At Staindrop CE Primary School and Pre-School our first and foremost priority is keeping our children safe. In this section, you’ll find a list of school policies, actions and useful signposts that helps us as a school and you as parents, to keep our little ones safe.

As ever, if you do have a problem or need any further information, then please do get in touch and we’ll be delighted to help.

We will ensure that:

• The welfare of the child remains paramount.
• All children and adults whatever their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion, belief, sex or sexual orientation have the right to be protected from harm.
• All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
• All staff and volunteers working at our school have a responsibility to report concerns to the designated leads for Safeguarding: Mr. Whelerton and Mrs. Harland
• All staff are safeguarding level 1 trained and receive regular updates
• Miss Davidson and Miss Allen are our deputy DSLs and trained to  safeguarding level 3

Areas of Safeguarding

Our safeguarding policies cover all areas of school life and include:

• Staff & Visitors- ensuring they are vetted, informed & trained.
• Children’s Behaviour- promoting safer & happier behaviours & lifestyles.
• Parents & Carers- promoting links & supporting families.
• Intimate Care – guidelines for if we need to clean or administer medication
• E-safety – how we protect and how you can protect your children online
• Premises -keeping them safe, pleasant & fit for purpose.
• Curriculum -providing positive, life affirming learning experiences.
• Outside School- ensuring safer activities and environments outside school.

Members of Staff Responsible

We are all responsible for ensuring that each child remains safe, however the Designated Lead for Safeguarding is Mr. Whelerton.

Safer Recruitment

We follow strict procedures to ensure that everyone who works with our children is vetted, keeping our children as safe as possible. Ongoing checks and ‘whistle-blowing’ are in line with current policy.

Staff Training

• All school staff are trained regularly in child protection issues and they are aware of the procedures to follow.
• Staff are encouraged to be vigilant in order to maintain the safety of our children.
• All Staff are given a copy of the document ‘KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IN EDUCATION’.
• Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2023
• Our school Safeguarding policy can be found in our policies section.

Stakeholder Training Registers

Staff training register 20-01-23 

Governor Training Register 03-02-2023

All Health and Safety Training Registers are held in school.

Prevent Training

All staff have an up-to-date understanding of current Prevent Issues staff and are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation.

Mr. Whelerton is the school Single Point of Contact and both Mr. Whelerton and Mrs Harland receive regular training on the Prevent Agenda.

Child Protection with Safeguarding Policy

All staff have an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding children issues and are able to implement the safeguarding children policy and procedure appropriately. Policies are in line with current guidance and procedures.

Staff are able to respond appropriately to any:

• significant changes in children’s behaviour;
• deterioration in their general well-being;
• unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse;
• signs of neglect;
• comments children make which give cause for concern.

All staff are aware of the need to maintain privacy and confidentiality.

Information Sharing

We have an obligation to obtain necessary information from parents in advance of a child being admitted to school, including:

• emergency contact numbers;
• the child’s special dietary requirements, preferences or food allergies the child may have;
• the child’s special health requirements;
• information about who has legal contact with the child; and who has parental responsibility for the child.

Written parental permission is requested, at the time of the child’s admission to the provision, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future.

PARENTS & CARERS MUST TELL US OF ANY CHANGES TO THESE DETAILS.

We take confidentiality very seriously. Any information which we hold is treated as confidential and shared on a ‘need-to-know’ basis.

Links with External Agencies

Because our first concern must be the well-being of your child, there may be occasions when we have to consult other agencies before we contact you. The procedures we have to follow have been laid down in accordance with the local authority child protection procedures.

We are fortunate to be supported by a range of external agencies which can be called upon to support the work we do in school. These include School Nurse, Health Practitioners, Educational Psychology, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, Behaviour Support, Social Services and Specialists in supporting Special Educational Needs.

Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership (formerly LSCB)

Durham Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) is a statutory body which is independently chaired and consists of senior representatives of all the principal agencies and organisations working together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in the County.

Our Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) is Sharon Lewis.

Details of Durham LSCB can be found on the DSCP website and provide an excellent resource for both parents and professionals.

Watch Chair of the Durham LSCB -Michael Banks’ update for the latest LCSB news in our area by clicking the link below:

What is Durham LSCB?

Reporting Concerns or Complaints

Further to the above procedures, we have in place a concerns and complaints policy. This enables children, staff and carers to report anything they feel is of concern.

Concerns should be raised in the following order.

1. To the Class Teacher. Then, if there is no resolution;
2. To the Head Teacher. Then, if there is no resolution;
3. To the Chairman of Governors. Then, if there is no resolution;
4. To the Local Authority.

Review of Policy and Practice

In order to ensure that best practice is maintained, our policies are reviewed at least regularly to incorporate the latest statutory guidance emerge.

If you would like more information on safeguarding, please contact the school for all our policies or view our policies section on our website.

Information for Parents

Here, we’ll make sure we signpost you to any websites, or news items that may help you in supporting your child’s safety awareness.

Please keep revisiting this section as we’ll add to it regularly.

Internet Safety

At Staindrop, one of our main resources in promoting Internet Safety is Kapow.

Kapow is a scheme in which children are exposed to online issues requiring a response such as meeting strangers, bullying, grooming and sexual exploitation.

Areas covered with Kapow Curriculum:

Clickjacking, Grooming, Sexual Exploitation, Emailing, Live Gaming, Web Cams & Live Streaming, Social Networking, People online, Radicalisation, Meeting Up Chat Rooms, Online Bullying, In-App Purchases, Online Safety for Students Teaching Internet Safety to Students, Internet Safety and Online Safety tips for kids, Online Bullying tips for children.

We also have regular visits from the local police force, who talk to our pupils about the dangers of internet/social media safety and support families and parents in monitoring pupils’ home use.

Kik Messenger

Kik messenger has become a popular app with some groups of pupils, however we have been warned by Durham Police that it is being used by offenders to groom children to obtain indecent photos and videos. Please be aware that :-

• Kik has a minimum age of 13, and it is not suitable for younger children due to risks associated with inappropriate and/or illegal sharing of images and videos
• Parents should manage their children’s use of technology. Please set tablets and phones so that children cannot download apps without parental permission. (We have come across many cases where children have been abused through an app that parents and carers did not realise had been installed)
• If your child is old enough to use the app, and is mature enough to manage its appropriate use please check the privacy settings so that your child’s whereabouts and images are not being broadcast around the net without their knowledge.
• See further advice on https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre 
• If you discover that your child has been abused using this or any other app please contact Durham Police on 101 or contact the school for further advice.

Children Who Go Missing from Home.

Parents may be aware that the LA and the Police have been in discussion for some time regarding an initiative to help locate children of primary school age who are reported by their parents/carers as missing from home.

• Please find details in the letter below
• children who go missing from home-1

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