Safeguarding
Keeping children safe is everyone’s responsibility.
- Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mr Paul Baddeley (Headteacher)
- Additional Designated Safeguarding Leads:
- Mr Guy Turner (Assistant Head Teacher)
- Mrs Katherine Mullee (Before and After-school Manager)
- Safeguarding Governor: Mr Carl Jenkins
If you have any concerns about the safety of a child in our community, please contact us. You do not have to give your name and your conversation will be treated confidentially.
- Telephone: 0345 045 5203 (8am-6pm Monday to Friday) / 01733 234 724 (out of hours)
- Email: referralcentre.children@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Safeguarding is the highest priority in school. It covers a wide range of areas such as child protection, online safety, site security, health and safety and so on. Our Safeguarding Policy can be found on the link below and is also available from the school office.
All employees have annual training and regular updates to make sure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding are current. We ensure all those who are contracted at school (e.g. sports providers and supply teachers) have undergone police checks and are legally entitled to work in the UK and that any adults working directly with children have had appropriate safeguarding training.
Mr Paul Baddeley has undertaken Safer Recruitment training. Safe practices are followed when shortlisting, interviewing and appointing staff to all roles.
We work with a range of other professionals and agencies including social workers, family workers, health professionals and the police to make sure children and families have any support they need.
Holywell C of E primary school understandsits duties under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 (as amended), *the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, the Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015, and the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (as amended) to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
We will endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued.
The school will therefore be alert to signs of abuse and neglect and will follow the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Partnership Board’s procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support and protection.
Parents/carers should know that the law requires all school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Parents/carers should know that records of safeguarding concerns may be kept about their child. They should be informed that school staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with them including referrals to other agencies.
Local procedures state that “Consent should always be sought from an adult with parental responsibility for the child/young person before passing information about them to Children’s Social Care, unless seeking consent would place the child at risk of significant harm or may lead to the loss of evidence for example destroying evidence of a crime or influencing a child about a disclosure made.” This includes allowing them to share information without consent, if it is not possible to gain consent, if it cannot be reasonably expected that a professional gains consent, or if to gain consent would place a child at risk.
Where there is a need to share special category personal data, the Data Protection Act 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows professionals to share information.
In accordance with legislation and local Information Sharing protocols, we will ensure that information is shared securely and sensitively. Information will only be shared with other services where it is deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure that children and young people are safe and receive the right service. In all circumstances, the safety of the child will be the paramount concern.
Schools will contact Children’s Social Care when they have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later shown to be unfounded. Parents/carers will appreciate that the member of staff in the school with responsibility for child protection (known as the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) was carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acting in the best interests of all children.
Under Section 3 (5) of the Children Act 1989, any person who has care of a child “may….do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the purpose of safeguarding promoting the child’s welfare”. This means that on rare occasions, a school may need to “hold” a child in school whilst Social Care and the Police investigate any concerns further.
Our named governor for safeguarding, carries out annual safeguarding audits, attends training and checks that we are compliant with our policy.
At Holywell CE Primary School we are working in partnership with Cambridgeshire Police and Cambridgeshire County Council to identify and provide appropriate support to pupils who have experienced domestic abuse in their home; this scheme is called Operation Encompass. In order to achieve this, Cambridgeshire’s Education Safeguarding Team will share police information of all domestic incidents, where one of our pupils has been present, with the Designated Safeguarding Lead(s) (DSL). On receipt of any information, the DSL will decide on the appropriate support the child may require. The Operation Encompass information is stored in line with all other confidential safeguarding and child protection information. All information sharing and resulting actions will be undertaken in accordance with the ‘Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Joint Agency Protocol for Domestic Abuse – Notifications to Schools, Colleges and Early Years settings’.
This section offers links and guidance on how to make sure our children stay safe when using technology.
If you or your children ever have any issues which relate to the internet safety of any of our pupils please do not hesitate to contact your class teacher.
- Child Exploitation and Online Protection website: http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
This provides information and resources on internet safety. There are areas for 5-7 year olds, 8-10 year olds and 11–16 year olds and all have games and videos promoting how to have fun on the internet safely. Most importantly, there’s also a place which anyone can use to report if they feel uncomfortable or worried about someone they are chatting to online.
- Childnet International: www.childnet.com
Childnet International is a non-profit organisation working with others to help make the internet a safer place for children.
- NSPCC Net Aware: www.net-aware.org.uk/
Your guide to the social networks your kids use: Stay up to date and keep your child safe in today's digital world
- Ask About Games: http://www.askaboutgames.com/gui
A website that helps families make sense of video games. We share real family stories about choosing games, understanding age ratings and the best way to enjoy them together. Find information and advice to make playing video games a more collaborative and creative experience. - Parent Info: http://parentinfo.org/
Information for parents to help children and young people stay safe online. Parent Zone was founded in 2005 and has a track record of providing information, support and advice to parents. In recent years, The Parent Zone's work has focused on the impact of digital technologies on families. - PEGI: https://pegi.info/
The Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system was established to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games.
- Prevent Duty (Revised 2023) Please follow the link below: