Portishead Primary School's Safeguarding Team lead on all matters relating to children’s welfare and child protection concerns. 

Our safeguarding team consists of: 

Designated Safeguarding Lead: 

Lucy Sargent (Headteacher) 

Deputy Safeguarding Leads: 

Alister Meredith (Deputy Headteacher) 

Louisa Merriam (SENDCO)

Safeguarding Governors:

Kim Jone and James Gooding

If you have any concerns about the safeguarding of a child, please contact us. If your concern is out of hours, please click here for information. 

What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. Safeguarding means:

• protecting children from abuse and maltreatment

• preventing harm to children's health or development

• ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care

• taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes

• Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.

You can find our Safeguarding Policy here :

What is Child Protection?

Child Protection is part of Safeguarding and promoting welfare.  It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

Prevent Strategy

From 1st July 2015 all schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have "due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism".  This duty is known as the Prevent Duty.  It applies to a wide range of public-facing bodies, including all primary and secondary schools.

Schools can build pupils' resilience to radicalisation by providing a safe environment for debating controversial issues and helping children to understand how they can influence and participate in decision making.  Schools are already expected to promote the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils and, within this, fundamental British values.

Mandatory Reporting of FGM - Procedural Information

From 21st October 2015 it is mandatory for teachers, health and social workers to report to the police if they find, or are told, that someone under 18 has undergone FGM.

To obtain more information on FGM please read Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Online safety

Portishead Primary recognises the benefits and opportunities that new technologies offer to teaching and learning.  We encourage the use of technology in order to enhance skills and promote achievement.  However, the accessible and global nature of the internet and variety of technologies available mean that we are also aware of potential risks and challenges associated with such use. Please see our online safety policy for more details.