Safeguarding Statement

Valewood 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 Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy.

All staff, governors and volunteers at Valewood Primary School have enhanced DBS clearance.

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/carers first, unless we have reason to believe that this would be contrary to the child's welfare.

We actively support the government's Prevent agenda to counter radicalisation and extremism.

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Ms. Helen Tantouri (Headteacher).  

Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs. Danielle Parr (Deputy Headteacher).  

The Designated Governor for Safeguarding is Ms. Gill Bainbridge.

The Sefton Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) can be contacted on 0151 934 4388.

The Sefton Designated Officer for the Local Authority (LADO) is Tracey Holyhead. Contact number: 0151 934 3783.

Photographs and Videos

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 of 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 networking sites. This is emphasised before concerts and shows etc.

Parents and carers are asked at the start of each academic year to update their permission and agreement for photographic images to be used.  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 case, parents and carers are encouraged to inform the school when they update their permission on the Arbor app. 

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 Twitter/Instagram feed, in school documents, for parent information meetings and on our display boards around the school.  We kindly ask parents and carers to inform us if they would rather not have their child's photograph used on our social media platforms and shared with the local press.  

Updated January 2023