Safeguarding

At Kennett Primary School we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.  As such we expect all staff, volunteers and visitors to share this common commitment.

Our policy applies to all staff, parents, advisory body members, volunteers, visitors and pupils.  A copy of our safeguarding policy, including information on PREVENT, is available to download here.  A hard copy may be obtained on request from the school office.

Prevent

Kennett Primary School is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils. As a school we recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation is as important as safeguarding against any other vulnerability. 

All staff are expected to uphold and promote the fundamental principles of British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. We believe that children should be given the opportunity to explore diversity and understand Britain as a multi-cultural society; everyone should be treated with respect whatever their race, gender, sexuality, religious belief, special need, or disability.  As part of our commitment to safeguarding and child protection we fully support the Government's Prevent Strategy.

All staff and governors have had PREVENT training and are fully aware of the procedures in school and how to refer concerns to the Prevent Lead.  A copy of the school's PREVENT Action Plan can be found here: PREVENT Action Plan

Reporting a Concern

If you have any concerns regarding safeguarding children at Kennett Primary School then please see:

Mr Scott Horsley (Designated Safeguarding Lead)  head@kennett.cambs.sch.uk

or

Mrs Michelle Mountford (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead)  MMountford@kennett.cambs.sch.uk

Mrs Nicola Turton (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) NTurton@kennett.cambs.sch.uk

If you are concerned about anything you see or hear around school, please let a Safeguarding Lead know.  They will offer advice and take the appropriate action.  

 

Under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 and the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, 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 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.