Safeguarding

Safeguarding Advice For All Visitors 

Please help us to keep our pupils safe!

UNCRC: Article 19 “You should not be harmed, be looked after and kept safe!” 

Important Information to Keep Everyone Safe

If this is your first visit to Newton Primary school then the Headteacher, Mr Gareth Thomas would like to extend a warm welcome to you.  Our aim is to provide an education where children feel happy, healthy and safe.   

Whatever your reason for your visit we hope that your time with us is a pleasant one.  We ask all first-time visitors to spend a little time reading this information  which is designed in accordance with our safeguarding procedures.   

At Newton Primary School, we have rigorous child protection procedures based on a clear policy designed to make sure our children are safe and feel safe. 

All staff are inducted into our safeguarding procedures and receive child protection awareness training according to Local Authority guidelines.  We take seriously our responsibility in: 

• Preventing children from being neglected or abused 

• Identifying signs and symptoms 

• Recording incident, issues and concerns over time 

What does safeguarding include? 

We are aware that safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm.  It includes: 

• Pupils’ health and safety 

• All aspects of behaviour such as bullying, racist and homophobic abuse, harassment and discrimination, both in school and travelling to and from school 

• Use of physical intervention 

• Meeting the needs of pupils with medical conditions 

• Providing first aid 

• Drugs and substance mis-use 

• Educational visits  

• Online safety 

• School security 

• Radicalisation and extremism 

Your safeguarding responsibility while at Newton: 

Whilst you are here with us at school, you have a responsibility for children’s safety and wellbeing. 

It is possible that during your visit, especially if you will be in the school on a regular basis, you might come across some safeguarding issues.  It is even possible that a child might choose you as the person he or she would like to speak to about something that is happening to them.  You might become aware of marks or bruises on a child, something odd that they say or that personal hygiene is not as it should be.  At the very least, you should report any concerns you have to one of our designated safeguarding persons. 

Designated safeguarding persons: 

Mrs. Paula Ketcher-Murrell, Deputy Headteacher 

Mr. Lee Howells, SLT

In the unlikely event that neither of these persons are on site, please report your concern to one of the following: 

Mr Thomas

Mrs. Katie Pelosi

What should you do if a child disclosed to you? 

At Newton we follow the 5Rs. 

Receive

Listen carefully to what is being said, without displaying shock or disbelief. Accept what is said. Do not attempt to investigate the allegation. Your duty will be to listen to what is being said and to pass that information on. 

Reassure 

Provide the child with plenty of re-assurance. Always be honest and do not make promises you cannot keep, for example: “I’ll stay with you”, or, “Everything will be all right now”. 

Do not promise confidentiality. You will be under a duty to pass the information on and the child needs to know this. You can say “I will only tell people who need to know to keep you safe.” 

React 

You can ask questions and may need to in certain instances. You can use  “TED” to help you with appropriate questioning 

• T – Tell me a little more about it? 

• E – Can you explain what happened? 

• D – Can you describe what happened? 

Record 

Take notes as soon as it is practical to do so. Record the actual words spoken by the child – do not re-translate. 

Time and date your notes and do not destroy them in case they are required by a court. 

Report
Once you have followed the above guidelines, pass the information on immediately to the Designated Senior Person or the person with responsibility for Child Protection.  

Thank you for helping us to keep our pupils safe!