Everybody – Everyday
Keeping children safe is always our first priority. We follow the latest guidance from the Department of Education and the Pan-Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership. We work closely with external organisations, such as Dorset and Bournemouth social care teams, Dorset Police and the NHS to protect all our children.
Child Protection Summary for Visitors
Essential Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
Keeping children safe is at the heart of all our school policies and procedures. Our policies are regularly updated as national guidance changes and we continually reinforce and revisit safeguarding messages with all staff, governors and visitors. At least annually, staff receive refresher safeguarding training and key policies are read and understood termly. It is always an item on the agenda at every SLT, staff and governor meeting. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Our Child Protection Policies, including our Acceptable Use of IT Policy and how we deal with allegations of abuse, are available to view on the ‘School Policies’ page of this website.
Our key reference documents are ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ and ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’, both of which can be downloaded below. If you require further information relating to safeguarding, such as the school’s prevent strategy or approach to children missing in education, please contact the school office in the first instance.
If you require support reading these documents in a different language or format, please contact the school office.
Raising a Concern
If you’re concerned that a child or young person is at immediate risk of significant harm, and you believe it requires urgent action, call the Police on 999.
If you are worried about a child, you can contact BCP First Response Hub.
If you are worried about a child, you can contact BCP First Response Hub . Call 01202 123334 (8.30am – 5.15pm, Monday to Thursday; 8.30am – 4.45pm, Friday), or e-mail direct on: childrensfirstresponse@bcpcouncil.gov.uk. For Out of Hours Service, call 01202 738256 (emergencies only) or e-mail ChildrensOOHS@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.
As a member of the public, the First Response team will ask you for any details you may have about the child or young person and the concerns you have about them. All information you give them will help them to make further enquiries. You will also be asked for your name and contact details so that they may contact you again if necessary. Your personal information will be treated as confidential.
You can also speak to someone in school about any concerns which you have. Please contact the school office and they will arrange the appropriate meeting.
We have four designated (trained) Safeguarding Leads in school: Mrs Richardson, Mr McLean, Miss Field and Mrs Russell.
These staff will see you or speak to you as a matter of priority, in private. The information you share will be dealt with in the strictest confidence, but we can not agree to keep any information a secret as we may need to inform social care for advice or support. The safety of the child is our primary concern.
If you are in any doubt about making a referral or sharing anything, you can always contact us or the First Response Team, and we will advise you as to what should happen next.
Pastoral Care at the Priory School
One of the historic strengths of the Priory School has been our care for individuals.
If you need to share a well-being concern regarding your child, you should usually first inform the class teacher as they are the ones with the day to day responsibility for your child and who know them best. They can often make the biggest difference.
In the morning you can pass on messages to Support Staff, who will be on the playground gate, or one of the Senior Leaders who will always be on the front gate.
Priory School Pastoral Team
Mrs Richardson (Headteacher) – Safeguarding Lead, Prevent Lead, Operation Encompass (Domestic Abuse) Key Adult, Attendance
Mr McLean (Assistant Headteacher) – Online Safety Champion, Pupil Premium Champion
Miss Field (Assistant Headteacher) – Behaviour & Attitude, Pastoral Care, Personal Development, Anti-Bullying Champion, Young Carers Champion
Mrs Russell (SENCo) – SENCo, Designated Teacher for Looked After Children, Pupil Premium Champion, Mental Health Champion
Miss Savin (PSHE Leader) – PSHE Curriculum Lead
Mrs Poulter (ELSA) – Emotional Literacy and Nurture
Accessing Early Help
The Pastoral team can support parents in accessing early help support from BCP Council. A list of recent challenges faced by our parents are:
- parents who are separating or have separated
- where there’s historical or current domestic abuse
- parents who are finding it difficult to manage their child’s behaviour
- children who are self-harming or are thinking of self-harming
- a family member who uses alcohol or substances
- families who are struggling to cope financially
- families don’t know where to access information
If you feel that you would benefit from help, you can contact early help through school or through the First Response Team.
Prevent Strategy
Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (the Act) places a duty on certain bodies (including primary schools), in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This guidance is issued under section 29 of the Act.
The 2011 Prevent strategy has three specific strategic objectives:
- respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it
- prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support
- work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to address.
The Priory Primary School has assessed the risk of our pupils being drawn into terrorism, including far-right extremist views. A copy of our risk assessment is available on request.
Radicalisation – Sharing Your Concerns
If you believe someone is at risk of radicalisation, you can help them obtain support and prevent them becoming involved in terrorism by raising your concerns with Mrs Richardson who can make a referral to the safeguarding referral unit of the police (sru@dorset.pnn.police.uk; 01202 222229).
For discussions about appropriate referrals, you can also talk to the SafeSchools and Communities Team (ssct@dorset.pnn.police.uk; 01202 222844).
You can also take direct action:
- Report any concerns to the BCP First Response Team, or for immediate response call the Anti Terror hotline on 0800 789 321.
- If you have concerns about pupils travelling to a conflict zone seek Home Office guidance and refer to First Response if still concerned.
Further Support for Our Families
The Priory Primary School receives support from a dedicated ‘Schools Navigator’, employed by BCP. We will continue to advertise these opportunities to speak to them through personal invitations and our fortnightly newsletter.
At lunchtimes, for those children who can be nervous in social settings, Teaching Assistants support co-operative play. For those children who are learning to control their emotions, we have a time out area and a separate safe space area.
The Hub is a purpose-built space to develop social play such as role play and ‘keep calm and colour’ activities. A member of our Senior Leadership Team is always on duty at lunchtime.
By working together, we can continue to ensure the Priory School remains a caring and safe school. A place where all children flourish.