Safeguarding
Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.
Our pupils’ welfare is our paramount concern. The governing board ensures that our school will safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils. We work together with other agencies to ensure that our school has adequate arrangements to identify, assess and support those children who are suffering or likely to suffer harm.
Our school is a community and all those directly connected, staff members, governors, parents, families and pupils, have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure.
We believe that our school should provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of the individual child.
We recognise the importance of providing an environment within our school that will help children feel safe and respected. We recognise the importance of enabling children to talk openly and to feel confident that they will be listened to.
We recognise that all adults within the educational establishment, including permanent and temporary staff, volunteers and governors, have a full and active part to play in protecting our pupils from harm.
The designated safeguarding lead is Stuart Ritchie and the deputy safeguarding leads are Catherine Cottingham and Kally Livingston. If you have a concern about a child please contact them immediately, or alternatively contact Children’s Services directly on 01323 464222 or visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/childrenandfamilies/worried-about-a-child/
'Together we can tackle child abuse' - Government Campaign
The government has launched a campaign called 'Together we can tackle child abuse'. The resources, aimed at everyone in the community, and include four very short videos explaining physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and online abuse.
The simple mnemonic, ABC, is used to remind people that they should look out for changes in appearance, behaviour or communication. The webpage has a search engine to find out where to report abuse.
For more information, go to: https://tacklechildabuse.
Adults carefully identify when pupils are at risk of harm and act swiftly to help. They work closely with families and outside agencies to keep children safe. - Ofsted 2022
Operation Encompass
At Herstmonceux Primary School, we are part of the Operation Encompass scheme detailed below.