Gifford Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We have a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Child Protection Policy, which can be viewed here below.

Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about our pupils are discussed with parents/carer first, unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child’s welfare.

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

Safeguarding means:

• Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
• Preventing harm to children’s health or development
• Ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
• Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes

Child protection is part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures which detail how to respond to concerns about a child.

Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.

If you are concerned that a child or young person is being harmed through abuse or neglect you should contact the local authority's Children and Families team on 020 8825 8000 or the Police on 999 in an emergency situation. 

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to children (NSPCC) has lots of advice and guidance. Please click the following link for further information about keeping your child safe. 

Whilst lots of parents and carers really enjoy seeing photos and videos of their children’s school life we are very mindful of our duty of care towards all our pupils. 

We take the issue of safeguarding very seriously and this includes the use of photographic and video images.

Any photographs or videos taken by parents, carers and relatives at school productions, sports days or other events are for the enjoyment of individual families. They must not be used in any way that could potentially place a child at risk. This would include publishing images in any form of print or on the internet including social media networks sites. This is emphasised before concerts and shows etc and where practical a record of parents and relatives taking photographs or videos is made.

We understand that in exceptional circumstances a parent or carer may not wish their child to be photographed or videoed in this way. If this is the care then please contact the headteacher to discuss who this can be best achieved.

Occasionally, the local press will be invited to take photographs of school events and special achievements. We like to use photographs of our children on our website, in school documents, for parent information meetings, newsletters and on our display screens around the school. If you do not wish photographs of your child to be used for these purposes, then please contact the headteacher.

To view our safeguarding polices and other policies relevant to safeguarding please go to our School Policies section.

Further information:

If you would like further information, please click on the titles below:

• Childline
• Extremism and terrorism
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
• Child Safe
• Keeping children safe - Home or out alone
• NSPCC Pants Campaign
• Hate Crimes
• Cyber Mentor Plus
• Private Tutors