The care and well-being of all children, staff and visitors at Occold is our highest priority. Whilst this does include duties such as making safeguarding referrals, keeping children safe is part of a wider school ethos which includes equipping children with the skills to become responsible citizens. This includes a commitment to PSHE (Personal Social and Health Education), online safety education and access to a broad and balanced curriculum which makes children aware of both British Values as well as those of different cultures, faiths and non-religious traditions.

• The Designated Safeguarding Lead for any safeguarding issues is the Head of School, Miss Katie Thornton. If she is not available then the Alternate Designated Safeguarding Leads are currently Mrs Gemma Watts and Mrs Karen Squirrell. The Name of the Safeguarding Governor is Mrs Carol Peters.

• The senior member of staff who is qualified to deliver Group 1 and Group 2 Safeguarding courses is Gemma Watts. She is also designated teacher for Looked After Children and Online Safety.

All three persons work closely together in all issues of Safeguarding and report to the Governing Board when appropriate. 

There has been considerable recent media coverage with regard to the exposure of children and young people to various forms of extremism.  In many respects, radicalisation in whatever form is essentially an aspect of safeguarding. Furthermore, research suggests that young people who have experienced abuse, isolation etc. or have special needs may be at more risk. As with more general Safeguarding, there is sometimes the perception that ‘it couldn’t happen here’, but evidence from Suffolk shows that it is. It is worth noting that extremism can occur across the political spectrum and more may also include causes such as environmentalism, animal rights and countryside cultural issues.

Identifying and supporting children who may be suffering from social isolation, domestic break-ups or other vulnerabilities early on in lives is one step that could prevent them from being drawn to radical or extremist groups later in their lives. 

Occold Primary School is committed to instilling a culture of respect and tolerance. This is embedded in our School Vision which states ‘Our children will become well–rounded, socially successful individuals who are respectful, compassionate, tolerant and show an awareness of other people’s needs and cultures’.  To this end, pupils take part in activities based around raising awareness of British values, are taught the importance of being safe online aware and are encouraged to think critically and challenge the authenticity of media. As with other aspects of Safeguarding, if you have any concerns in this area, please contact the Designated Lead Professionals.

This link will take you the Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board website if you require further information.

Online Safety

The Online World and digital technology has revolutionised our lives over the last twenty years and offers a wealth of resources to teachers, learners and their families. Just like we teach children to cross the road safely, our aim at Occold is to support our children and staff in harnessing these technologies whilst making them aware of the potential risks and dangers. Our designated e-safety lead is Mrs Zoe Clancy. As with other aspects of Safeguarding, we take a preventative approach as well as reacting to incidents. Online safety is embedded in our PSHE, computing and assembly programmes. Guidance is also offered to parents through workshops, handouts and newsletters. If you are concerned about something that has happened to you or your child online, then you can report this to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Website (CEOP). Click on this image below to take you to the appropriate page on the CEOP website.