Safeguarding at Meridian Angel
Safeguarding Statement
Meridian Angel Primary School is committed to providing a secure environment for pupils, where children feel safe and are kept safe. This means that we have robust safeguarding policies and procedures in place. All adults in our school recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility irrespective of the role they undertake or whether their role has direct contact or responsibility for children or not.
We believe that pupils have a right to learn in a supportive, caring and safe environment which includes the right to protection from all types of abuse; where staff are vigilant for signs of any pupil in distress and are confident about applying the/our safeguarding processes to avert and alleviate any such problems.
Safeguarding is about ensuring that everyone is safe from harm – safe from bullying, safe from people who could abuse, safe from discrimination or harassment – and that we all feel safe in our environment.
If you are ever concerned about the safety or well‐being of someone at our school please talk to one of the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead s (DSLs).
Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about our pupils are discussed with his/her parents/carers first unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child’s welfare.
If a member of staff is concerned about a child’s welfare, they will record their concern, and any observations or conversation heard, and report to one of the DSLs as soon as possible the same day.
If a member of staff has concerns which relate to the actions or behaviour of another member of staff (which could suggest that s/he is unsuitable to work with children) then this will be reported to one of the DSLs in confidence, who will refer the matter to the Headteacher (or the Chair of Governors if the concern relates to the Headteacher) who will consider what action to take.
Local Context of School
The school operates in an area of high deprivation, in bottom centile, and lowest 5 % nationally.
High levels of mobility exits with typically one third of school changing each year. This is almost always due to families moving out of the area, from temporary accommodation.
There are challenges in the local area, that are crime related, including drug use and anti-social/ criminal activity.
The school was built to provide education for the families due to join the meridian development but this has not yet materialised and so often children are coming from across the borough which is a challenge for everybody. It is a fragile community.
The school has high numbers of EAL (63%) with many families being in the early stages of language acquisition. Disadvantaged children make up approximately 27 % of the school population. The school supports its community in a variety of ways, ie through free breakfast and foodbanks and pastoral care
Designated Safegaurding Lead
Mrs Jade Hitchens
Deputy Safeguarding Leads
Mr Lawrence Desouza and Mrs Natasha Huckett
CP Team
Ms Melanie Fernandez and Ms Karen Rowntree
Meridian Angel Primary School
Albany Road
Edmonton
London
N18 2DX
E-Mail: office@meridianangel.com
Telephone: 02037733895
