Safeguarding Statement

At Whitefield Primary we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of all our children.

Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility.  This safeguarding statement applies to all staff, governors, volunteers, and other adults working in, or on behalf of, our school.  It is an over-arching document that pulls together all our safeguarding policies and procedures, including our Safeguarding Policy which can be found on the school website. 

All school staff undertake annual child protection training, and children are made aware of the adults they can talk to if they have any concerns. We know how important it is to listen to our pupils and take seriously what they tell us.  Staff are trained to look out for signs of physical/emotional harm or neglect and are required to report these to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).  On rare occasions where our concern about a child means that we have to consult other agencies, we ensure that these concerns are discussed with parent/carers first in line with our Safeguarding Policy.

Whitefield Safeguarding Team

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Jan Kirby (Headteacher). Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is Miss Katie White. The governor with responsibility for Safeguarding is Mrs Carol Smart.         If you are worried about a child, please contact us through the school office on 01582 596108 or direct line into the Family Team 01582 599314. You can also email through to the Designated Safeguarding Leads- safeguarding@whitefield.primaryluton.co.uk . We will endeavour to offer support and guidance.

Child Protection Policy and Practice

Our Safeguarding Policy outlines our commitment to safeguarding, roles and responsibilities of all adults that work with children in our school and detailed practice guidance.  This policy is available on the school website.  Alternatively, a hard copy can be requested through the school office.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Whitefield Primary Academy, like all schools and colleges in England, follows the Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance from the Department for Education when carrying out our duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Safer Recruitment and Selection

We ensure that all appropriate measures are applied in relation to everyone who works in the school who is likely to be perceived by the children as a safe and trustworthy adult, including volunteers and staff employed by contractors.

Our safer recruitment practice pays full regard to current DFE guidance Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education and Keeping Children Safe in Education. 

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass has been designed to provide early reporting of any domestic abuse incidents that occur in which a child was present, ordinarily resides at the incident location or with an involved party. For further information please click here.

Letter to Parents/Carers - Operation Encompass

Safeguarding Information for Pupils

All children in our school are aware of a number of adults in school who they can talk to. The school is committed to ensuring that pupils are aware of behaviour towards them that is not acceptable and how they can keep themselves safe.

All pupils know that we have senior members of staff with responsibility for child protection and know who this is.  They know where they can get additional support from other agencies, for example the NSPCC and Childline, and how they can access this support.

Children are taught, through PSHE lessons, assemblies, awareness days and through day-to-day interactions with adults, ways they can keep themselves safe both in real life situations and online.

 Useful Websites

The online world is forever changing and in order to keep our children safe, we as adults must ensure our skills and knowledge are current.