The welfare and safety of children who attend our school is our paramount concern. We promote the health, well-being and safety of the pupils in all we do.

Our children have the right to protection, regardless of age, gender, race, culture or disability. They have a right to be safe in our school.

As stipulated by the Children Act (1989), the Education Act (2002) and the Protection of Children Act (2001), the staff at Green Gates Primary School have a duty to report any concerns that they may have that any child may be at risk from significant harm or may be suffering significant harm, particularly as a consequence of possible abuse.

All adults working with or on behalf of children have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

We are a listening school and will always take the time to listen to our pupils and parents and carers.

All staff at Green Gates Primary School undergo a thorough safer recruitment and vetting process. We have a Safeguarding Team which consists of:

• Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mrs K Lowe (Head Teacher)
• Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads: Miss Clare Roberts (Deputy Head Teacher); Mrs Rachel Fellows (EYFS Leader) and Mrs Emma Gillan (Parent Support Advisor)
• Designated Safeguarding Governor: Mrs H Love (Chair of Governors).

All staff undergo regular safeguarding training.

How is safeguarding embedded in our Curriculum?

Here at Green Gates, Safeguarding is embedded into several curriculum areas. Here is an outline of the areas covered:

Useful Links

NSPCC Website Anti-bullying Alliance Website

Bullying UK Website

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/

The link below provides parents with advice on protecting our children from extremism and radicalisation.

Teachers, Parents and School Leaders Guide to Extremism and Radicalisation

Please use the link below to access Trust Safeguarding information

Safeguarding | Galileo Academy Trust

ATTENDANCE

At Green Gates Primary School, we aim to support you with your child’s attendance. We strive for our children to be able to achieve their full potential which requires them to be in school on time daily.

How We Support Attendance Here at Green Gates

The Importance of Attendance

At Green Gates Primary School, we understand that regular attendance is crucial for your child’s educational success and well-being. The Department for Education highlights that good attendance:

• Ensures children do not miss vital learning and helps them keep up with their peers.
• Supports the development of strong social skills and friendships.
• Builds confidence and a positive attitude towards school.
• Directly impacts attainment and future opportunities.

Missing school can lead to gaps in learning that become harder to close over time. We work closely with families to promote attendance because every day your child is in school is a day of opportunity.

How We Reward Attendance

To encourage and celebrate good attendance, we have a weekly reward system. Each week, the class with the highest attendance wins a special reward. The winning class gets to roll the dice and play on our whole-school Monopoly board. Rewards include extra playtimes and treats such as hot chocolate and cake for the whole class. This approach motivates pupils to attend regularly and enjoy coming to school.

How We Support Attendance

We recognise that some families face challenges that affect punctuality and attendance. To support you, we offer:

• Parent Support Advisor (PSA) availability: Our PSA is available every morning from 7:45 am to provide support.
• Personal contact: The PSA calls parents and carers to check if they need help with getting their child to school on time.
• Transport assistance: If necessary, the PSA helps arrange transport for pupils to school.
• Free breakfast club: Available to all children to start their day well-nourished and ready to learn.

Our approach is to work with families respectfully and compassionately to remove barriers to attendance.

What Happens When We Are Concerned About Attendance

We monitor attendance closely and follow a clear, supportive process when attendance falls below expectations:

Step 1: Initial Concern (Attendance below 95%)

• You will receive a Letter 1 informing you of the attendance concern.
• The PSA may contact you to discuss any support you might need.
• Your child’s attendance will be monitored for six weeks to see if it improves.

Step 2: Continued Concern (No improvement after 6 weeks)

• You will receive Letter 2, outlining ongoing concerns about attendance.
• You will be invited to a meeting with the PSA and Headteacher to discuss the situation.
• From this point, attendance will only be authorised with medical evidence.
• We will agree on support strategies to help improve attendance.
• Attendance continues to be monitored closely.

Step 3: Formal Support

• If attendance does not improve, a more formal meeting will be arranged with the Headteacher and possibly an Education Welfare Officer (EWO) from the Local Authority.
• This meeting will explore further support options and may include formal interventions.
• We emphasise working together to understand and address barriers before considering any legal action.

Our Commitment to Families and Pupils

We treat all pupils and parents with dignity and respect, building positive relationships based on trust. We understand that some pupils, including those with medical conditions or special educational needs, may face greater barriers to attendance. We are committed to supporting these pupils fairly and consistently. Our staff are responsible for supporting attendance and will work closely with families to provide timely help and guidance. We regularly review attendance data to target support where it is most needed and adapt our approach as circumstances change.