At St Michael’s we recognise our legal and moral duty to promote the well-being of children, and protect them from harm, and respond to child abuse. We acknowledge our responsibilities to both protect children from maltreatment and prevent impairment. We will promote their welfare by creating opportunities for them to achieve their full potential, thus giving them optimum life chances in adulthood.
We believe that every child regardless of age has at all times and in all situations a right to feel safe and protected from any situation or practice that results in a child being physically or psychologically damaged. This includes any form of bullying.
We recognise that many of the risks to children in the ‘real world’ equally apply to ‘virtual world’ that children and young people may encounter when they use ICT in its various forms. We take seriously our responsibility to educate our children to help them to become safe and responsible users of new technologies, and allow them to be discriminating users of both the content they discover and the contacts they make online. Our aim is to teach them the appropriate behaviours and critical thinking skills to remain both safe and legal online, wherever and whenever they use technology.
We agree that we have a primary responsibility for the care, welfare and safety of the pupils in our charge, and we will carry out this duty through our teaching and learning, extra curricular activities, pastoral care and extended school activities. In order to achieve this, all members of staff (including volunteers and governors) in this school, in whatever capacity, will at all times act proactively in child welfare matters especially where there is a possibility that a child may be at risk of significant harm.
The school seeks to adopt an open and accepting attitude towards children as part of its responsibility for pastoral care. The school hopes that parents and children will feel free to talk about any concerns and will see school as a safe place if there are any difficulties at home.
In our school, if we have suspicions that a child’s physical, sexual or emotional well-being is being, or is likely to be, harmed, or that they are being neglected, we will take appropriate action in accordance with the procedures of South Gloucestershire Children’s Partnership and which can also be found at swcpp.org.uk.
School Policy & Procedures
Duty of Care and Confidentiality Form
Government Guidelines
Keeping Children Safe in Education