adult is Mrs Tracy Parr (Deputy Head teacher and Safeguarding Lead).
This ia a vaulable initiative that means we can continue to support and help children and families within our school community when they need it the most.
You can find our more by visiting www.operationencompass.org or by contacting our Key Adult.
Staff Responsibilities
Mrs Parr - Deputy Headteacher & Safeguarding lead
Mrs Magiera - Headteacher & Deputy Safeguarding lead
Jackie Ellison - Family Support Worker 07985280690, if you feel the need to talk to someone please contact Jackie
If you wish to contact school to share information or in an emergency please email: [email protected]
In case of emergency please use one of the following contacts as appropriate:
-
Integrated Access and Referral Team - 0300 123 7047
-
NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000 website address https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
-
999 or 111
- https://www.mindmate.org.uk/
- https://mindedforfamilies.org.uk/
Government Link Below for School Guidance
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-children-from-radicalisation-the-prevent-duty
https://educateagainsthate.com/parents/
Please see the documents below for further information: