We keep ourselves, and each other, safe. Safeguarding is at the centre of everything we do here at Cherry Tree, and the responsibility of every single member of our school community.
The safety of our pupils is our number one priority and takes precedent in school. If you have any concerns at all, no matter how small, please contact us. Although we have designated safeguarding staff members, we are all responsible and all here to support our pupils and school community. Safeguarding does not stop at the school gates, we all have a duty to safeguard children in any and all contexts. No matter how small your concern, whether that be something in school or out of, please contact us instantly. Our entire ethos is built upon being a community-focussed school, and a pillar of that ethos is provide our children with every opportunity to flourish in a safe and nurturing environment.
Who’s Who?
Safeguarding is the responsibility of every single person in our school community. However, the people in our school with designated safeguarding roles are below, as well as some key contacts for our local area. This information is also in our Safeguarding leaflet that all visitors are given. If you ever feel that a child is at immediate risk of harm or in danger, always contact 999 as soon as physically possible.
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Miss Lisa Shephard
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads
Mr Adam Dawson, Mrs Stacey Cannon, Miss Kirsty King & Mrs Paula Millard.
Designated Safeguarding Governor
Mrs B Cook
Safeguarding at Cherry Tree
Our approach to Safeguarding is simple – it is the single most important thing that we do. Safeguarding isn’t an add-on, or a section of school, it’s the golden thread that runs throughout everything. Through our day-to-day work with children and parents, conversations and activities in school, and being alert and aware of what is happening outside of school we aim to do everything that that physically can to keep our children and families safe. Our approach to safeguarding is born out of our love for our children and community – a child that does not feel safe or does not feel trust cannot be in a position to learn. We build relationships with our children and families that are built on trust, and work with, and challenge, other agencies to ensure that our children get the very best opportunity to succeed.
Contextual Safeguarding
Contextual Safeguarding is an approach to understanding, and responding to children’s experiences of significant harm beyond their family and home. This approach recognises the different relationships children have in their schools, peer groups, online and in their community. Our culture of safeguarding means that it does not stop at the door or at the end of the school day. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, everywhere, every time.
Staff Training & Awareness
Our staff all receive formal Safeguarding training annually, as well as annual updates on Keeping Children Safe in Education. All new staff members who join the Cherry Tree family take part in safeguarding training part of their induction, and all staff receive regular, specific training in Prevent, County Lines and other key safeguarding issues. Safeguarding is a standing item on our Staff meeting and Leadership meeting agendas, as well as a standing item on our weekly School Council meeting agenda. In addition to this we also hold a weekly staff briefing that includes a weekly safeguarding refresher on a range of topics, as well as case studies. In school we hold a pupil safeguarding survey twice a year (January & July), where every child is in school, regardless of level of communication, can provide feedback on safety in school.
Early Help
We are here to help parents! Early Help is an additional support which is offered to all of our pupils and families. As a School, we work alongside other agencies to provide the Early Help framework, with our very own Mrs Phillips usually being the Lead Practitioner. We work around the clock to ensure that Early Help Assessments progress as quickly as possible and the right support is identified and put in place for our families. The purpose of Early Help is to support the well-being of children and families by tackling emerging needs at the earliest opportunity and prevent them from getting worse. This means working with you to identify any support you may need and gain access to additional services that can promote positive outcomes. Asking for help is never, ever a bad thing – it’s a strength!
Parent & Community Training and Awareness
Through the National Online Safety platform, we offer parents access to a wide range of training is various safeguarding matters, as well as access to up-to-date and reactive videos, articles and guides. For more information, visit our Safeguarding Resources page.