Safeguarding at Sarum St Paul’s C of E Primary School

At Sarum St Paul's, the safety, wellbeing and happiness of every child is our highest priority. Every child has the right to feel safe, valued and respected so they can flourish both academically and personally.

Our Christian vision, Rooted in Love, Growing Together, underpins everything we do. Inspired by St Paul's prayer to the Christians in Ephesus, we believe that when children are rooted and grounded in love, they are able to grow in confidence, develop resilience and thrive within a caring community.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. We are committed to creating a culture where children feel listened to, where concerns are taken seriously and where families are supported with compassion, care and understanding. Every member of staff, governor and volunteer receives safeguarding training and understands their role in keeping children safe.

We work closely with parents, carers and a range of external agencies to ensure children receive the support they need. Whether concerns relate to a child's welfare, mental health, attendance, online safety or any other aspect of their wellbeing, we will always act in the best interests of the child.

If you are worried about the safety or wellbeing of a child, please contact a member of our safeguarding team. We would always rather hear about a concern that turns out to be nothing than miss an opportunity to help a child who needs support.

Meet Our Safeguarding Team

If you have any concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child, or if you would like advice or support, please speak to a member of our safeguarding team.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Hannah Easthope - Headteacher

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads

Annie Martindale – Deputy Headteacher

Julia Beales - SENCo

Debbie Newman – Family Link Worker

Janette Field – School Business Manager

Safeguarding Governor

Caroline Chitty - chair@sarum-st-pauls.wilts.sch.uk 

'The culture of safeguarding appears to be robust. Staff demonstrate persistence: for example, staff routinely inquire about reasons for children's absence and whether they are authorised. There is evident professional curiosity, reflecting a culture where professional disagreement and challenge are encouraged by school leaders.' 

Local Authority Safeguarding Audit - May 2024

If You Have a Concern

If you are worried about the safety or wellbeing of a child, please contact a member of our safeguarding team as soon as possible.

If your concern is outside school hours and you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm, please contact the Police by calling 999.

For non-emergency safeguarding concerns, you can also contact:

Wiltshire Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

0300 4560 108

Out of hours - 0300 4560 100

Alternatively, the NSPCC are there to listen, offer advice and support and can take the next steps if a child's in danger. Their telephone lines are open Monday to Friday 8am – 10pm or 9am – 6pm at the weekends. You can contact online or by email 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk 

If you're worried about a child, it can be hard to know what to do. The NSPCC has got information and advice on different types of child abuse, how to spot the signs and what you can do to help keep children safe. Click here for more information. 

Safeguarding in Action

Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do at Sarum St Paul's. Every member of our school community has a role to play in helping children feel safe, valued and able to flourish.

At Sarum St Paul's, safeguarding includes:

• Dedicated Safeguarding Team
  Our trained Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are available every day to support children, families and staff.
• Early Help for Families
  We believe that getting support early can make a real difference. We work alongside families to provide advice, guidance and practical support before concerns become more significant.
• Operation Encompass School
  We are proud to be an Operation Encompass school, working in partnership with Wiltshire Police to provide timely support for children who may have experienced domestic abuse.
• Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health
  Children's emotional wellbeing is an important part of safeguarding. We provide pastoral support within school and work with external professionals where additional help is needed.
• Online Safety
  Children learn how to stay safe online through our curriculum and regular online safety activities. We also share information and guidance with parents and carers to help keep children safe at home.
• Safeguarding Education
  Through our PSHE, Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) and wider curriculum, children learn how to recognise risks, build healthy relationships, stay safe and know who to talk to if they are worried.
• Listening to Children
  We encourage children to speak to a trusted adult if they have a worry or concern. We are committed to ensuring every child feels heard, respected and supported.
• Highly Trained Staff
  All staff, governors and regular volunteers receive safeguarding training appropriate to their role. Training is regularly updated to ensure our knowledge remains current.
• Working Together
  We work closely with parents, carers and a range of professionals, including Children's Services, health professionals, the police and other agencies, to ensure children receive the right support at the right time.

Safeguarding is more than a statutory duty. It is part of our commitment to ensuring that every child is rooted in love, grows in confidence and is able to flourish within a safe, caring and nurturing community.

'Staff work closely with a number of families and the school's reputation in the community as a supportive school contributes to high parental engagement. The head has fostered durable relationships, and parents feel comfortable sharing their concerns with the school.' 

Local Authority Safeguarding Audit - May 2024

Early Help

Sometimes families need a little extra support. This might be because of changes at home, worries about a child's emotional wellbeing, attendance, friendships, behaviour, finances or a range of other challenges. Seeking support early can often prevent small concerns from becoming bigger difficulties.

At Sarum St Paul's, we believe that asking for help is a strength. We are committed to working alongside families with kindness, compassion and respect, recognising that every family faces challenges from time to time.

If you are worried about your child or your family circumstances, please speak to us. We will always listen and, where appropriate, work with you to identify the most suitable support. This may include support within school or signposting to other local services.

Support available may include:

• Emotional wellbeing support
• Attendance support
• Family support
• Parenting advice
• Behaviour support
• SEND advice and guidance
• Support with friendships or relationships
• Signposting to local services and charities
• Early Help Assessments, where appropriate

We are fortunate to have a dedicated Family Link Worker who works closely with children, families and staff to provide advice, guidance and practical support. Whether you would like to talk through a concern, access additional support or simply seek advice, our Family Link Worker is here to help and can work alongside you to identify the most appropriate support for your family.

You can find out more about the support available from our Family Link Worker by visiting the Family Link Worker page under the Parents section of our website.

Our Family Link Worker, safeguarding team and school leaders work closely with families and partner agencies to ensure children receive the right support at the right time. If you would like to speak to someone about Early Help, please contact the school office, who will be happy to arrange this.

Operation Encompass

Sarum St Paul's is proud to be an Operation Encompass school.

Operation Encompass is a national partnership between schools and the police that supports children who may have been affected by domestic abuse.

Through Operation Encompass, the police will notify the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead before the start of the next school day if they have attended an incident where a child has been present, exposed to or affected by domestic abuse. This enables us to provide timely, appropriate and sensitive support for the child when they arrive at school.

We understand that children who experience difficult events at home may need additional care, understanding and reassurance. Any information shared through Operation Encompass is treated confidentially and in accordance with safeguarding and data protection requirements.

Our priority is always to ensure that every child feels safe, supported and ready to learn.

Safeguarding Policies