Safeguarding Vision Statement
At Gorse Covert, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority.
We believe that every pupil has the right to feel safe, valued, and respected — both in school and beyond.
Our safeguarding vision is to create a culture of vigilance, care, and empowerment, where:
- Children are listened to, believed, and supported.
- Staff are well-trained, confident, and proactive in identifying and responding to concerns.
- Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, woven through every aspect of school life and the curriculum.
- Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, make wise choices, and seek help when they need it.
- Families work in partnership with us to promote safety, trust, and wellbeing.
Through our curriculum, ethos, and daily practice, we aim to equip every child with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive safely in an ever-changing world.
We are committed to working transparently with parents, carers, governors, and safeguarding partners to ensure that our policies and practice meet — and go beyond — statutory requirements, creating a community where every child can flourish without fear of harm.
Keeping Children Safe
The safeguarding of our pupils is of paramount importance. If you have any concerns about safeguarding, you should contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead in the school, Mrs Poole. Our dedicated pastoral team work together to ensure that all our pupils are safe and well.
Our school is part of Operation Encompass which works with the police so we are informed if there is a police incident which one of our children is in attendance. This ensures we can support the child when they arrive in school after an upsetting incident.
DSL: Gill Poole Deputy DSL: Rob Gibson Tel: 01925 825070
Safeguarding Governor: Natalie Rose
Prevent Officer: Andy McIntyre 01606 365239 andrew.mcintyre@cheshire.pnn.police.uk
SPOC for Warington: Michelle Heritage 01925 443322 mheritage@warrington.gov.uk
Safeguarding procedures can also be found online through Warrington Safeguarding Partnership Procedures using Procedures Online.
For school policies, please see our policy section.
Safeguarding in the Curriculum
At Gorse Covert, safeguarding is at the heart of our curriculum. We believe that helping children to understand how to keep themselves and others safe is an essential part of their education and personal development.
Through our carefully planned curriculum — particularly within PSHE (Jigsaw), Relationships and Health Education, Computing, PE, and assemblies — pupils learn how to:
- Recognise unsafe situations and personal boundaries
- Build healthy, respectful relationships
- Stay safe online and use technology responsibly
- Understand and manage feelings and emotions
- Recognise and challenge discrimination, bullying, and peer pressure
- Make informed choices to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing
- Know who to talk to and how to get help if they are worried or feel unsafe
Our Jigsaw PSHE scheme ensures full coverage of statutory Relationships and Health Education, while safeguarding themes are embedded across all subjects and year groups. Staff are trained to deliver sensitive topics confidently and to respond appropriately to any disclosures or concerns that arise.
We work closely with parents, carers, and external agencies to ensure pupils are equipped with the knowledge, understanding, and confidence to lead safe, happy, and healthy lives — both now and in the future.
Support for parents
