Gretton Primary School believes that it is of the utmost importance to have good systems for protecting children and safeguarding their welfare.

This means that all those (including volunteers)  who work with children in the academy must be alert to possible concerns about every student and report these appropriately.  In order to protect our children.

We aim to:

• Create an atmosphere where all our pupils can feel secure, valued and listened to
• Recognise signs and symptoms of abuse
• Respond quickly and effectively to cases of suspected abuse
• Ensure that all staff and volunteers have up to date safeguarding training

Our academy will support all children by:

• Encouraging self-esteem and self-assertiveness whilst not condoning aggression or bullying
• Promoting a caring, safe and positive environment within the academy

​Everyone working with our children should be aware that:

• Their role is to listen and note carefully any observations which could indicate abuse
• They should not attempt to investigate once the initial concern is raised
• They should involve the Designated Senior Leader (DSL) immediately
• If the DSL's are not available, the Principal should be contacted
• A disclosure of abuse or harm can be made at anytime (lesson times, break times, after school etc)
• Before outside agencies are invited into the academy to work with our children or to carry out work on the premises, staff are required to ensure that all relevant DBS checks and identification has been seen.

The Brooke Weston Trust policy for safeguarding children is to:

• Protect children from maltreatment;
• Preventing impairment of children’s health or development;
• Ensure that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;
• To take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Our full safeguarding policy can be found by clicking here.

Reporting a Concern

If you have any concerns of a safeguarding nature, for example that a child is being harmed or at risk of harm or you receive a disclosure (intentionally or unintentionally), please contact any of the members of our safeguarding team below on 01536 770366 or by emailing them directly, stating the nature of your concern.

Other Safeguarding Agencies

The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

The MASH can advise on whether a family needs early help or whether they meet the threshold for statutory child protection. Telephone: 0300 126 1000

Out of hours service

Should you need to contact children's Social Care urgently during the evening, at night or at the weekend, phone the out of hours team on 01604 626938. An operator will answer the phone and take details of the problem and your contact details. They will then pass this information over to the duty social worker.

Helpline for victims of sexual abuse in schools

Sexual abuse in any form is unacceptable.

A dedicated helpline is now open to support anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse. 

The helpline is run by the NSPCC and will provide victims of abuse with the appropriate support, advice and onward action, including on contacting professionals or the police if they wish. The helpline will also provide support to parents and professionals too.

Telephone 0800 136 663, or email help@nspcc.org.uk.

Operation Encompass

Gretton Primary Academy is part of a jointly run operation between Northamptonshire Children's Trust, Northamptonshire Police and our school. The national name for this process is Operation Encompass.

Operation Encompass has been set up to help schools to provide support to children who may have been affected by incidents of domestic abuse. We know that children can be significantly physically or emotionally harmed when they are involved in, present or witness to domestic abuse.  

Under this scheme, we receive notification following any domestic incident that a child attending our school may have been affected by. This information will be received by our Designated Safeguarding Lead and Principal.

We have received guidance from Northamptonshire Police and Northants Children's Trust to allow us to use the information that has been shared in confidence to make sure that the right support is available for children and their families.  

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

The Designated Officer is accountable to the NSCB and operates independently within Children's Services to help safeguarding children.
Designated Officer: Andy Smith - 01604 367862 or Andrew.smith@NCTrust .co.uk