Safeguarding

At Gatcombe we take safeguarding and child protection very seriously. We audit our provision annually and make sure we are always up-to-date with government legislation and advice. All staff receive training which is supplemented by briefings and information on the staff safeguarding notice board.

It is imperative that all staff receive regular safeguarding training over the course of the year. Our main priority is to work alongside parents and carers; however, there may be times when we have to involve other agencies. Everybody has a responsibility to keep all children under the age of 18 safe.

‘Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance: protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.’ – Keeping Children Safe In Education (KCSIE)

If you have any concerns about a child, you can email: safeguarding@gatcombeprimary.co.uk

Alternatively you can speak to a member of the school's safeguarding teams. The school's Designated Safeguarding Lead is Ben Simpson (Head Teacher) and in his absence is Euan Bradshaw (Assistant Head) and Esme Webber (Assistant Head).

The Chair of Governors can be contacted via the school.

Designated Lead for Safeguarding in Trust: Mrs Ruth Davies

If you have any concerns when school is closed, please phone:

Portsmouth Out of Office line: 0300 555 1373

Please note that in an emergency, call: 999

Any member of the public who is concerned about the welfare of a child can telephone the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on: 0845 671 0271

Local Authority District Officer (LADO)

What does the LADO do?

LADO stands for Local Authority Designated Officer. Every Local Authority has one and it’s the LADO’s job to:

Receive reports or concerns about allegations of harm.
To provide advice and guidance to organisations about how to respond or manage those allegations
Liaise with other organisations and draw the network together when there are allegations
Monitor the progress of any investigation, safety planning or response to allegations
The LADO is also responsible for awareness raising and providing the relevant training to partners.

Contact: Lydia Bowles

Email: lado@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Call: 02392 882500