Child Protection
We welcome all visitors to St James’ RC Primary School. Our priority is to ensure our school remains a safe place for children, staff and all other members of the school community. Please refer to the documents below for more information.
Click the link below to read the STAYING SAFE (including anti-bullying) – Cross Curriculum Map
Safeguarding
St James' is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Every school has a Designated Safeguaridng Lead. Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs Weeks and our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are Mrs Wilson and Mrs Richards.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is the first point of contact for reporting concerns about the safety and/or well being of a child.
In keeping with the statutory guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, our Designated Safeguarding Leads have the appropriate status and authority within the school to carry out the duties of the post. They have been given the time, training, resources and assistance to provide advice and support on child welfare and child protection matters, to take part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings – and/or to support other staff to do so – and to contribute to the assessment of children.
What do you do if you have a concern about a child?
Mrs Weeks, Mrs Wilson and Mrs Richards can be contacted in either of the following ways:
By telephone 020 8467 8167
By e-mail general.info@st-james.bromley.sch.uk
Urgent cases should not be referred by e-mail as this might delay a response to a child at risk of harm.
Please remember that during term time responses to any issues will be handled more promptly than any which are attempted to be raised during school holidays.
What do you do if have a concern when school is closed?
As an alternative and especially if there is an urgent matter of safeguarding or child protection you should contact Bromley Social Services directly on 020 8461 7373 / 7379 or 7026 or e-mail mash@bromley.gov.uk
Another alternative is to contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or by e-mail help@nspcc.org.uk.
Finally, there is the alternative of calling the Police on 999.
Mrs Hutchinson is the Chair of the Governing Body and has oversight for safeguarding and child protection. If you feel that you need to contact Mrs Hutchinson on a matter of safeguarding or child protection please contact her via the school office.
Every school is required to have a Safeguarding and Child Protection policy and ours can be accessed in the Policy section of the website.
Prevent
The Government’s ‘Prevent Strategy’ came into force on 1st July 2015 . The purpose of this strategy is to safeguard children from extremist views and violence. Schools are obliged to make a statement to parents, informing them of the steps being taken to ensure that pupils do not become embittered and resentful of other faiths and cultures through a lack of knowledge and understanding.
The ethos of St James’ is one of respect for all, regardless of faith, culture or difference. In RE, pupils are taught about other faiths in order to promote respect and tolerance.
At St. James’ we have a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. We invite people into school from other faiths to talk to the children about their daily experiences and beliefs.
We teach the Pupils about the British Values which affirm the basic principles of a just and fair society. These principles align well with the Church’s teaching on the ‘Common Good’.
If the school became concerned about a pupil becoming exposed to extremist views or violence, we would deal with it in line with our safeguarding policy. We would speak to the parents first, and if appropriate, make a referral to the Bromley Safeguarding Board who may involve the Police.