Safeguarding Information

At St Louis School we want our children to be happy, safe and secure. We work very hard to ensure that this happens. We do this by:

• Ensuring our staff are well trained
• Having the right policies and procedures in place
• Having high expectations of behaviour and conduct
• Giving our children the opportunities to learn about keeping themselves safe

Our Staff

When we recruit our staff we follow ‘Safer Recruitment’ procedures which means we vet our staff carefully so that we get the best possible people for our school. Once staff join us they receive training in how to spot and report concerns. This training is updated regularly. All of our staff follow a Code of Conduct and this applies to anyone who works or volunteers in our school. All staff are responsible for the wellbeing of all children but some staff have specific roles such as our school counsellor, Mrs Kitty Clarke.

Policies & Procedures

Our policies and procedures cover a wide range of things. From what we do if a child needs first aid or is sick to what we do if a child reports something serious to us. In writing our policies we take advice from bodies such as the LA or DFE but at the heart of all of these procedures is our desire to ensure and promote your child’s safety and wellbeing. Our policies can be found on the School Policies page of the 'Key Information' tab. Some examples of the types of things that our procedures cover are:

• What to do if the fire bell rings
• Keeping our school building secure
• Administering first aid and medicines
• How to report child protection concerns
• Internet safety

Behaviour & Conduct

We know that children are safer and happier in a school where everyone behaves well and has respect for each other. We have good systems in place to promote this and they apply to both children and adults. In this way everyone knows what is expected from them. Some children need more help with this aspect of their development than others and we sometimes call upon other professionals such as the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) and the Educational Psychologist to help us. We give our children regular opportunities to take part in activities that build their confidence, improve their emotional and social skills and their ability to work and get on together.

Lessons & Opportunities

Wherever possible we teach our children how to keep themselves safe, for example in our Year 2 topic ‘It’s an Emergency’. We also work with organisations like the NSPCC who deliver workshops and lessons on our behalf. Included in our curriculum are things such as Footsteps training, where children learn how to be safe near main roads, learning how to cycle safely and maintain their bikes. In Key Stage 2 our children learn about water safety in their swimming lessons. All of these things come together to help our children have a better understanding of some of the dangers they may face and how to respond appropriately to them. All children are taught how to keep themselves safe on line. We also give our children opportunities to practise some of their skills such as caring for others through the Buddy and Playground Pal systems.

In other parts of our website you will find further information that you might be interested in. For example our policies will be on our ‘Key Information’ tab of the website under 'Policies' and information about what our children are learning can found on the 'class pages' link on the home page. If you have any queries about safeguarding or how we keep our children safe or need any advice please contact the school office who will always be happy to help you.

Finally, we always listen to our pupils and take seriously what they tell us. On rare occasions our concerns about a child may mean that we have to consult other agencies before we contact parents. The procedures which we follow have been laid down by the Buckinghamshire Area Child Protection Committee and the school has adopted the Child Protection Policy in line with this. Remember we all want what is best for our children and we all have a part to play in helping our children stay safe.