Boughton Leigh Infant School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people. We expect all staff, volunteers, governors, and visitors to share this commitment.

We fully recognise our statutory responsibilities in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and all relevant safeguarding legislation. Safeguarding is our highest priority and is embedded in everything we do.

Our school is committed to providing early support for children and families, using a contextual safeguarding approach to understand risks beyond the school environment, and working closely with partner agencies to ensure every child receives the right help at the right time.

We are also committed to safer recruitment practices, ensuring that all staff, volunteers, and visitors are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including enhanced DBS checks and robust pre-employment screening.

We aim to ensure that:

• All children are protected from harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation
• All staff are vigilant and act promptly on any concerns
• Effective systems are in place for identifying and responding to safeguarding issues
• Children are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online safety and healthy relationships
• We work in partnership with parents, carers, and external agencies to safeguard children’s welfare

We have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and trained deputies who take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection across the school. All staff receive safeguarding training in line with statutory guidance.

Where there are concerns about a child’s safety or welfare, we will act without delay in accordance with local safeguarding procedures and statutory guidance.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and we are committed to maintaining a culture of vigilance, openness, and support to ensure every child feels safe, valued, and heard.

The Designated Lead for safeguarding is:     

Andrew Moorcroft (Headteacher).

The Deputy Designated Leads for safeguarding are:     

Claire Blood (Deputy Headteacher)   

Amanda Oldham (Assistant Headteacher)

Kelly Green (Assistant Headteacher)

Alex Smelt (Learning Mentor)

The governor with responsibility for safeguarding is:

Anna Barnes.

If you have any concerns regarding the safeguarding of a child please contact the Designated Lead or one of the Deputy Leads in their absence.

If the concern is regarding the Headteacher please contact Matthew Blood, Chair of Governors or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) on 01926 745376. 

What to do if you're worried?

If you are worried about a child, please speak to us as soon as possible. Children are encouraged to talk to any trusted adult in school, including their teacher or the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), and will always be listened to and supported. Parents and carers can contact the school office, ask to speak to the DSL, or email the safeguarding team with any concerns. All worries are taken seriously and handled in confidence. Where appropriate, the school may also seek advice or make referrals to external services such as Family Connect Warwickshire to ensure every child is kept safe.

Prevent Strategy

Our Prevent Duty Commitment

As part of our safeguarding responsibilities, we fully implement the Prevent Duty, which aims to protect children from the risk of radicalisation and extremist influences.

We understand that safeguarding children from extremism is part of our wider duty to protect them from all forms of harm.

Our Prevent Strategy

Our Prevent strategy is built on early identification, education, and safeguarding intervention. We:

• Promote a safe and inclusive school culture where all children are respected
• Teach pupils about diversity, respect, and understanding of different beliefs and cultures
• Actively promote British Values:
  • Democracy
  • The rule of law
  • Individual liberty
  • Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
• Encourage pupils to develop critical thinking skills to challenge misinformation and extreme narratives
• Provide a curriculum that supports resilience against extremist influences

Staff Training and Awareness

All staff receive safeguarding training, including Prevent awareness, so they can:

• Recognise signs that a child may be vulnerable to radicalisation
• Understand how extremist ideas may present in different forms
• Respond appropriately and follow school safeguarding procedures

Referral and Intervention

Where concerns arise, we will:

• Act immediately in line with safeguarding procedures
• Involve the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
• Share concerns with local safeguarding partners where appropriate
• Refer to the Channel programme if a child is identified as being at risk of radicalisation and requires early intervention support

We work closely with external agencies to ensure children receive appropriate support at the earliest stage.

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Online Safety

Our Approach to Online Safety

We recognise that technology is an essential part of children’s learning and development, but it can also present risks. We are committed to ensuring children learn how to use technology safely and responsibly.

What we do in school:

• Implement robust filtering and monitoring systems to prevent access to harmful content
• Teach online safety as part of our curriculum, including age-appropriate guidance on:
  • Cyberbullying
  • Online grooming and exploitation
  • Inappropriate content
  • Privacy and personal information
• Promote safe, responsible use of devices and the internet
• Support children to understand how to seek help if something online worries them

Working with Families

We support parents and carers by:

• Providing guidance on keeping children safe online at home
• Sharing advice on parental controls and safe internet use
• Encouraging open conversations between children and families about online activity

Online safety is embedded within our wider safeguarding culture and reviewed regularly in line with KCSIE guidance.