Safeguarding Curriculum

Pupil safeguarding and the promotion of fundamental British values are a core business of our work at Cherbourg Primary School. Great importance is placed on identifying opportunities in the curriculum for children to learn about safeguarding. Our broad curriculum gives pupils opportunities to learn about our diverse world and provides them with the knowledge and skills required for personal safeguarding. Our PSHE and SRE curriculum covers all aspects of safeguarding and is taught across the school at an age appropriate level.

We encourage children to think deeply about safeguarding matters and their own physical and mental wellbeing. We value pupils’ questions and give them space to share their own thoughts, ideas and concerns. We give them opportunities across the curriculum to explore values, rights, responsibilities and equal opportunities. This enables our pupils to develop an understanding of moral concepts in ways that impacts positively on safeguarding; promotes British values and prevents radicalisation and extremism.

A number of practical safeguarding opportunities are planned into the curriculum, for example:

• Road safety (including out of school visits, bikeability)
• Stranger awareness
• Poolside and water safety through swimming lessons
• Fire awareness (including visits from the local fire service)
• Visits from health professionals
• Supporting charity work, such as the poppy appeal and Children in Need
• Pupil voice and surveys
• Our Forest School Programme which incorporates being safe in the outdoors.
• Safe use of technology including password security and privacy settings

We have developed an open and safe learning environment in which pupils express their views, seek help and help others, they make use of our ‘Time to Talk’ lunchtime drop in sessions to share concerns with staff. The promotion of equality of opportunity and diversity, for pupils and staff, helps children learn to not tolerate any prejudiced behaviour. Our behaviour policy promotes making good choices and exhibiting good learning behaviours. 

Assembly time and circle times are used to promote personal safeguarding matters and explore themes. For example, we talk about anti- bullying including cyber bullying and British values including how these values are promoted in our multi – faith society. Staff and children are quick to challenge stereotypes and the use of derogatory language in lessons and around school. Our school reflects the diversity of pupils’ experiences and provides pupils with a comprehensive understanding of people and communities beyond their immediate experience including the role of women in society and different family groups. Throughout the curriculum there are planned opportunities to promote all forms of equality and foster greater understanding of and respect for people off all faiths (and those with no faith), races, genders, ages, disability and sexual orientations, through their words, actions and in their influence. 

Time is taken at the beginning of every new school year to reaffirm school values, expectations and rules for living and learning at Cherbourg Primary.  This good start to the year, with everyone clear about their roles and responsibilities, sets the tone for the rest of the year and leads to excellent safeguarding outcomes.