Safeguarding

Safeguarding and Child Protection

At St Maxentius CE Primary School, the safety, wellbeing and welfare of every child is our highest priority. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and expect all staff, governors, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment.

We recognise our statutory responsibility to safeguard children and work in partnership with parents, carers and a range of agencies to ensure that children receive the right help at the right time. Our safeguarding arrangements are informed by national guidance and local procedures established by the Bolton Safeguarding Children Partnership and the wider multi-agency safeguarding network. [boltonsafe...ren.org.uk], [boltonsafe...ren.org.uk]

Through our daily contact with pupils and families, staff play a crucial role in identifying concerns that may indicate a child is suffering, or is at risk of suffering, harm. This includes concerns relating to abuse, neglect, exploitation, domestic abuse, online safety, child-on-child abuse, and emotional health and wellbeing.

Where there are concerns about a child's safety or welfare, we have a duty to take appropriate action and share information with relevant agencies. This may include making a referral to Bolton's Integrated Front Door (IFD), the first point of contact for safeguarding enquiries and referrals relating to children and young people. In most circumstances, concerns will be discussed with parents and carers; however, there may be occasions when this is not appropriate because doing so could place a child at increased risk of harm. [bolton.gov.uk], [boltonsafe...ren.org.uk], [bolton.gov.uk]

Parents and carers are encouraged to share any concerns about their child's safety, welfare or wellbeing with the school as soon as possible so that appropriate support can be provided.

Our Safeguarding Principles

Every child has the right to feel safe, valued and protected.
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.
Children are best protected when schools, families and partner agencies work together.
We are committed to listening to children and acting in their best interests.
We promote a culture where children feel confident to speak to a trusted adult if they are worried or concerned.

Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers

We believe that positive relationships between home and school are essential to keeping children safe.

We will:

Encourage parents and carers to share any concerns with us at the earliest opportunity.
Inform parents and carers of safeguarding concerns wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Offer advice, support and signposting to appropriate services.
Seek consent to share information where appropriate; however, safeguarding concerns may be shared without consent when there is a lawful basis to do so in order to protect a child from harm.
Work openly and collaboratively with families wherever possible.
Involve parents and carers in meetings and plans relating to their child unless doing so would place the child at risk.

Prevention and Early Help

We are committed to identifying and supporting children and families as early as possible.

We will:

Provide support at the earliest opportunity through an Early Help approach.
Deliver a comprehensive Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) curriculum that promotes safety, wellbeing and healthy relationships.
Teach pupils how to recognise risks and seek support when needed.
Promote an open environment where children feel listened to and respected.
Encourage pupils to understand their rights and to speak up if they have concerns about themselves or others.

Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

When concerns arise, we will act promptly and appropriately.

We will:

Listen carefully to children and families who raise concerns.
Record and respond to concerns in line with school procedures.
Make referrals to the Integrated Front Door (IFD), the police or other appropriate agencies where a child may be suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm.
Work with external agencies to ensure children receive the support they need.
Consider Early Help support where appropriate.

Child-on-Child Abuse

We recognise that children can abuse other children and that such behaviour can occur both inside and outside of school, including online.

We will:

Take all concerns of child-on-child abuse seriously.
Ensure that all allegations, reports and disclosures are thoroughly investigated and responded to appropriately.
Support both the child who has experienced harm and the child whose behaviour has caused concern.
Put protective measures and support plans in place where required.
Apply appropriate sanctions and educational interventions.
Refer concerns to Children's Social Care and/or the police where necessary.

Parents and carers can also access independent advice and support through the NSPCC and other recognised safeguarding services.

Emotional Health and Wellbeing

We recognise that good emotional health and wellbeing are fundamental to children's learning, development and overall safety.

We aim to:

Promote positive mental health throughout the school community.
Provide support for pupils experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties.
Signpost families to specialist services where appropriate.
Work with parents and carers to ensure children receive timely support.

If you have concerns about your child's emotional wellbeing, please contact the school for advice and support.

Domestic Abuse and Operation Encompass

Our school participates in Operation Encompass, a national safeguarding partnership between schools and police which supports children who have experienced domestic abuse. The scheme provides schools with timely information so that appropriate support can be offered to children following a domestic abuse incident. The sharing of this information is now supported by legislation and forms part of a wider safeguarding response.

Through Operation Encompass:

School will receive notifications from the police when a child has been affected by a domestic abuse incident.
Designated staff will assess any support required.
Children can receive timely emotional and practical support in a safe and familiar environment.
Information will be handled sensitively and confidentially.

Parents and carers experiencing domestic abuse are encouraged to speak to the school so that appropriate support can be provided.

Useful support services include:

Fortalice: 0800 200 0247 / 01204 365677
Endeavour: 01204 394842

Online Safety

Children and young people can be vulnerable to harm online as well as offline.

We are committed to:

Teaching pupils how to stay safe online.
Promoting responsible and respectful use of technology.
Educating children about online risks, including cyberbullying, harmful content, exploitation and online grooming.
Maintaining appropriate filtering and monitoring systems within school.

Parents and carers play a vital role in helping children stay safe online and are encouraged to:

Monitor and supervise online activity.
Use parental controls where appropriate.
Talk regularly with their children about safe online behaviour.
Ensure children know how to report concerns.

Child Protection Meetings and Conferences

Where required, school staff will attend and contribute to:

Strategy discussions and meetings.
Child Protection Conferences.
Core Group meetings.
Team Around the Family meetings.
Early Help meetings.

Relevant information will be shared with partner agencies to safeguard children. Wherever possible and appropriate, information shared with professionals will also be discussed with parents and carers.

Safeguarding records are maintained separately from academic records and are transferred securely when a child moves to another school.

Confidentiality

Safeguarding information cannot be kept confidential where a child may be at risk of harm.

We will:

Handle information sensitively and professionally.
Share information only with those who need to know in order to safeguard children.
Comply with relevant safeguarding and data protection requirements.
Maintain secure and confidential safeguarding records.

Designated Safeguarding Leads

If you have any concerns about the safety, welfare or wellbeing of a child, please contact our safeguarding team without delay.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Mrs L. Cousen, Headteacher

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL)
Mr P. Bracegirdle, Deputy Headteacher

Telephone: 01204 333106
Email: parents@st-maxentius.bolton.sch.uk

If you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm, contact the police on 999. Alternatively, concerns can be reported directly to the Integrated Front Door (IFD), Bolton's multi-agency safeguarding team.

All staff at St Maxentius are committed to ensure the safety of children. Staff are trained to identify any risks and are vigilant to ensure the protection of all children. All staff have received training on the most current guidance 'Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026'.