[heading] Safeguarding Procedures[/heading]
Dear Parents,
Safeguarding children at school is the statutory responsibility of all staff and governors. The Safeguarding Policy is on the school website on the policies page and it is also available, on request, from the school office.
Key Information:
- Designated Person: Filiz Scott, Headteacher / Stephen Scott, Acting Headteacher
- Deputy Designated Staff: Jo McEwan (Home School Liaison Officer), Alice Rees (Deputy Headteacher), Nicola Leighton (Assistant Headteacher) Katie Godsell (Assistant Headteacher), Louise Jinks (SENCo)
- Safeguarding Champions on the Governing Body: Kehinde Lipede and Paul Botton
- All staff, governors and volunteers are checked by the Disclosures and Barring Service (formally the CRB) and receive safeguarding induction before they can start work in school.
- All staff have regular safeguarding training updates and know what to do if they are concerned about a child. Training includes areas such as e-safety.
- The Governing Body also make sure they are up to date with safeguarding policy and procedures and receive annual training.
- Safeguarding procedures are also monitored by the Local Authority every 18 months.
There are times when we have to talk to parents about sensitive safeguarding issues. We may need to seek advice from Children’s Social Care about an issue. We have a statutory duty to follow up on reported incidents or disclosures by children and follow national and local authority guidelines in these cases. You can click on the following links to read Southwark Council leaflets about safeguarding children in educational settings and at home.
Sometimes these conversations are around how parents discipline their children. These are important conversations and we understand that parents can find them difficult. Parents have asked for guidance as to what constitutes acceptable discipline. Southwark Local Authority guidance on this states:
"Any physical punishment is not reasonable if it involves:
- shaking the child
- hitting the child on the head or face
- making the child stand on one leg for long periods
- locking the child up
- hitting the child with an object such as a stick, cane or belt
- putting items like ginger or chilli in the mouth, eyes or other parts of the child’s body
- causing a mark or injury to the child.
The above list and any physical punishment or threats that cause emotional harm to a child are likely to be reported as possible child abuse."
A copy of the full text is available via the office or through this link: Protecting Children Guidance
The Southwark Diocesan Board of Education’s leaflet offers many positive tips which have helped parents manage their children’s behaviour. You can pick up a copy in school or download from here: Disciplining Children - Diocese Leaflet for parents
If you would like specific one to one support in behaviour management please do contact Jo McEwan, our Home School Liaison Officer.
Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for aspects of their own safety in a variety of ways including; nurture groups, themed weeks such as Road Safety Awareness Week and Online Safety Week. We also organise workshops run by visitors e.g. London Fire Brigade and Metropolitan Police. The school provides opportunities for children to learn how to stay safe across the curriculum and encourages children to report online worries or concerns through Digi, our online esafety report button. Ensuring pupils have the skills and knowledge neccessary to keep themselves safe is a priority on the School Development Plan 2017-18.
Best wishes,
Mrs Scott
Headteacher
[box title="The Cathedral Maths Challenge" color="#0D83DD"]
Last week, we had 50 entries into the C.M.C box, another new Cathedral School record.
Well done to this week's champion class Class 6. Almost the whole class put an entry in, and they were all done to a very high level.
On the Maths blog you can see some of the past solutions, as well as last weeks participants and class champions. Find the maths blog here.
Here is this week's challenge. A reminder for everyone to make sure that you read the problems carefully and put your name on your entry. Good luck!
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[box title="Christmas Fair Meeting - All Welcome" color="#0D83DD"]
The Christmas Fair will be held on the 13th December between 3.15pm-5.00pm in the school hall. This is a great opportunity for us all to come together as a community to celebrate Christmas with the children.
If you are interested in helping out either by selling raffle tickets or running a stall, please come and speak to me, I am available in the morning and afternoon outside Reception Class or you can contact me via the school office.
We would also appreciate donations of the following:
BRICK-A-BRAC: Nearly new items such as toys and books.
TOMBOLA: Toiletries, bottles (alcoholic and non), boxes of chocolates or biscuits.
RAFFLE: We would like to make some hampers so any items suitable for this would be wonderful alternatively, if you are able to donate a raffle prize we would be very grateful.
LUCKY DIP: Do you have any unwanted (new) left over party bag items that could be used a lucky dip prizes?
CAKES: If you are able to bake for us it would be fantastic.
DECORATIONS: If you have any Christmas decorations that you'd like to donate for us to jazz up the hall this would be wonderful.
EMPTY JAM JARS
Best wishes and many thanks,
Sara Sutherland
Support Staff Governor and Reception Nursery Nurse
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[box title="Spare Socks, Vests and Pants" color="#0D83DD"]
If you have any spare socks, vests or pants that will fit children in the Nursery we would be very grateful if you could drop them in to the Nursery or the school office as our supplies are running low.
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