Safeguarding at Whitegrove
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility
At Whitegrove Primary School, the safety, wellbeing and welfare of every child is our highest priority. We are committed to providing a safe, supportive and nurturing environment in which children feel secure, are listened to and know that there are trusted adults who will help them.
We recognise that safeguarding is not simply about responding when something has gone wrong. It is about creating a culture where children are protected, concerns are noticed early and the right help is provided at the right time.
Whitegrove Community Reporting Form
Are you worried about a child?
If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 999
If you are worried about the safety or wellbeing of a child at Whitegrove, please do not wait.
You can contact the school on 01344 861020 and ask to speak to a member of our Safeguarding Team.
You can also contact:
Bracknell Forest Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
Telephone: 01344 352005
Email: mash@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
MASH is available Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm.
Outside normal working hours:
Bracknell Forest Emergency Duty Service
Telephone: 01344 351999
You do not need to be certain that abuse or neglect has taken place before sharing a concern. If something does not feel right, please tell somebody.
Our Safeguarding Team
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Mrs Hayley Harrison
Interim Headteacher
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads
Mr Tom Edwards
Assistant Headteacher
Mrs Joanna Quinn
Assistant Headteacher / SENCo
Mrs Lauren Way
Assistant Headteacher
Mrs Rahat Majeed
Wrap-Around Care
Ms Trudie May:
Safeguarding Governor
Any member of staff can listen to and report a safeguarding concern. You do not need to find a particular person before asking for help.
For Our Children
If something is worrying you, tell us
At Whitegrove, we want every child to feel safe.
If something has happened to you, someone has upset or frightened you, something is happening at home or online, or you are worried about somebody else, you can tell us.
You can speak to:
- your teacher;
- another adult in school that you trust;
- any member of our Safeguarding Team; or
- another member of staff.
You will be listened to.
You will never be in trouble for telling us that you are worried.
Sometimes an adult may need to share what you have told them with another person who can help keep you or somebody else safe. They will explain this to you wherever they can.
You can also contact Childline free on 0800 1111.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding means protecting children from harm and helping them to grow up safe, healthy and well.
Safeguarding at Whitegrove includes protecting children from abuse, neglect and exploitation; keeping children safe online; promoting good attendance; supporting children's mental health and wellbeing; protecting children from bullying, harassment and child-on-child abuse; responding to domestic abuse; identifying children who may need early help; protecting children from criminal or sexual exploitation; and recognising risks including radicalisation, female genital mutilation, forced marriage and other forms of abuse.
Safeguarding also includes making sure that the adults who work or volunteer in our school are suitable to work with children.
Our Safeguarding Culture
At Whitegrove we believe safeguarding should be visible in everything we do.
We teach children how to recognise risks, make safe choices and ask for help. Through our curriculum, relationships education, online safety education and wider school life, children learn about healthy relationships, consent and boundaries, personal safety and how to seek support.
Our staff receive safeguarding training and are expected to remain professionally curious when something changes for a child.
Staff are expected to act immediately when they have a concern and to record and report concerns in accordance with the school's safeguarding procedures.
The school works closely with families and with other agencies including Children's Social Care, health services and the police where this is necessary to protect or support a child.
We recognise that children may not always feel able to tell an adult that something is wrong. Staff are therefore trained to notice changes in a child's behaviour, presentation, attendance, relationships or emotional wellbeing which may indicate that additional help is needed.
Working with Parents and Carers
Parents and carers are essential partners in keeping children safe.
We encourage families to speak to us whenever they are concerned about their own child or another child.
Where appropriate, we will discuss safeguarding concerns with parents and carers and work collaboratively with families to provide support.
There may, however, be occasions when the school needs to share information with Children's Social Care, the police or another safeguarding agency without first seeking parental consent. This may happen where informing a parent or carer could place a child at greater risk, prejudice an investigation or prevent the child from receiving the protection they need.
The safety and welfare of the child will always be our primary consideration.
