Safeguarding statement

At Hereward Primary School, safeguarding our pupils and staff is of paramount importance. We feel that children thrive when attending a happy and safe environment.

We achieve this objective by:

• Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.
• Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe. Pupils are taught about safeguarding as a part of the national curriculum through PSHE, SRE and Religious Education.
• Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.
• Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children.
• Staff development, including learning to recognise children in need of protection. This includes taking the stance that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

PREVENT STRATEGY

Since July 2015 all schools (as well as other organisations) have had a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism under Prevent, a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist or extremist causes. The Prevent strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including extreme right wing groups, violent Al Qa’ida-influenced groups and other causes. This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views the same way we protect them from drugs, gang violence, abuse and sexual exploitation. Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves. 

OUR RESPONSE

Many of the things we already do in school to help children become positive, happy members of society also contribute to the Prevent strategy. These include:

• Exploring other cultures and religions and promoting diversity;
• Challenging prejudices and racist comments;
• Developing critical thinking skills and a strong, positive self-identity;
• Promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural
• Development of pupils, as well as British values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

We will also protect children from the risk of radicalisation, for example by using filters on the internet to make sure they can’t access extremist and terrorist material, and by vetting visitors who come into school to work with pupils.