St Joseph’s School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are fully committed to ensuring that consistent effective safeguarding procedures are in place to support children, families and staff at school. All concerns are passed through the members of staff who are trained as “Designated Child Protection Officers” which make up the ‘Safeguarding Team’ in school.

Here in St Joseph’s School, the ‘Safeguarding Team’ consists of:

  • The Designated Safeguarding Lead: Wendy Lightfoot
  • Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Laura Cross
  • Designated Safeguarding Governor: Deborah Naylor
  • Designated teacher for Looked after Children: Anna Dove

If you have any serious concerns about your child or any other pupil at St Joseph’s School please do not hesitate to contact ANY member of staff, who will know who to contact, or indeed direct you to for the most appropriate advice and help.

Alternatively, if it is an emergency situation you can contact the police on 999, or you can contact the Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) on 0333 2401727

Safeguarding at St Joseph’s Catholic High School

If you have a specific concern, or a general question or query, please contact our named Safeguarding Officer, Mrs Wendy Lightfoot.

To safeguard children in our school we..

  • Issue a termly Keeping Children Safe at St Joseph’s Document that is read by all staff and Governors each term.
  • Ensure our Safeguarding Poster is displayed in every room in school.
  • Ensure all staff and Governors have read Keeping Children Safe Document issued by the Government every September.
  • Secure our site during the school day by closing our gates.
  • Ensure that our path to Banklands is supervised at change-over of lessons.
  • Use a Signing in/out system in Reception.
  • Ensure all visitors wear a red visitor’s badge on site and are asked sign that they have read our safety guidance.
  • Ensure all staff have current DBS checks, which are updated regularly in line with School Policy.
  • Ensure the school has adopted the Safer Recruitment principles and key staff are trained in. Safer Recruitment so that every interview panel has a member trained in Safer Recruitment.
  • Ensure references for new staff are sought and validated prior to appointment.
  • Ensure Partner agencies provide written assurance that their staff have undergone DBS checks.
  • Ensure all professional colleagues who work in our School have DBS checks.
  • Ensure all Pastoral Leaders have a Level 3 qualification in Safeguarding.
  • Ensure all staff, in their first term, complete a Level 1 course in Safeguarding and repeat this annually.
  • Have a button on our website for students to voice concerns about bullying which goes to all senior staff and pastoral staff.
  • Have a referral system in school for staff to use for bullying concerns that goes directly to SLT.

For more information, on our Safeguarding Young People and Behaviour policies please visit our policies page by clicking on the policy section of our website.

More Information:

Our Safeguarding policies are in the Policy section of our website under School.