Safeguarding at St Peter’s Catholic Voluntary Academy

“Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people is everyone’s responsibility.”

At St Peter’s, the safety, wellbeing, and protection of our pupils is our highest priority. We are fully committed to creating a secure, nurturing environment where every child feels safe, valued, and supported.

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Our Commitment

We take safeguarding extremely seriously and ensure that our procedures comply with statutory guidance and best practice standards. All concerns about a child’s welfare are treated with the utmost seriousness and acted upon swiftly and appropriately.

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Key Safeguarding Contacts

Our Family Support Worker, Mr Paul Phillips, plays a vital role in safeguarding across the school. He works closely with:

• Pupils and families

• School staff

• External agencies and support services

Mr Phillips also works alongside the senior leadership team to ensure a consistent and high level of pastoral care is provided throughout the school.

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Staff Training and Procedures

• All staff receive annual statutory safeguarding training

• All staff and volunteers complete a safeguarding induction when they join

• Staff are also trained in the PREVENT duty

• Weekly safeguarding updates are shared to keep all staff informed and alert to current issues

• All staff know how to recognise signs of abuse or neglect and how to report concerns appropriately

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Safeguarding Policies

We have clear and robust policies in place to guide all aspects of safeguarding, including our Child Protection Policy, which is available on our policies page below:

• Policies

The school has a statutory duty to share any safeguarding concerns with appropriate external agencies, such as:

• Children’s Social Care

• The Police

• Health professionals

Please note:
In most situations, we will inform parents or carers if a referral is being made. However, in some circumstances, we may be advised not to inform parents—for example, if doing so might place a child at further risk or compromise an investigation.

We understand that this can be distressing for families, but please be assured that our actions are always guided by current legislation and are taken in the best interests of the child.

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If you have any questions or concerns about safeguarding, please contact Mr Paul Phillips or a member of the Senior Leadership Team via the school office.