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Keeping Children Safe and Safeguarding

Keeping Children Safe & Safeguarding

At St Mary’s Primary School, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. We are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and expect every member of our school community to share this responsibility.

Our safeguarding approach is rooted in our school values:

Confidently Me

We want every child to feel safe, secure, and confident in who they are. Safeguarding ensures that children are protected from harm and supported to speak up if something is worrying them. By creating a culture of trust and openness, we enable pupils to feel heard, respected, and empowered to seek help when they need it.

Belonging Together

Keeping children safe is a shared responsibility, and strong relationships are at the heart of this. At St Mary’s, we foster a caring and inclusive community where every child and adult feels they belong.

We work closely with families, staff, and external agencies to ensure that children are supported, protected, and cared for within a safe environment where they can thrive.

Challenged to Contribute

We encourage all members of our community to play an active role in safeguarding. Children are taught how to keep themselves safe and to look out for others, while adults are expected to remain vigilant and take appropriate action when concerns arise.

Through education and awareness, we challenge our pupils to make positive choices and contribute to a safe and respectful school environment.

What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is the action taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. It includes:

  • Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
  • Preventing harm to children’s health or development
  • Ensuring children grow up with safe and effective care
  • Taking action to enable all children to achieve the best possible outcomes

If you have any concerns about the welfare of a child or adult in our community, please speak to a member of staff immediately.

Key Safeguarding Contacts

  • Please call the school office (01883 712817) or use our DSL Email: dsl@stmarysprimary.org.

  • Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL):
    Ms Sahrah Chaudhri (Assistant Headteacher)

  • Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSL):
    Mr Timothy Samuel - Executive Headteacher

  • Mrs Anna Woodward - Deputy Headteacher

  • Mrs Kate Nguyen - Assistant Hedteacher

  • Mrs Emily Kerr - SENDCO

  • Ms Alba Ramon - SENDCO

  • Mrs Sara Bowles - Learning Mentor

  • Mrs Ros Bishop - TA & ELSA

  • Safeguarding Governor:
    Mr Alastair Horsford

Please contact the school office if you wish to get in touch with the safeguarding governor.

Safeguarding is Everyone’s Responsibility

All members of our school community have a role to play in keeping children safe. Staff and volunteers receive appropriate safeguarding training, and relevant checks, including DBS clearance, are carried out where required.

We encourage everyone to be vigilant and to act promptly if they have any concerns.

Reporting Concerns

If you are unable to speak to a member of the school team, you can contact the Children’s Single Point of Access (C-SPA):

  • Telephone: 0300 470 9100
  • Out of hours: 01483 517898
  • Email: cspa@surreycc.gov.uk

In an emergency, always call 999.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

“Keeping Children Safe in Education” is statutory guidance that all schools in England must follow. It outlines the responsibilities of schools and staff in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

All staff at St Mary’s are trained in, understand and adhere to this guidance.

Prevent Duty

As part of our safeguarding responsibilities, we follow the Prevent Duty, which aims to protect children from the risk of radicalisation. This includes:

  • Identifying concerns at an early stage
  • Providing appropriate support and intervention
  • Helping children develop resilience and critical thinking

Photos and Videos

Whilst lots of parents and carers really enjoy seeing photos and videos of their children’s school life we are very mindful of our duty of care towards all our pupils. We take the issue of safeguarding very seriously and this includes the use of photographic and video images.

Any photographs or videos taken by parents, carers and relatives at school productions, sports days or other events are for the enjoyment of individual families. They must not be used in any way that could potentially place a child at risk. This would include publishing images in any form of print or on the internet including social networking sites. This is emphasised before concerts and shows etc.

We understand that in exceptional circumstances a parent or carer may not wish their child to be photographed or videoed in this way. If this is the case then please contact a member of the Senior Leadership Team to discuss how this can be best achieved.

Occasionally, the local press will be invited to take photographs of school events and special achievements. We like to use photographs of our children on our website, in school documents, for parent information meetings, newsletters and on our display screens around the school. If you do not wish photographs of your child to be used for these purposes, then please indicate this on the data capture forms we regularly share or by contacting the school office.

At St Mary’s, safeguarding underpins everything we do. We are committed to ensuring that every child is confidently themselves, feels they belong, and is supported and challenged to contribute within a safe and caring environment.

  1. Child-Protection-Safeguarding-Policy-2025
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