Safeguarding

The school’s Child Protection Policy has been updated in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education – September 2022.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility.

In order to effectively fulfil this responsibility we aim to work in partnerships with our families and other professionals to make our approach child-centred and should consider what’s in the best interests of the child.

We are committed to ensuring our staff receive regular safeguarding training, our staff will identify concerns early, provide help for children, with a view to preventing concerns from escalating. At Wombridge Primary School we will provide a safe environment in which children can learn and are committed to identifying children and families who may benefit from early help.

We have an experienced team at Wombridge of Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL). Should you ever have a safeguarding concern about a child, family or online incident, please come and speak to one the team immediately. The DSL role is to advise on safeguarding concerns, support others to carry out their safeguarding duties and liaise with other agencies.

As part of our curriculum we have regular PSHE and E-Safety lessons where children are educated about how to keep themselves safe and who to talk to if they need help.

Safeguarding Children from Abuse, Possible Signs and Indicators

Do you know what to look for, what abuse looks like? Do you know what to do if you are worried or concerned about a child you think maybe being abused?

Sexual Abuse

A child may:-

Behave in an sexual inappropriate way.
Become withdrawn or clingy.
Have emotional outbursts.
Become secretive.
Act out sexual acts with toys or objects.
Have physical discomfort –anal/vaginal soreness.
STI’s/Pregnancy.
Avoid or fear of being alone with certain people or family members.
Show sexual awareness beyond their experience or age.

Emotional Abuse

A child may:-

Have physical/emotional delay in development.
Over react to mistakes.
Say, I’m stupid, I’m worthless etc. I deserve this…
Freeze, become trance like.
Self comfort, thumb suck, hair twist or rock.
Self-harm.
Fear parents being contacted.
Have poor school attendance.
Be very passive or aggressive.

Physical Abuse

A child may:-

Be unusually fearful of adults.
Be unnaturally compliant to parents.
Refuse to discuss injuries/fear medical help.
Withdraw from physical contact.
Be aggressive towards others.
Wear cover up clothes.
Behave in a way that you would not expect for their age or development.

Neglect

A child may:-

Be dirty or smelly with unwashed clothes.
Persistently have inadequate clothes or equipment, ie no coat or PE kit.
Turn up to school hungry not having breakfast. Asking for or stealing food.
Have untreated injuries, missed doctors or dental appointments.
Skin sores, rashes, flea bites, scabies or ringworm.
Be thin or have a swollen tummy.
Be tired and/or pale.
Have poor language, communication and social skills.

Meet the Safeguarding Team

If you feel your concern is urgent and falls outside of school hours, please contact Family Connect:

You can find out more information at: Family Connect

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass is an initiative which enhances communication between the police and schools where a child or young person is at risk from domestic abuse. The purpose of the information-sharing is to ensure schools have more information to support the safeguarding of children and young people. By knowing that the child has had this experience, the school is in a better position to understand and be supportive of the child’s needs and possible behaviours. Operation Encompass will complement existing safeguarding procedures. Please see the link below for further information:

Operation Encompass

CPOMS

All safeguarding incidents are recorded and managed in CPOMS, a safeguarding and child protection management system for schools.

Visitors to the school

NSPCC’s – PANTS are Private

PANTS are PRIVATE

At Wombridge Primary School, we participate in the ‘Talk’ PANTS NSPCC programme.

The ‘Talk’ PANTS campaign helps parents of children aged 4 -11 keep their children safe from abuse.

It takes a potentially tricky subject and gives teachers and parents the tools to talk about it in an engaging and age-appropriate way. It helps children understand that their body belongs to them, and they should tell someone they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried.

For more information please visit:

NSPCC – PANTS Parents Guide

NSPCC’s – Speak Out, Stay Safe

We are proud to work collaboratively with the NSPCC, the UK’s leading children’s charity in delivering key messages via a variety of programmes. The school have successfully participated in the NSPCC’s ‘Speak Out, Stay Safe’ programme. This was a huge success whereby all children across the school positively engaged in the activities and opportunities to interact. In fact one Y6 pupil expressed…

“That’s one of the best assemblies we had in a long time”.

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) – Information for parents/carers

A Guide for parents and carers CSE 2022 leaflet DIGI

CSE 2023

Online Safety – Parent Newsletters

At Wombridge Primary School we like to support our parents/carers in Online Safety matters. Each month we will post a new newsletter with the most up to date information to help you keep your children safe online.