Heald Place Primary School
Heald Place Primary SchoolEvery child a confident learner

Safeguarding

Designated Safeguarding Lead
Contact: Miss N Sellers
 

Safeguarding children - Information for Parents

 

At Heald Place Primary School,  we believe that it is of the utmost importance to have robust systems for protecting children and safeguarding their welfare, throughout all the activities which the school undertakes. All our pupils have a right to be safe and to be treated with respect and dignity and we work effectively with outside agencies to ensure that this is the case. Safeguarding is "EVERYONE'S" responsibility.
 
Safeguarding in school is a very wide area which covers all aspects of keeping children safe at all times.  It includes the physical environment of the school buildings and land, a wide range of practices and procedures, and close liaison with a range of other agencies.
 
As part of our Safeguarding role, we teach all children how to keep themselves and others safe (at an age-appropriate level). Our PSHCE curriculim includes work on Domestic Violence, Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Bullying, Personal Safety, Inappropriate touching, Secrets, Relationships, Cyber Bullying, Internet security etc. Children are also given clear information about how to report things they feel uncomfortable about.
 
We are committed to monitoring and listening to all our pupils to identify possible problems. Where there are serious concerns about a child’s safety, we will share our concerns with the relevant authorities.
 
We work closely with other agencies such as the Police, Childrens Services and the Health Service to ensure that children at risk of harm are identified and kept safe.
 
From time to time, families may find themselves in difficulties which could prove detrimental to their children. We will also work closely with those families so that they are supported to ensure their children’s safety and well-being and signpost them to other agencies who may be able to offer help and support.
 
It is important for parents to be aware that:
Staff and volunteers in the school have a duty to report concerns about a child, whether this means the child may be in need of additional support or help of some kind or whether it is thought that a child may have been abused or be at risk of abuse.
 
There are four categories of abuse: physical, sexual, emotional, neglect.
 
In some cases, the school is obliged to refer children to children’s services, for children to be assessed for their needs or if an investigation into possible child abuse is required. In many cases, there will already have been discussions between school staff and the parents of the child, and the situation and concerns will not be a surprise to the parents.
 
However, parents may not be told that the school has referred their child to children’s social care if it is thought that this might put the child at risk.
 
If school staff need to express concerns about a child or refer a child to children’s social care, it is appreciated that this can cause distress or anger for the child’s parents/carers. It is important however that all parties – parents and school staff – try to discuss these matters as reasonably as possible so that the best interests of the child can be secured.
 
Children’s social care also tries to carry out its enquiries sensitively. It has to gather information with parents about the steps being taken and it is therefore beneficial that discussions are as open and as constructive as possible.
 
What to do if you are concerned about a child:

If you have any serious concerns about your child or any other pupil at Heald Place Primary School, please do not hesitate to contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead in school who will know who to contact for the best advice and help and are experienced in using the appropriate degree of confidentiality. You can find our contact details via our Contact Us page.

 

Please refer to our Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy under our POLICIES tab on this website for further information 

 

ONLINE SAFETY

Please be vigilant on the websites and apps your children are using and check their settings to ensure they are not at risk of speaking to inappropriate adults or peers. If you feel there is a situation that is not appropriate, call the police immediately.
 
If you identify online any websites or individuals through social media prompting terrorism and extremism, please log these with the police and the government portal. www.gov.uk/report-terrorism
 
For additional support and guidance in relation to online safety, please follow the links below:
 
CHILDNET - www.childnet.com
CEOP - www.ceop.police.uk/Safety-Centre/ - (Report online abuse)
THINK YOU KNOW - www.ceopeducation.co.uk/ (Protecting children online)
 
 
EARLY HELP SUPPORT

Effective Early Help is essential to improve the life chances of Manchester’s children, young people and their families. The aim of the Manchester Early Help Service is to build capacity in communities that will prevent crime, support education and enterprise, and keep children, young people and their families healthy and safe.  We aim to do this by working with other agencies and directly with people from local communities.  
 
Our Early Help support may include advice and guidance around housing concerns, parenting concerns, benefits issues, childcare worries or attendance concerns for example. 
If you would like to discuss our offer of early help, please contact Miss Nikki or your class teacher.
 
