Safeguarding
At St John’s C of E Middle School Academy, we strive to make sure all our pupils are safe in school, home, online and in the community. Our staff are here to keep young people safe and secure and promote their personal safety and wellbeing.
The school has a duty of care and the right to take reasonable action to ensure wellbeing and safety needs are being met for all of our pupils. If a staff member has cause to be concerned that a child may be subject to any form of abuse outlined in our safeguarding policy, the school will take appropriate action and follow child protection procedures, informing Children’s Services if necessary.
A clear policy on Safeguarding is available and is reviewed by staff and school governors on an annual basis.
At St John's C of E Middle School we believe that it is unacceptable for a child to experience abuse of any kind. We recognise our responsibility to safeguard all children.
We provide staff and volunteers with guidance to follow when they suspect a child may be experiencing abuse or at risk of harm. We work cooperatively with other agencies to safeguard and promote the wellbeing of children. We will ensure that our pupils' concerns are discussed with parents/carers first - unless we have reason to believe that such action could compromise the child’s welfare.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead for child protection is Mrs K. Gallinagh (Deputy Headteacher)
The Deputy Designated Leads for child protection are Ms N. Birmingham (Deputy Headteacher), Mr L. Boyd (Assistant Headteacher), Mrs M. Shepherd (SENDOCo), Ms J. Alexander (SEMH) and Mrs S. Butt (ELSA)
The Governor with responsibility for child protection is Mrs L. Fleming.
We review our policy and procedures on an annual basis.
If you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm, please contact the Police on 999 or our local Children’s Services: Worcestershire County Council Family Front Door.
Staff are available:
Monday to Thursday from 9.00am to 5.00pm and Fridays from 9.00am to 4.30pm telephone:
01905 822666
For assistance out of office hours (weekdays and all day at weekends and bank holidays), telephone:
01905 768020
Getting Urgent Advice
Childline.
Child Exploitation and Online Protection command.
CEOP help children stay safe online. If anybody acts inappropriately towards you or another child or young person online (such as sexual chat, or being asked to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable); you can report it here.
Our Whole-School Approach to Safeguarding
Safeguarding runs through every part of school life — from classroom learning to staff training and community partnerships. We take a proactive, preventative approach, ensuring that children know how to stay safe and that staff are confident in identifying and responding to concerns quickly and effectively.
Our whole-school approach includes:
Curriculum and Assemblies – We teach pupils about safety, wellbeing, and healthy relationships through PSHE, RSHE, online safety lessons, and assemblies.
Staff Training – All staff receive regular safeguarding training, ensuring they can recognise signs of abuse or neglect and respond appropriately.
Pupil Voice – We encourage pupils to speak openly about worries or concerns, and we make sure they know who they can talk to for help. We use pupil voice feedback to help make improvements.
Policies and Procedures – We follow national and local safeguarding guidance, including Keeping Children Safe in Education, to ensure robust reporting and response systems are in place.
Partnership Working – We work closely with parents, carers, social care, health professionals, and the police to protect children and support families.
Safe Environment – Our site, recruitment processes, and practices are designed to keep everyone in our school community safe.