Safeguarding at Cavendish CE Primary School

At Cavendish CE Primary School, keeping children safe is the responsibility of every adult in our school community. Safeguarding is not just a policy; it is a core part of who we are and what we do every day.

Our vision, “We Learn. We Love. We Belong.”, underpins our approach to safeguarding. We want every child to feel safe, listened to, valued and confident that they have trusted adults around them.

This information should be read alongside our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Whistleblowing Policy, which set out our full responsibilities and procedures.

Our safeguarding team

Our safeguarding team is led by our Designated Safeguarding Leads:

Designated Safeguarding Lead:
Sam Goulding, Headteacher

Alternate Safeguarding Lead:
Amy Martin, Office Manager

Trust Designated Safeguarding Lead:
Andrew Berry, CEO – The Tilian Partnership

The safeguarding leads are available during school hours to discuss any safeguarding concerns from staff, parents or carers. Staff are also able to contact safeguarding leaders outside school hours using the emergency contact details provided internally.

If you are worried about a child outside school hours

Please do not wait if you believe a child is at risk.

You can:

Call 999 in an emergency
Contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000
Call Suffolk’s Emergency Duty Service on 0808 800 4005

During school hours, please contact the school office and ask to speak to a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Staff training and vigilance

All staff receive annual safeguarding training, alongside regular updates throughout the year. Safeguarding is a standing item in staff meetings because keeping children safe is our highest priority.

Staff are trained to recognise signs of concern, respond appropriately, record accurately and report concerns immediately. This includes concerns linked to neglect, abuse, online safety, mental health, attendance, peer-on-peer abuse, domestic abuse and wider family difficulties.

Confidentiality and reporting

At Cavendish, safeguarding concerns are recorded directly on CPOMS, our online safeguarding and child protection management system.

Staff are expected to:

report concerns about pupils immediately to a DSL through CPOMS
share information only on a need-to-know basis
record concerns factually and promptly
never investigate concerns themselves
report concerns about adults directly to the Headteacher
report concerns involving the Headteacher directly to the CEO

The safety and wellbeing of the child is always paramount.

When a child tells us something

All staff are trained to respond carefully and calmly if a child discloses a concern.

Staff will:

listen without interrupting
avoid asking leading questions
remain calm and supportive
reassure the child that they have done the right thing
explain that the information must be shared with a safeguarding lead
never promise to keep a secret
record the child’s words accurately on CPOMS
alert a DSL immediately

Taking action

When a concern is raised, the DSL will consider the most appropriate next step. This may include:

calling 999 if a child is at immediate risk
speaking with parents or carers, where appropriate and safe to do so
consulting with MASH on 03456 061 499
completing a MARF referral
contacting the Local Authority Designated Officer
beginning Early Help support
asking staff to monitor and record further concerns
deciding that no further action is required, with a clear recorded rationale

Peer-on-peer abuse

We recognise that children can experience harm from other children. This may include:

bullying, including cyberbullying
physical abuse
online abuse
sexual violence or sexual harassment
gender-based abuse
sharing inappropriate images
initiation-type behaviour or harmful group behaviour

We do not tolerate harmful behaviour at Cavendish. Concerns are taken seriously and managed through our safeguarding procedures. We support children who have been harmed and also work carefully with children who have displayed harmful behaviour, ensuring that actions are proportionate, recorded and focused on keeping everyone safe.

Through PSHE, RSE, assemblies, online safety work and wider curriculum opportunities, children are taught in an age-appropriate way about respect, boundaries, healthy relationships and how to speak to a trusted adult.

Our Early Help offer

We believe in supporting children and families as early as possible. Early Help means identifying needs quickly and working together before worries become bigger.

Our Early Help offer includes:

active Breakfast Club
after-school club provision
regular PSHE and RSE lessons
ELSA support
behaviour support where needed
pastoral support from trusted adults
support with attendance and routines
transition planning between year groups and key stages
support for transition to secondary school
signposting to external agencies
working with families, health professionals and wider services

As a small school, we know our children and families well. This helps us notice when additional support may be needed and respond quickly.

Working with families

We value strong, positive relationships with parents and carers. Leaders are visible at the beginning and end of the school day, and we encourage families to speak to us if they have any worries.

Families are regularly invited into school for events such as: