Safeguarding at Springfield
Safeguarding procedures at Springfield Primary School
Safeguarding procedures at Springfield involve policies and practices that ensures all children's safety, encourages positive health and well-being and which protect all from harm and abuse.
At Springfield we have an appointed Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), who with the safeguarding team ensure a positive safeguarding culture for pupils and staff.
We have clear and robust safeguarding policies, training for staff and follow clear processes for recognising, reporting, and recording concerns.
As a school we implement robust security measures, have an agreed staff code of conduct, and educate children to ensure they understand how to keep themselves safe both personally as well as online.
Our Core safeguarding procedures:
- Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): At Springfield this is Mrs East the headteacher. She is the main point of contact for all safeguarding issues.
- We have a team of deputy designated leads: Mr Godfrey (Deputy Head), Mrs Dowding (HLTA), Mrs Andrews (HLTA and wrap around care lead) and Mrs Burgoyne (SBM).
- The safeguarding governors are: Mrs Withers and Mr Skinner
- Safeguarding policy: We follow the West Berks Safeguarding policy that has been written in liaison with schools. This policy is available on the school website.
- We also have the following policies and procedures in place: Child on Child Abuse Policy and procedures for staff for reporting sexual harassment and low-level concerns.
- Staff training: All staff receive regular training on safeguarding and child protection including how to recognise and respond to disclosures and concerns.
- Risk assessment: The school regularly assess risks to identify potential threats and develop strategies to mitigate them.
- Code of behaviour: There is a staff code of conduct which ensures everyone in the school community understands expected behaviour.
- Recruitment: As a school we ensure all staff are suitable to work with children through the implementation of our Safer Recruitment policy and practices.
- Safeguarding concerns are recorded on: The Bromcrom system which was introduced in April 2024
Responding to disclosures
Recognising and Responding: Staff know how to respond when a child makes a disclosure. This involves:
- Listening: Staff listen carefully without judgement.
- Reassuring: Staff tell the child they have done the right thing by speaking up.
- Avoiding blame: Staff emphasize that it is not the child's fault.
- Believing: Staff show the child that they are believed.
- Sharing: Staff tell a child that secrets cannot be kept and that they will share disclosures with the appropriate safeguarding staff to keep them safe.
- Reporting and Recording: Key facts of any disclosure are recorded accurately, including dates, times, and locations. These records are then reported to the DSL.
External collaboration and security
- Collaboration: Springfield works with external agencies like the police, the fire brigade and the local authority social services to safeguard children.
- Security measures: Policies and plans for physical security, such as fire and lockdown procedures, are implemented to prevent and respond to incidents.The school had an outstanding Health and Safety audit in 2024.
The 6 principles of safeguarding at Springfield:
Safeguarding procedures at Springfield are guided by the following six key principles:
- Empowerment
- Prevention
- Protection
- Proportionality
- Partnerships
- Accountability
If you have a safeguarding concern for any pupil or if a child has made a disclosure to you, please ask in the office for an expression of concern form or arrange to meet with Mrs East the Designated Safeguarding Lead. Alternatively you can email safeguarding@springfieldprimary.org
Please also see the Safeguarding Policy and the Prevent Statement