Early Help
Sometimes children and families need additional help before difficulties become more serious.
Early help is about identifying emerging needs and working with children and families to provide support at the earliest opportunity.
If we believe your family may benefit from additional support, we will normally discuss this with you and consider together what help might be appropriate.
Parents and carers can also speak to our Safeguarding Team if they feel their family would benefit from additional support.
Attendance and Safeguarding
Regular attendance at school is an important part of safeguarding.
Children being absent from education, particularly repeatedly or for prolonged periods, can sometimes be an indicator of wider safeguarding concerns.
Whitegrove monitors attendance carefully and works with children and families where concerns arise.
Our safeguarding and attendance teams work together to make sure that concerns about a child's attendance are understood and that appropriate support is offered.
Online Safety
Safeguarding does not stop at the school gates.
Children's use of technology, social media, games and online communication can expose them to risks as well as opportunities.
At Whitegrove, online safety forms part of our safeguarding approach and curriculum. We teach children how to use technology responsibly, recognise unsafe behaviour, protect personal information and tell a trusted adult if something online worries or upsets them.
Parents and carers can find further guidance on our Online Safety page.
Whitegrove Primary - Online Safety
Concerns About an Adult Working With Children
We expect everyone working or volunteering at Whitegrove to maintain the highest standards of professional behaviour.
If you have a safeguarding concern about the behaviour of a member of staff, volunteer, contractor or another adult working with children at Whitegrove, this should be reported immediately to the Headteacher.
Where the concern relates to the Headteacher, it should be reported to the Chair of Governors.
The school follows statutory guidance and Bracknell Forest procedures for managing allegations and safeguarding concerns relating to adults who work with children.
The Bracknell Forest Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) can be contacted on:
01344 351572
lado@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
Concerns about adult behaviour should always be shared, even where the behaviour may initially appear minor. A small concern can sometimes form part of a wider safeguarding picture.
Safeguarding Information for Visitors and Volunteers
Everyone who enters Whitegrove has a responsibility to help keep our children safe.
Visitors, volunteers and contractors must follow the school's safeguarding and site procedures.
If you see or hear something that concerns you while you are at Whitegrove, please report it to a member of staff immediately.
Never investigate a safeguarding concern yourself.
If a child tells you something that worries you:
Listen carefully.
Do not promise confidentiality.
Do not ask leading questions.
Reassure the child that they have done the right thing by telling you.
Report the concern immediately to a member of the Safeguarding Team.
Confidentiality and Information Sharing
Safeguarding information is handled sensitively and shared only where it is necessary and appropriate to do so.
However, data protection legislation does not prevent the school from sharing information when this is necessary to safeguard a child.
Where there is a safeguarding concern, the child's safety and welfare comes first.
Our Safeguarding Policies
Our safeguarding arrangements are supported by a range of school policies and procedures.
We recommend providing direct links here to:
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
Low-Level Concerns Policy
Managing Allegations Against People Working With Children
Whistleblowing Policy
Behaviour Policy
Attendance Policy
Online Safety / Acceptable Use Policy
Positive Handling Policy
Relationships Education Policy
Statutory Safeguarding Guidance
Whitegrove's safeguarding arrangements are informed by national and local statutory guidance, including:
Keeping children safe in education September 2026
Working together to safeguard children 2026
Welcome to the Bracknell Forest Multi-Agency Safeguarding
Useful Safeguarding Contacts
Emergency
Police / Ambulance – 999
If there is an immediate risk to a child, always call 999.
Bracknell Forest MASH
For concerns about the welfare or safety of a child:
01344 352005
mash@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
Emergency Duty Service
For urgent safeguarding concerns outside normal office hours:
01344 351999
Childline
Free, confidential support for children and young people.
0800 1111
NSPCC
Advice and support for adults concerned about a child.
0808 800 5000
Remember
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.
You do not need proof before raising a concern.
You do not need to decide whether something is abuse.
If you are worried about a child, share the concern.
It is always better to speak up.