At St Robert Southwell, we take the safeguarding of all children extremely seriously.
The safety and well-being of every pupil is our highest priority. We have strict procedures in place for the recruitment of staff, and all adults working with our children are vetted through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Children are taught how to keep themselves safe — both in the community and online. If you ever have concerns about the safety of a child, please speak to a trusted member of staff. Concerns relating to online behaviour can also be reported directly to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.
The staff and Governing Board of St Robert Southwell are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils, in line with Section 175 of the Education Act 2002. We are dedicated to providing a safe, caring, and stimulating environment that supports the social, moral, spiritual, and physical development of every child.
We take all reasonable measures to minimise risk of harm and ensure our children’s welfare. All staff uphold a strong culture of vigilance, supported by clear safeguarding and child protection policies. These policies underpin our daily practice and reflect the shared values of the whole school community. Copies are available on request from the school office.
Any concerns about children are dealt with promptly by our Safeguarding Team, made up of trained Designated Safeguarding Leads, in line with statutory guidance on safeguarding and the sharing of information.
At St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. As a proud member of the Bosco Catholic Education Trust, we are committed to creating a nurturing, secure and inclusive environment where all pupils can thrive academically, socially and spiritually.
We believe that safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone in our school community. It is central to everything we do and is embedded in our values, policies and everyday practice.
Designated Safeguarding Leads
All staff receive annual safeguarding and child protection training, with additional training and updates throughout the year to ensure continued awareness and vigilance.
All staff and volunteers have a duty to report any concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing to a Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately. Any suspicions or allegations of abuse are always taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
We work closely with a range of external agencies, including the West Sussex Integrated Front Door (IFD) and other local support services, to ensure the best outcomes for our pupils.
Reporting a Concern
If you have an urgent safeguarding concern about a child, please contact:
West Sussex Integrated Front Door (IFD):
For advice regarding safeguarding concerns involving professionals, the West Sussex Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) can be contacted via the IFD.
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding is about protecting children from harm and promoting their wellbeing. This includes:
Child Protection and Staff Responsibilities
Child Protection is a key part of safeguarding and refers to actions taken to protect specific children suffering or at risk of significant harm.
Parents and Volunteers
Before starting a placement at school, all parents and volunteers must read and sign our Volunteer Agreement. This includes understanding key safeguarding expectations and responsibilities.
If you have any questions about safeguarding at St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School, or if you are concerned about a child, please don’t hesitate to speak to one of our Designated Safeguarding Leads. We are here to listen and help.
Parents/carers are normally our first point of contact, and if a suspicion of abuse is recorded, parents/carers will be informed at the same time that the record is made; we will support parents/carers and ensure we work in collaboration with them to protect children. Working with parents/carers to prevent abuse is our primary aim and only when that has failed or in emergency situations will a referral be made to social care. When a referral is made to social care parents will be notified beforehand, except when guidance from social care or the police does not allow this.
We cannot safeguard children alone. All children’s services agencies work in partnership with each other. There are duties and rules about information sharing but if staff, parents or carers have any concerns about a child, other parent, provider, agency or any person, they have a responsibility to report those concerns and we must record and act on them. We have a St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School safeguarding /child protection policy’ which is underpinned by the West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (SCP), “Keeping Children Safe in Education document” and Safer Recruitment guidance. The policy applies to all children and young people regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or religion. It is a requirement that all users are informed of these policies and practice guidance and what they should do if they have concerns. The safeguarding policy is available from the school office.
Parents and carers play a role in safeguarding children in their community. If you have any concerns, no matter how small, you should report them to someone who you trust will listen. The school is required to have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for this purpose. Parents and children should speak to the safeguarding officer if they have any concerns about a child or staff member.
If you are worried about the safety or well-being of any child in the school, please speak to a member of staff as a matter of urgency. Our Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) are:
Their role is to take lead responsibility for child protection issues in the school, including liaison with outside agencies when necessary. Our Governing Body takes a particularly close interest in all matters relating to safeguarding. There is a nominate safeguarding governor (Mrs Eva Harrison).
You can contact the NSPCC if you are worried that any child is being abused, either via their website or by telephone (0800 028 0285). The NSPCC also has excellent advice for parents about keeping their children safe, including online.
Several of our policies are particularly relevant to safeguarding. These include:
