At St Mary's Catholic Primary School, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority.

Inspired by our Catholic values, we are committed to creating a safe, caring and nurturing environment where every child is respected, listened to and able to flourish.

Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. We work in partnership with parents, carers and external agencies to ensure that children receive the right support at the right time and that any concerns about a child's welfare are acted upon promptly.

Everyone has a responsibility to safeguard children.

Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is updated regularly and is available on our policies page.

If you are worried about a child, please speak to a member of our safeguarding team immediately.

Meet our Safeguarding Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are Worried About a Child

 

Operation Encompass

St Mary's Catholic Primary School is proud to be part of Operation Encompass.

Operation Encompass is a national safeguarding initiative that supports children who have experienced domestic abuse. It enables the police to notify the school, before the start of the next school day, if a child has been present during or affected by a domestic abuse incident.

This information is shared confidentially and allows us to provide appropriate care and support to the child when they arrive at school.

Domestic Abuse Support

At St Mary's, we understand that domestic abuse can have a significant impact on children and families. We are committed to providing a safe, supportive environment where children feel secure and where families know they can seek help without judgement.

Our Domestic Abuse Champion, Mrs Driver, is available to offer confidential support, guidance and signposting to specialist services. If you are experiencing domestic abuse or are worried about someone you know, please do not hesitate to contact the school. We will always listen sensitively and work with you to help you access the appropriate support.

Additionally, you can click here to contact the Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Service

Online Safety

Technology plays an important role in children's learning and daily lives, and helping them to use it safely and responsibly is a key part of safeguarding at St Mary's Catholic Primary School.

We recognise that online safety is an integral part of safeguarding and is embedded throughout school life. Our aim is to equip children with the knowledge, skills and resilience they need to enjoy the benefits of technology while recognising and responding appropriately to potential risks.

Children are taught online safety through a carefully planned programme of learning using the Ten Ten curriculum, supported by 123ICT, alongside our Personal Development Curriculum, assemblies and national initiatives such as Safer Internet Day and Anti-Bullying Week. Lessons are age-appropriate, build on previous learning and help children develop safe and responsible online behaviours.

Our online safety education includes:

• keeping personal information private;
• recognising safe and trusted websites;
• respectful online communication;
• cyberbullying and how to report concerns;
• responsible use of social media and online gaming;
• understanding online relationships and consent in an age-appropriate way;
• recognising inappropriate content, contact and online behaviours;
• developing critical thinking and digital resilience.

Keeping children safe online is a partnership between school and home. We regularly share advice and guidance with parents through newsletters, our website and awareness campaigns, helping families to support safe and responsible use of technology beyond the classroom.

To help protect our pupils, all internet access on school devices is filtered and monitored in line with Department for Education guidance. Our Designated Safeguarding Lead works closely with our IT provider to ensure filtering and monitoring systems are regularly reviewed and that any concerns are identified and acted upon promptly as part of our safeguarding procedures.

If a child has concerns about anything they experience online, we encourage them to speak to a trusted adult immediately. Any online safety concerns are taken seriously and managed in line with our Safeguarding and Child Protection procedures.

For further advice about keeping children safe online, we recommend:

• CEOP Safety Centre
• Thinkuknow
• Childnet
• NSPCC Online Safety

Prevent Duty

All schools have a legal duty to help prevent children from becoming vulnerable to radicalisation or extremism.

At St Mary's, this work is carried out through our curriculum, promotion of British Values, our Catholic ethos, and by encouraging pupils to think critically, respect others and celebrate diversity.

Any concerns are managed through established safeguarding procedures.