Carnforth School is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children. We expect every member of staff and all visitors to share our commitment as the health and safety of our children is paramount.
What is Safeguarding?
At Carnforth School we consider the safeguarding of children to be our most important priority. Children need to feel safe, cared for and valued in order to learn and thrive. In school we follow the guidance set out in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE), which states that Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:
- Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge
- Protecting children from maltreatment
- Preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
- Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
- Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes
- Ensuring that children can thrive, learn, and develop to achieve their potential
To ensure the above guidelines are followed we take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes through our safeguarding measures regardless of their age, culture, physical needs, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and sexual identity. In order to do this we have clear procedures in place to ensure that disclosures or allegations are taken seriously, recorded correctly and investigated.
Who is Responsible for Safeguarding?
Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play in safeguarding children. Staff are made aware that any safeguarding issues need to be reported through the correct routes to the designated leads. When staff are recruited we follow the procedures set out in our Safer Recruitment Policy. Safeguarding training is completed by all new staff as part of the induction process and on-going annual safeguarding measures and regular updates are in place for staff currently employed i.e. through training, briefings and cyclical DBS checks.
The following staff have received Child Protection Training for Safeguarding Leads in School:
- Mrs Keren Finnegan: Deputy Headteacher, EYFS Lead, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Child Looked After Lead.
- Mr Paul Prigg: Headteacher, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Mrs Vicky Smith: SENDCo, Pastoral Lead and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Mrs Lauren Richardson: Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Ms Aoife Fergusion: Teacher, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Miss Megan Smith: Teaching Assistant, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Miss Emily Arrowsmith: (Teaching Assistant) Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
In addition to this, all staff receive annual safeguarding training and weekly briefings to ensure they can recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and report using our agreed policies and procedures.
- Carnforth School’s Safeguarding Governor is: Paul Edwards
- The Black Pear Trust’s Safeguarding Trustee is: Julia Page
What are the Areas of Safeguarding?
Prevention of Harm: The school takes steps to protect children’s physical safety, mental wellbeing, and prevent abuse or neglect.
Creating a Safe Environment: Educational settings create environments where children feel protected and supported. As a school, Carnforth recognises the importance of promoting positive behaviour towards each other to create a warm, caring environment.
Legislative Compliance: Safeguarding is shaped and mandated by legislation and statutory guidance such as: Children Act 1989 and 2004, Education Act 2002, KCSIE 2025.
Awareness and Training: Staff, children and parents are supported to understand signs of abuse or neglect and know how to report concerns. Carnforth is a welcoming school, offering parents/carers/families support, developed through positive home/school links.
Policies and Procedures: The school maintains robust safeguarding policies that explain how concerns are identified, reported, and managed. Visitors are subject to checks via DBS forms and qualifications, which are logged on the school’s Single Central Register.
Collaboration and Multi‑Agency Working: The school understands that safeguarding requires joint working between schools, local authorities, social care, and other partners.
Curriculum: The school ensures that the curriculum offers a wide range of opportunities for children to learn about safety and have chances to talk and ask questions.
How does our Curriculum Support Safeguarding of Children?
To support children with developing their confidence and knowledge of safeguarding issues we ensure our personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme allows lots of opportunities to develop their understanding.
For example:
We cover whole school, national and global themes across the school year, such as Anti-Bullying week, Safer Internet Day, Safety Week, Celebrating Diversity and Different Families.
We learn about our ‘Core Values’ in lessons and assemblies to help children develop their sense of worth and confidence.
Links with External Agencies
In order to provide the best possible safeguarding for all children in our school we work with outside agencies to ensure we get expert advice and support. We follow procedures set out by the Local Education Authority and ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ in accordance with child protection procedures.
Below access our Supporting Families Offer to review the external agency links and support provided.
Sharing of Information
We are required to have information from parents/carers prior to a child joining our school.
This includes:
- Information about who has legal contact with the child and who has parental responsibility
- Any special health requirements for the child
- Information relating to food i.e. dietary requirements and food allergies
- Two emergency contact numbers (updated as required throughout the child’s time at school)
- ‘Child Collected By’ form which specifies agreed adults who can collect a child from school
In our school we follow the Data Protection principles. Information regarding children is stored safely and securely and it is only shared with professionals permitted to have it.
Which Policies Support our Safeguarding?
Please visit our policies page to view our policies.
The policies listed are not exhaustive, as there are many additional policies, procedures and protocols in place to safeguard children. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact the school office.
Policies are reviewed at determined intervals to ensure that the most up to date information is included in our guidelines in school.
Reporting Concerns and Complaints
At Carnforth School we endeavour to provide the very best service for our children and families. To help us provide this we require feedback. This can be achieved through mechanisms we offer e.g. questionnaires we send to parents, through emails and telephone conversations.
However, we feel that most importantly face to face discussions are effective at resolving concerns/complaints. In line with our policy, discussion of a concern would be with the class teacher in the first instance followed by the Headteacher if that does not provide a resolution. After that the matter can be referred to the Chair of Governors where hopefully the matter can be resolved.
Our Complaints Policy sets out the procedures and this can be requested via the school office or downloaded from our website. Our aim is to always listen and try to resolve issues before they reach this stage.
If you would like more information on safeguarding, please contact the school for all our policies or view our policies section on our website.
Our Social Media Statement
Parents and carers often use social networking platforms, such as Facebook, to communicate with friends and family. Occasionally, these platforms may be used to share comments about schools or individual staff members that could be inappropriate.
It is important to remember that posting statements online carries the same legal responsibilities as making them in person. Defamatory or harmful comments made on the internet may lead to legal consequences. Additionally, online behaviour that includes threats or intimidating language may be considered a criminal matter under the Malicious Communications Act 1988.
If you have any concerns about anything which happens in school please speak to your child’s class teacher or the Headteacher, who will do their best to resolve things.
If you are still unhappy, we have a complaints procedure which will ensure that your concerns are investigated thoroughly and appropriate action taken.
Please go to our policies page to read our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.