Safeguarding

Everyone working across our trust receives the training and support they need to deliver excellence in safeguarding. 

Our Trust is committed to adhering to all relevant statutory and regulatory safeguarding requirements for each of our schools. Our Trust’s safeguarding policy is available on each individual school’s website, where you can also find the names and contact information for the Designated Safeguarding Leaders (DSLs).

We have a skilled Trust Safeguarding Lead who guides our teams across the schools, ensuring compliance. This work includes regular visits, annual audits and supervision.

Each school is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all its children. The welfare of our students is of utmost importance and is at the core of everything we do. We understand that some children may be particularly vulnerable to abuse, and our staff receive extensive training to recognise the signs of harm.

All our schools collaborate closely with extended services to ensure that expert support reaches the children and families who need it most.

“In receiving the Platinum Plus Safeguarding Award from Incyte International, Westwood Primary School and Grove Primary School have set a remarkable standard for safeguarding excellence across the Trust. Their innovative approaches and the palpable impact of their policies on the ground exemplify what it means to not only meet but exceed expectations in creating a safe and nurturing environment for every learner”. 
Lynsey Holzer, Chief Executive Officer 

Our Safeguarding Teams are supported by our 'We’re a family, not a house share' ethos through our professional networking forums. The DSL Safeguarding Group meets once per half term. The virtual meeting provides a training forum for external and our internal specialists, also ensuring that our teams remain abreast of current trends and changes in the National and Local Safeguarding context. Other linked networking groups include Attendance Leaders, Thrive Practitioners and Safeguarding Governor groups.

Examples of recent successes include Neale-Wade Academy’s work with Cambridgeshire Constabulary and the Child Exploitation Hub on a number of important issues which can affect young people, including county lines, Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).

We have supported our young people to understand how and when they may be at risk of exploitation and where they can gain external support if needed. Our work has supported some of our most vulnerable students to remain in full-time mainstream education, demonstrating a real determination for positive change.

At Grove Primary School, they have been part of a pilot scheme being rolled out in Suffolk called Poverty Proofing The School Day. This is a nationally recognised programme that works with schools to remove barriers for students living in poverty. This helped us to look more closely at how we can support families who may be experiencing financial difficulties and what services could be accessed. As a result, we introduced a number of new approaches, including enrolling to be able to issue food vouchers, making it easier for our families to access these.

Thanks to our work, we have been able to offer assistance at a time where families are struggling, while continuing to work with services who can offer more sustainable support.