The link below will take you to the "HELP AND SUPPORT MANCHESTER" website where you can access further information:
 
 
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WE USE THE FOLLOWING SAFEGUARDING GUIDANCE TO ENSURE THE BEST INTERESTS OF YOUR CHILDREN:
 
EDUCATE AGAINST HATE - www.educateagainsthate.com/
 
 
OTHER USEFUL LINKS:
 
COST OF LIVING SUPPORT - www.manchester.gov.uk/xfp/form/2064
SHELTER (housing support) - www.shelter.org.uk/
POPS (partners of prisoners) - www.partnersofprisoners.co.uk/
MENS ADVICE LINE (domestic abuse) - https://mensadviceline.org.uk/

 

Parents / carers - please ensure you are connected to your childs class dojo. Regular advice, guidance and updates for parents / carers are shared on this platform in addition to what you see on our website. (please contact your class teacher for further advice around how to get connected)

PARENTS & CARERS - ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY
 
At Heald Place Primary School, we firmly believe that regular school attendance is essential for the educational progress and overall wellbeing of our pupils. We share the Department for Education’s (DfE) ambitions to improve school attendance. Below, we have highlighted some of the support on offer. However, we also want to describe the important nationwide changes that come into force on 19th August 2024 in relation to the issuing of fines.
 
Why regular attendance matters
 
Consistent school attendance allows your child to:
 
  • Fully engage in learning and make academic progress
  • Develop critical social skills by interacting with their friends and teachers
  • Grow in confidence in a supportive and nurturing school environment
  • Build a sense of routine and responsibility, essential for future success
 
SUPPORT FIRST
 
Heald Place Primary School understands that some pupils may face challenges that impact their attendance. Our school's attendance team is here to provide support and guidance to pupils and families in such situations. If you encounter any difficulties related to attendance, please do reach out to the team via our main school telephone number (0161 224 7079) or via email - attendance@healdplace.manchester.sch.uk
 
Please refer to the "File to download" below for additional support and guidance that is available from school as well as our "Attendance Policy".
 
 
What happens if my child has a period of unauthorised absence?
 
One of the main changes from the Department for Education is how sanctions for unauthorised absence are used.
 
If you take an unauthorised holiday in term time or have other periods of unauthorised absence the headteacher may request that Manchester City Council issue a fine (known as a fixed-penalty notice). If issued with one, you’ll need to pay this directly to the local authority – £80 within 21 days, or £160 within 28 days.
 
The decision whether to issue a fine will take into account whether a national threshold has been met – this is 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a rolling period of 10 school weeks – as well as other factors.
 
If there was a second period of unauthorised absence within a three-year period then a second penalty notice could be issued, and this would be at the higher rate of £160.
 
Further periods of absence within three years, could mean that you are taken to court with no option of a penalty notice.
 
These rules are coming into force across the country on 19th August 2024 as part of the Department for Educations drive to improve school attendance
 
Term-time holidays are generally not permitted during the school year. Absences due to term-time holidays are disruptive to learning and lead to missed opportunities in the classroom.
 
However, we recognise that there may be exceptional circumstances and in such rare cases, please submit a formal request in writing to the headteacher well in advance. The headteacher will carefully consider each request on an individual basis.
 
Please get in touch with the attendance team via email: attendance@healdplace.manchester.sch.uk with any further questions, and we'll be happy to discuss them with you.
 
Thank you for your co-operation and commitment in ensuring your child is in school every day.
 
 

Files to Download

Operation Encompass Parent Letter 2023 Early Help Parents Self Assessment Tool Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy

Other pages

Prevent

Heald Place Primary School

About Us

Heald Place is a very successful primary school situated roughly 2 miles from the centre of Manchester. It serves a rich and diverse community. At its heart are vibrant local businesses with the universities, Manchester Museum, and the Whitworth Art Gallery all within walking distance of the school.

Contact Us

Heald Place, Rusholme, Manchester, M14 7PN

School Reception

0161 224 7079

Email

admin@healdplace.manchester.sch.uk

SEND Lead

Mr T Denton

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