Saint Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, the Borough, is committed to ensuring the welfare and safety of all children in school. All London schools follow the London Safeguarding Children Board procedures. The school will, in most circumstances, endeavour to discuss all concerns with parents about their child/ren. However, there may be exceptional circumstances when the school will discuss concerns with Social Care and/or the Police without parental knowledge (in accordance with Child Protection procedures). The school will, of course, always aim to maintain a positive relationship with all parents.
At Saint Joseph’s we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and take account of the information contained in the Department for Education documents ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ and ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education: Statutory Guidance for Schools and Colleges (DfE, updated annually)’. The safety and protection of children is of paramount importance to everyone in this school. Our child protection policy is available publicly on the school’s website.
All members of staff at Saint Joseph’s have regular training on safeguarding procedures and all visitors to the school are provided with key safeguarding advice and made aware of their responsibilities whilst in school. Each classroom and working area of the school displays the key safeguarding information on a yellow laminated card, along with key supporting documentation.
The safeguarding team work together to ensure that children in the school are kept safe. Saint Joseph’s is committed to safeguarding all children.
If you wish to speak to our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) you can contact them at school on
020 7407 2642
If a concern is raised where it is deemed necessary, the Designated Safeguarding Lead will contact the safeguarding team at Southwark Local Authority Children’s Social Care (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub, MASH) in order for further advice or action. Although this responsibility is delegated to the DSL, anyone can make a referral to MASH in an emergency, via 020 7525 1921 or mash@southwark.gov.uk
Saint Joseph’s is now working as part of the Operation Encompass project – a collaboration between schools and the police to safeguard our children. Operation Encompass will report to schools the following school day if a child has been exposed to, or been involved in, any domestic incident. All information will be treated in strict confidence. Read more about the project here: https://www.operationencompass.org/
If you are concerned about the safety of any child, you MUST speak to a member of the safeguarding team on 020 7407 2642 or email safeguardingteam@st-josephs-borough.southwark.sch.uk
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Kate Hannam (Assistant Headteacher)
Deputy Designated Safeguardng Lead (DDSL): Francis O’Kane (Headteacher)
Deputy Designated Safeguardng Lead (DDSL): Stephen Fulton (Deputy Headteacher)
