At Great Sankey High School, the safeguarding of all our students is the highest priority. We are committed to providing a secure environment for pupils where children feel safe and are kept safe. As a school we recognise that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility, irrespective of the role they undertake, and expect all staff, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment. We are fully committed to ensuring that consistent and effective safeguarding procedures are in place to support children, families and staff at school.

We work together with a wide range of agencies to ensure effective arrangements are in place to identify, assess and support children and young people who may be at risk of, or may be suffering, from harm.

Safeguarding our school community is of paramount importance.  We ensure that all our staff are aware of, and have the skills to deal with, any child protection or safeguarding concerns.  We have robust recruitment procedures and professional development programmes which ensure that all our staff uphold our strong ethos and values.  All of our staff receive yearly updates as part of their child protection training.

Our safeguarding policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school. 

All adults who regularly work on our site are required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to prevent unsuitable people from working with students. All visitors are closely supervised when on site. 

We ensure staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to keep children safe through provision of regular training on child protection issues.  A qualified Designated Safeguarding Lead (Child Protection Officer) within the school provides support to staff members to carry out their safeguarding duties and liaises closely with other services such as children’s social care.  We also have a designated lead Governor for safeguarding/child protection on the Governing Body. 

Our staff are trained to be vigilant for all kinds of safeguarding concerns, including bullying, online safety, emotional or other abuse or extremist behaviour. We have clear procedures in place where any potential safeguarding concerns are identified. We share information with other public bodies – within agreed protocols. 

As part of the school’s safeguarding measures, we also ensure our students are not exposed to inappropriate political or controversial messages. Through our pursuit to develop exemplary citizens, we promote fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.  In line with this, we ensure all expressed views and actions contrary to these values are challenged.   

Great Sankey High School continually seeks to strengthen communications with parents, careers and pupils so concerns relating to any part of school life can be raised at any time with a child’s Pastoral Year team or Form Tutor.