Intent

At LAPW, the intent of our safeguarding curriculum is to cultivate a school culture where every child feels safe, valued, and empowered. We strive to equip our children with the knowledge, understanding, and skills necessary to recognise risks, stay safe, and seek help effectively. Our curriculum is designed to be proactive and preventative, fostering an environment where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

We aim to:

Educate children about their rights, including the right to be safe, and empower them to understand what constitutes harm and abuse in its various forms (including online safety).
Develop children's understanding of healthy relationships, consent, and appropriate boundaries, promoting respectful interactions with peers and adults.
Build children's resilience and emotional well-being, enabling them to cope with challenges and develop strategies for seeking support when needed.
Ensure children know who to turn to for help, both within and outside of school, and that they feel confident in speaking out.
Create a consistent and coherent approach to safeguarding across the curriculum, embedding key messages in an age-appropriate and sensitive manner.
Work in partnership with parents, carers, and external agencies to provide a holistic and supportive safeguarding network for our children.

Ultimately, our safeguarding curriculum aims to create a school community where children are not only protected from harm but are also equipped with the skills and confidence to protect themselves and others, now and in the future.

Implementation

The safety, well-being, and welfare of our pupils are paramount. Safeguarding is not standalone but an integral thread woven through the entire curriculum and the daily life of our school. Our implementation for safeguarding is proactive, preventative, and responsive, ensuring a culture of vigilance and care for all members of our school community.

Principles Guiding Implementation:

All our safeguarding practices are driven by the best interests of the child. We listen to children, take their views seriously, and empower them to stay safe.
Safeguarding is the responsibility of every adult in our school, including staff, governors, volunteers, and visitors. We provide regular training and updates to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
We equip our pupils with the knowledge, understanding, and skills they need to stay safe, both online and offline. This includes teaching about healthy relationships, consent, recognising and reporting abuse, and online safety.
We are alert to signs of potential harm or neglect and act promptly and appropriately to address concerns. We work in partnership with parents, carers, and external agencies to provide timely support.
We create a safe and supportive environment where children feel secure, respected, and encouraged to talk openly about their worries. Our policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect best practice and statutory guidance.

Safeguarding is explicitly and implicitly taught across a range of subjects and through various aspects of school life:

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE): This forms the cornerstone of our preventative safeguarding curriculum, addressing topics such as:
- Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) appropriate to age and development, including healthy relationships, consent, and boundaries.
- Keeping Safe, including identifying trusted adults, understanding different forms of abuse, and knowing how to seek help.
- Online Safety, covering responsible online behaviour, cyberbullying, privacy settings, and critical evaluation of online content.
- Mental Health and Well-being, promoting self-esteem, resilience, and strategies for managing emotions.
Computing: We teach children how to stay safe online, understand the risks and benefits of technology, and know how to report concerns.
Science: Age-appropriate topics related to the human body, growth, and development are taught sensitively.
English: Through literature and discussions, children explore themes of safety, relationships, and overcoming challenges.
Assemblies and School Events: These provide opportunities to reinforce safeguarding messages and raise awareness of important issues.
Academy Vision and Behaviour Policy: These promote a culture of respect, responsibility, and positive behaviour.
Pastoral Care and Support: Our dedicated pastoral team provides individual and group support to children who may be experiencing difficulties.

The implementation of our safeguarding curriculum is regularly monitored and reviewed through:

Staff training records and feedback.
Child voice surveys and discussions.
Analysis of safeguarding incidents and trends.
Regular review of policies and procedures by the safeguarding team and governing body.
Engagement with external safeguarding partners.

By embedding safeguarding throughout our curriculum and school culture, we aim to create a learning environment where all children feel safe, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential. We believe that a proactive and holistic approach to safeguarding is essential in promoting the well-being and protection of our children.

Impact

Our safeguarding curriculum is woven into the very fabric of our school, empowering children with the knowledge and skills to stay safe, happy, and thrive. Through a carefully planned and developmentally appropriate approach, we create a culture where:

Children develop a strong sense of self-worth and understand that their voice matters, knowing who to turn to if they have concerns.
Children acquire the knowledge and skills to navigate potential dangers, both online and offline, and make informed decisions to protect themselves.
Children learn about respect, consent, and positive communication, fostering an understanding of what constitutes healthy and unhealthy relationships.
Children develop strategies to cope with challenges, understand their emotions, and seek support when needed, promoting their overall well-being.
Staff are highly trained and vigilant, understanding their safeguarding responsibilities and working collaboratively to ensure a safe environment for all children.
We foster open communication and collaboration with families, providing them with the information and support they need to reinforce safeguarding messages at home.

Ultimately, the impact of our safeguarding curriculum will be evident in a school community where children feel secure, confident, and empowered to reach their full potential, free from harm. We continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our approach to ensure it remains relevant, responsive, and truly makes a difference in the lives of our children.

What we do at LAPW...

Our comprehensive Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy underpins all our practices, supported by a clear Behaviour Policy and a robust Staff Code of Conduct that sets high professional standards. We prioritise online safety with a dedicated policy and provide an age-appropriate curriculum that educates children on how to stay safe, both online and offline. Our commitment extends to our team, with safer recruitment trained staff ensuring all new colleagues and volunteers are rigorously vetted, and a thorough induction for new staff and volunteers to embed our safeguarding culture from day one. We have clearly identified and trained Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) who are always available, and all staff receive regular whole-school safeguarding training and ongoing updates and briefings to keep their knowledge current. Meticulous record-keeping allows us to track and act on any concerns swiftly, and our whistleblowing policy ensures that any concerns can be raised and addressed confidentially. Furthermore, our SEND Policy and Attendance Policy are integral to identifying and supporting vulnerable pupils. We also work closely with external agencies and facilitate workshops to enhance our safeguarding provision and ensure our children receive the best possible support.