Safeguarding

School Life

If you have concerns about safeguarding or child protection, you should speak to:

Designated Teacher for Child Protection: Mrs Ruth Watson

Deputy Designated Teacher for Child Protection: Mrs Clare Monteith

We in Friends’ Preparatory Department have a primary responsibility for the care, welfare and safety of the pupils in our charge. We will carry out this duty through our Child Protection and safeguarding policies which you can refer to under the Policies and Publications.

All staff are subject to criminal record checks and receive annual safeguarding training.

We aim to provide a caring, supportive and safe environment in which our pupils can learn and develop to their full potential. We seek to protect our pupils by helping them learn about the risks of possible abuse, to recognise unwelcome behaviour in others and to acquire the confidence to speak out when they feel uncomfortable.

Friends’ Preparatory Department participates in Operation Encompass, an early intervention partnership between the PSNI and schools. When the Police attend an incident of domestic violence where one of our pupils is present, they will inform the school’s Designated Teacher for Child Protection at the start of the next school day. This information is shared in strict confidence and school staff are only told on a need-to-know basis. By taking part in Operation Encompass, we can provide tailored and compassionate support to our pupils, in line with our school ethos. This builds on our existing commitment to child safeguarding.

“Friends’ Prep is the best school in the world. I’ve learnt so much. Teachers make up games so that the work isn’t boring.“

Freya