Ludham Primary School and Nursery is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children at all times.

We take our legal safeguarding duty very seriously and have rigorous and robust systems and practices in place. At the centre of all our work is children and ensuring they are safe is of paramount importance. Because of our day-to-day contact with children and young people, education staff are particularly well placed to observe outward signs of abuse, changes in children’s behaviour or their failure to develop. We need, therefore to be alert to the possibility of abuse occurring, aware of the procedures to be followed if the school have suspicions and have the confidence to follow those procedures.

This policy applies to all staff, visitors, governors and volunteers working in the school.

All our staff all staff, governors and volunteers are expect to share this commitment, and training, monitoring and reporting procedures are in place to ensure this commitment is realised.

We aim to provide a safe environment at school that is conducive to learning. We aim to identify children who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, and take appropriate steps to keep them safe in school and at home when required.

We have five Designated Safeguarding Leads: Mrs Goreham, Headteacher; Mrs Ashman, EYFS and SENCO, Mrs Atkinson, Y5/6 Teacher; Miss Mindham, EYFS and Mrs Simons (Administrator). We also have a designated Safeguarding Governor, who monitors our safeguarding and child protection processes alongside the governing body.

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass is a unique police and education early intervention and is an integral component in child safeguarding and protection. Operation Encompass will ensure that Mrs Goreham and the Deputy DSLs are trained to allow them to liaise with the police and to use the information that has been shared, in confidence. Ludham Primary School and Nursery will ensure that we are able to make provision for possible difficulties experienced by children, or their families, who have been experienced a domestic abuse incident.

Early Help

Early Help is taking action early to provide support where problems are emerging for children, young people and their families. Early help support may be provided at any point. At Ludham Primary School and Nursery, we want to invest in our young people and families and so can support our families during the Early Help process. Getting support at the right time from the right place is vital and if you feel like you would like to discuss these options or gain more information please contact Mrs Goreham at Ludham Primary School and Nursery or your local children’s centre.

Safeguarding and Pastoral Team

The members and responsibilites of our Safeguarding and Pastoral Team include:

  • Head Teacher & Safeguarding Lead: Mrs A Goreham
  • Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Mrs R. Atkinson
  • Deputy DSL and SENCO: Mrs J. Ashman
  • Deputy DSL: Miss L. Mindham
  • Deputy DSL: Mrs J. Simons

E-Safety

E-Safety is an important part of our children’s educations and daily life in today’s digital world and will be continue to be an integral part of their life as they grow and develop. We want both our pupils and our parents to have a secure understanding of E-Safety so they can learn how to use the internet and all digital media in a safe and secure way.

You can report any safeguarding concerns or issues directly to us by filling out our Safeguarding Concerns Form held in the office.

For out of school hours, you can contact Norfolk Children Services using the below details:

How to Raise a Concern

Please be advised that the MASH no longer accepts written referrals including NSCB1 forms. The new process is explained below.

Children’s Advice and Duty Service

If you are a professional, i.e. working with a child or young person in a formal or voluntary setting and not a family member or member of the public, you can contact the Children’s Advice and Duty Service on their direct line: 0344 800 8021.

If you are a member of the public you can do this through Norfolk County Council’s Customer Services on 0344 800 8020.

Statutory Documents: Documents and guidance that the school follows are shown below

Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board

The Norfolk Safeguarding Board works together to safeguard children. Every Local Authority in the country has a Local Safeguarding Children Board in place to make sure that children are protected from harm and that their welfare is promoted. The Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board (NSCB) is made up of statutory and voluntary partners who work with families and children. They are an independent organisation and make sure that people working with children carry out their safeguarding responsibilities as required by the law.

Early Help and Family Support

Early Help is a service available to all families in Norfolk. They have services to access support, information and guidance on a range of areas. If you are worried about your child or family and think you might need some extra first you should discuss your concerns with your family’s health visitor, or your child’s preschool or school. If you are unable to get the help you need you can talk to the early help team based in your local area.

Children's Advice and Duty Service (CADS)

This brings key professionals together to facilitate early, better quality information sharing, analysis and decision making to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults more effectively.

CADS is the first point of contact for receiving new safeguarding concerns or enquiries. If we contact CADS and they give us advice, we have to follow that process to safeguard children. Sometimes, a consultation may be deemed by the professionals at CADS to need to become a referral. Once that happens, we as a school will be given clear instructions as to what happens next and we have to follow them. This is part of our statutory duty.

Useful sites and links

Talk PANTS

The NSPCC – support and advice if you have concerns about a child. Talk PANTS information for parents on teaching children how to keep safe.

Nelson's Journey

Information and Support on bereavement

Barnardo's

Child protection