Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. At Merriott Primary School, we are committed to ensuring every child feels safe, valued and ready to learn.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

At Merriott Primary School, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is our highest priority. We are committed to ensuring that every child feels safe, supported and valued, enabling them to thrive both academically and personally.

We recognise our statutory responsibility to protect children from harm and work in accordance with guidance from the Department for Education (DfE), Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership and other relevant agencies. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, and all members of our school community play an important role in helping to keep children safe.

We work closely with a range of partner agencies, including Children's Social Care, health professionals, the Police and family support services, to ensure children receive the help and protection they need.

Designated Safeguarding Team

If you have any concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child, please contact a member of our safeguarding team immediately.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Mrs. Lois Bowery
Headteacher

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL)

Mrs. Nicky Taylor

Senior Teacher

Safeguarding Governor

Mr. Craig Pearce
Chair of Local Governance Committee

Reporting a Concern

All staff, volunteers and governors receive safeguarding training and understand their responsibilities in recognising and responding to concerns about a child's welfare.

Should a child disclose information that raises concerns about their safety, staff are trained to:

Listen carefully and calmly.
Avoid asking leading questions.
Record concerns accurately and factually.
Report concerns immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy DSL.

All safeguarding concerns are recorded and managed confidentially in line with statutory guidance. However, information relating to a child's safety cannot be kept secret and may need to be shared with relevant agencies to ensure appropriate protection and support.

Staff also receive training on a range of safeguarding matters, including:

Child protection and safeguarding procedures.
Recognising the signs of abuse and neglect.
Online safety.
Mental health and wellbeing.
The Prevent Duty, helping to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism.

Early Help and Family Support

We believe that early support can make a significant difference to children and families. Where appropriate, we work with families to provide:

Early Help support.
Early Help Assessments.
Access to Parent and Family Support Advisors.
Signposting to external agencies and services.

Our aim is always to work collaboratively with families to achieve the best outcomes for children.

Key Contacts

Somerset Children's Social Care (Somerset Direct)

Telephone: 0300 123 2224

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Anthony Goble
Telephone: 0300 123 2224

Childline

Telephone: 0800 1111

NSPCC Helpline

Telephone: 0808 800 5000

For further information, please visit the Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership website.

Child Protection Policy

Our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy is available to download from this website or can be obtained from the school office upon request.

Operation Encompass

Merriott Primary School is proud to be part of Operation Encompass, a nationally recognised initiative that supports children who have experienced domestic abuse.

Through Operation Encompass, schools receive timely information from the police when a child has been exposed to a domestic abuse incident. This notification, shared before the next school day, enables us to provide immediate and appropriate support for the child when they arrive at school.

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead acts as the school's Operation Encompass Key Adult and has received specialist training to ensure information is handled sensitively, confidentially and in the child's best interests.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 recognises children who witness domestic abuse as victims in their own right. The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 has further strengthened Operation Encompass by placing a legal duty on police forces to share relevant notifications with schools.

Through our participation in Operation Encompass, we are better able to support children at times when they may need understanding, reassurance and additional care.

For more information, visit the Operation Encompass website.

Additional Information for Parents and Carers

We encourage families to access trusted safeguarding information and guidance, including:

Knife Crime Guidance for Parents and Carers
Online Safety Resources
Child Mental Health and Wellbeing Support
Domestic Abuse Support Services

Together, we can help ensure that every child at Merriott Primary School is safe, supported and able to achieve their full potential.