At this school, the health, safety and well-being of every child are our paramount concern. We listen to our pupils and take seriously what they tell us. Our aim is for children to enjoy their time as pupils in this school. We want to work in partnership with you to help your child achieve their full potential and make a positive contribution.

To promote a safe environment for pupils, our selection and recruitment policy includes all checks on staff and regular volunteers’ suitability, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)check BS  Records Bureau checks, as recommended by Buckinghamshire County Council in accordance with current legislation.

In accordance with our responsibilities under section 175/157 of the Education Act 2002, we have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (Emmeline Davison, Deputy Headteacher) and a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (Edward Richings, Headteacher) who receive appropriate training for this role. It is their responsibility to ensure that all staff in contact with children receive child protection awareness training on a regular basis.

There are occasions that our concern about a child may mean that we have to consult other agencies. Whilst we would always aim to work in partnership with parents, there may be exceptions to this when concerns are raised for the protection of a child.

On very rare occasions Social Care, whilst undertaking an investigation under S47 of the Children Act 1989, may want to speak to a child without parents’ knowledge. This would be a decision made in collaboration with partner agencies and would only be done in situations where a child might be at immediate risk. To gain consent at this point may increase the level of risk to the child or cause evidence of a crime to be lost.

The procedures, which we follow, have been laid down by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board, and the school has adopted a Child Protection Policy in line with this for the safety of all. If you want to know more about our procedures, please speak to the Headteacher or Designated Safeguarding Lead.