St James' Church of England Primary Academy
Safeguarding and Child Protection
At St James’ Church of England Primary Academy, the safety, wellbeing and welfare of every child is our highest priority. We are committed to providing a safe, caring and nurturing environment where all children feel valued, respected and protected.
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. We believe that every child has the right to feel safe, be listened to and receive the support they need to flourish.
Our approach to safeguarding is underpinned by our Christian values and a culture of openness, vigilance and care. We work closely with children, families, staff and external agencies to identify concerns early, provide appropriate support and ensure that children are protected from harm.
We follow the statutory guidance set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education and work in partnership with Medway Children's Services and the Medway Safeguarding Children Partnership.
Our Safeguarding Team
We have a dedicated team of trained safeguarding professionals who lead and coordinate safeguarding arrangements across the school.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Miss Cordingley – Headteacher
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSLs)
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Mrs West – Deputy Headteacher
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Miss Palmer – Assistant Headteacher
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Mrs Weston – Home School Support Worker and Learning Mentor
Our safeguarding team is available to offer advice, listen to concerns and ensure that appropriate action is taken to protect and support children.
Contact the school:
Telephone: 01634 270341
Email: office@stjames.medway.sch.uk
If you have a concern about a child's safety or wellbeing, please contact a member of the safeguarding team as soon as possible.
Reporting a Safeguarding Concern
We encourage parents, carers, pupils and members of our wider community to speak up whenever they have concerns about a child's safety or wellbeing.
Concerns might relate to a child's physical or emotional wellbeing, neglect, abuse, bullying, online safety or changes in behaviour that suggest a child may need additional support.
You do not need to be certain that something is wrong before raising a concern.
If you are worried about a child:
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Contact the school and ask to speak to a member of the safeguarding team.
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Share your concerns as clearly as possible.
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The safeguarding team will consider the information and take appropriate action, including seeking advice or support from external agencies where necessary.
We treat safeguarding concerns seriously and handle information sensitively, sharing it with appropriate professionals where necessary to protect children.
What if the school is closed?
If you are concerned about a child's safety outside school hours, you can contact Medway Children's Services directly.
Medway Children's Services
Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm: 01634 334466
Outside these hours: 03000 419191
You can also report a safeguarding concern directly to Medway Council.
If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
You do not need to contact the school before making a safeguarding referral to Children's Services.
Keeping Children Safe at School
Safeguarding is embedded throughout school life and is much more than responding to individual concerns.
Our safeguarding arrangements include:
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Ensuring staff receive appropriate safeguarding training and understand their responsibilities.
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Maintaining safer recruitment procedures and appropriate checks on adults working with children.
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Promoting positive relationships, respectful behaviour and a culture in which children feel safe to speak.
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Supporting children's emotional wellbeing and mental health.
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Teaching children how to recognise risks and seek help when needed.
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Promoting online safety and responsible use of technology.
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Working closely with families and external professionals to provide early support.
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Maintaining clear procedures for responding to safeguarding concerns, including concerns about adults working with children.
We recognise that strong relationships between home and school are essential in keeping children safe and ensuring they receive the right support at the right time.
Online Safety
Technology provides children with valuable opportunities for learning, communication and creativity, but it is important that they understand how to stay safe online.
Online safety is embedded throughout our curriculum, helping children to recognise risks, protect their personal information, develop healthy online relationships and know what to do if something makes them uncomfortable.
We encourage parents and carers to talk regularly with their children about their online experiences and to contact the school if they have concerns.
Further advice and resources are available on our school's Online Safety page.
Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
Our safeguarding arrangements are supported by a comprehensive range of MAST policies and procedures designed to protect children and promote their welfare.
The following documents are available through our website:
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Child Protection Policy
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Child-on-Child Abuse Policy
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Online Safety Policy
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Children Missing Education Policy
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Safer Recruitment Policy
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Low-Level Safeguarding Concerns Policy
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Filtering and Monitoring Standards
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Whistleblowing Policy
These policies explain our safeguarding responsibilities, procedures for responding to concerns and the arrangements in place to keep children safe.
Further Support and Useful Contacts
There are a number of organisations that can provide advice and support to children, parents and carers.
NSPCC
Advice and support for adults concerned about a child's safety.
Telephone: 0808 800 5000
Website: https://www.nspcc.org.uk
Childline
Free, confidential support for children and young people.
Telephone: 0800 1111
Website: https://www.childline.org.uk
Medway Safeguarding Children Partnership
Information, guidance and support relating to safeguarding children in Medway.
Website: https://www.medwayscp.org.uk
Department for Education – Keeping Children Safe in Education
The statutory guidance that sets out safeguarding responsibilities for schools and colleges.
At St James', safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. By working together, listening carefully and acting promptly, we aim to ensure that every child feels safe, supported and able to flourish.