Bapchild and Tonge CE (Aided) Primary School and all those directly connected (staff, governors, parents, families and pupils) have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure. We welcome suggestions and comments that will contribute to this process these can be made directly to the Headteacher or an Assistant Headteacher, Classteacher, the school office or indirectly using email or the comments box in the school lobby.

We recognise the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; encourage them to talk openly; and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to.

We recognise that children who are abused or witness violence are likely to have low self-esteem and may find it difficult to develop a sense of self-worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame. Our school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in their lives.

Bapchild and Tonge CofE (Aided) Primary School will endeavour to support the welfare and safety of all pupils through:

• maintaining children's welfare as our paramount concern
• ensuring the content of the curriculum includes social and emotional aspects of learning
• ensuring that child protection is included in the curriculum to help children stay safe, recognise when they don't feel safe and identify who they might / can talk to
• providing suitable support and guidance so that students have a range of appropriate adults to approach if they are in difficulties
• promoting a positive, supportive, neutral and secure environment where pupils can develop a sense of being valued and heard in their own right
• ensuring all steps are taken to maintain site security and student's physical safety
• working with parents to build an understanding of the school's responsibility to ensure the welfare of all children including the need for referral to other agencies in some situations
• ensuring all staff are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and are aware of the school's procedures and lines of communication
• monitoring children and young people who have been identified as having welfare or protection concerns; keeping confidential records which are stored securely and shared appropriately with other professionals
• developing effective and supportive liaison with other agencies

At Bapchild and Tonge CofE (Aided) Primary School the Designated Safeguarding Lead is the Headteacher (Mr Kelly) and Deputy Headteacher (Mr Smiley) and Assistant Headteacher (Mrs Smith) although any member of staff will listen to your concerns and take appropriate action. Mrs Bromwich is our Safeguarding Governor.  We have provided on this page our school Safeguarding Policy and some useful documents and website links.

Prevent Strategy

As part of Bapchild and Tonge CofE ) Aided Primary School commitment to safeguarding and child protection we fully support the government's Prevent Strategy, and take guidance from Teaching Approaches to help build resilience to extremism.

What is the Prevent Strategy?

The Prevent strategy is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It:

• responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promotes these views
• provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
• works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health)

Please click here for a link to the official government document.