Safeguarding

Safeguarding at Penwortham Primary School

Keeping every child safe, happy and thriving

At Penwortham Primary School, the safety, happiness and wellbeing of our children is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating a nurturing, secure environment where every child feels valued, listened to and protected. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and we work closely with families and external agencies to ensure the very best outcomes for all children.

Meet Our Safeguarding Team

Our Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) are:

Miss Penarski – Headteacher (Lead DSL)
Mrs Cunningham – Deputy Headteacher (DSL)
Miss Flint – Learning Mentor (Deputy DSL)

Our Safeguarding Governor is Mrs Jones. All staff receive regular safeguarding and child protection training in line with Lancashire County Council guidance.

What Safeguarding Means

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children includes:

Providing help and support as soon as needs emerge
Protecting children from maltreatment, including online
Preventing impairment of health or development
Ensuring safe and effective care
Taking action to ensure the best possible outcomes

Safeguarding is not just about preventing deliberate harm. It includes:

Health and safety
Reasonable force
Medical needs
First aid
Educational visits
Intimate care
Online safety
School security

If You Are Worried About a Child

If you believe a child is at risk of harm:

Lancashire Social Care (Mon–Fri 8.45–17.00): 0300 123 6720 Emergency Duty Team (out of hours): 0300 123 6722 Police (immediate danger): 999

You can also contact:

NSPCC: 0808 800 5000
Childline: 0800 1111
You can also report your concerns online:
NSPCC Website: www.nspcc.org.uk

Operation Encompass

Penwortham Primary School is part of Operation Encompass, a national initiative that supports children who may have been affected by domestic abuse. Lancashire Police notify our trained Key Adults (Miss Penarski, Mrs Cunningham and Miss Flint) before the start of the school day if a child has been involved in or witnessed an incident. This enables us to provide immediate, confidential support.

Read more on our Operation Encompass page - Penwortham Primary School: Operation Encompass

Prevent Duty

We actively support the Government’s Prevent Strategy, which aims to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism. All staff are trained to identify concerns and know how to report them. We work closely with families and external agencies to ensure children are safe, resilient and able to make positive choices.

A link to our Prevent page: Penwortham Primary School: Prevent

How We Teach Children to Stay Safe

We help children learn how to keep themselves safe through:

PSHE and RSE lessons
Online safety teaching
Assemblies and themed weeks
Visits from police, fire service and health professionals
Encouraging pupils to speak to trusted adults
Teaching about healthy relationships and consent
Promoting emotional literacy and resilience

This empowers children to recognise risks, seek help and make safe choices.

We host a range of workshops for parents.

Educational Visits

Miss Penarski is our Educational Visits Coordinator.

All school trips and visits are fully risk‑assessed and approved in line with Lancashire County Council guidance. They are uploaded to EVOLVE. Staff ensure that safeguarding, supervision and medical needs are carefully planned for every visit.

The trip must be approved by Miss Penarski , the Headteacher, and the Local Authority 4 weeks in advance for residential trips.

CEOP – Online Safety & Reporting

If you are worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with your child, you can make a report to CEOP, a law‑enforcement agency dedicated to protecting children.

For more information or to make a report, go to: CEOP Safety Centre

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

ACEs are stressful or traumatic events that can impact a child’s wellbeing, behaviour and development. These may include abuse, neglect, domestic violence or living with family members who have substance misuse issues.

ACEs can affect: