Safeguarding
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility
Children have a right to be cared for and protected, protecting them is everyone's responsibility. At High Legh Primary School we have a duty of care to ensure that all users of the school are kept safe from harm. We are committed to provide a secure and supportive environment in which children can grow and develop into mature and responsible people. Safeguarding children is an essential part of our holistic approach to ensure that children are protected from abuse and neglect and to ensure that every child reaches their full potential both academically and holistically.
The best interests of the children will always be our priority. This may mean that there are times when we will need to record, monitor and share information with other agencies. We will share concerns about our pupils with the child's parents or carers, unless we have reason to believe that this would not be in the child's best interest.
Mrs Tottle is safeguarding designated lead and Mrs Cassell is deputy safeguarding lead.
Please speak to these members of staff if you ever have any worries or concerns about a child.
Our safeguarding governor is Jennifer Boardman. She can be contacted via the office.
How to make a referral
Parents and carers play a role in safeguarding children in their community. If you have any concerns, no matter how small, you should report them to someone you trust who will listen. Parents and carers should speak to a member of staff if they have any concerns about a child or member of staff. All concerns should be reported to the DSL immediately, never wait until the next day.
If you think a child or young person may be in immediate danger call 999. Otherwise contact
If you are worried about a child here are the phone numbers to ring:
Cheshire East Consultation Service 0300 1235012
Out of hours emergency team 0300123 5022
Warrington 01925 443400
Allegations against an adult LADO 01270 685904
Below are websites which may be useful:
CEOP - Child Exploitation and online Protection Centre
Cheshire East LSCB (Local Safeguarding Children Board)
Operation Encompass
Our school is part of a project, which is run between Cheshire East schools and Cheshire Police. The project called Operation Encompass, has been designed to provide early reporting of any domestic violence incidents that occur outside school, which might have an impact on a child in school. This is done through a phone call to school following an incident. The project ensures that at least one member of the school staff, known as the Key Adult, is trained to liaise with the police and to use the information that has been shared, in confidence.
In this way, we aim to support each child who has been involved in, or witnessed, a domestic abuse incident. The Key Adults at High Legh are Louise Tottle and Hannah Cassell. If they receive an Encompass call/email they will make sure that a person the child trusts is available to help - if the child needs this. Most of the time this support is silent; keeping a careful eye on him or her and make sure the child has a calm school day. The confidential information is ordinarily not shared with all staff, just an agreement on how to help, if needed.
All schools have a duty to share any information with other organisations if they feel a child is at risk of being hurt. The Key Adult may contact other organisations. This is described in our child protection policy.
The sharing of information from the Police allows the school to be ready to help your child straight away, and it means that parents are aware that the key adult knows that something has happened. Parents can come and talk to our key adult. The key adult can point you towards other people that can help. Our aim is to support children and their families.
Prevent
At High Legh Primary School, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. As part of our commitment to keeping children safe, we fully support the government's PREVENT strategy, which aims to safeguard vulnerable individuals from being drawn into extremism or terrorism.
The PREVENT Duty became a statutory responsibility for schools under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015. Schools are required to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and to promote a safe, inclusive environment where all pupils feel valued and secure.
At High Legh, we help children develop resilience, confidence and critical thinking skills through our curriculum and wider school values. We actively promote fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance. These values help our pupils understand the importance of respecting different viewpoints and making positive choices.
All staff receive regular safeguarding and PREVENT training. This enables them to recognise potential concerns, identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, and respond appropriately when needed. We work closely with families and external agencies to ensure that every child receives the support they need to remain safe.
Our aim is to create a culture where every child feels a strong sense of belonging, develops respect for others, and grows into a confident, responsible citizen who is well prepared for life in modern Britain.