HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE AT HEATHFIELD?
At Heathfield Primary School, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. We are committed to ensuring that all members of the Heathfield family feel safe, valued, and free from harm. As part of our safeguarding responsibilities, we work closely with a range of agencies to provide the right support for children and families when needed.
CHILD PROTECTION
At Heathfield, we follow Bolton’s Framework for Action (see below) and the Bolton Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy when dealing with any safeguarding concerns.
You can find a copy of this policy in the Policies section of our website.
When concerns are raised, staff use the framework to assess the level of need and identify the most appropriate support or agency to involve.
We believe that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility—every member of our school community has a role to play in keeping children safe.
DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEADS (DSLS)
Our trained Designated Safeguarding Leads are:
- Mr. Thornley
- Mrs. Renton
- Mrs. Rettie
- Mr. Ackerley
Parents and carers can contact a DSL in the following ways:
- Through the school office
- By emailing parents@heathfield.bolton.sch.uk
- By speaking directly to the DSL on duty before or after school
- Or by approaching any trusted adult in school
WELLBEING AND LEARNING WORKSHOPS
Each half-term, we host workshops for parents and carers to support children’s wellbeing and learning at home. These cover a range of themes such as
- Sleep routines
- Managing screen time
- Coping with transitions
- Reducing anxiety
We also work closely with the Bolton Mental Health Support Team (MHST) to provide additional support for individual pupils, small groups, and families.
WHO CAN THE CHILDREN TALK TO?
We encourage all children to talk openly about how they are feeling.
- In Years 1–6, pupils take part in a daily mental health check-in. If a child says they are struggling, a trusted adult will speak to them that same day.
- Every child is encouraged to identify three trusted adults in school that they can talk to. We call this our “Show Me Three” approach.
- Key safeguarding messages are shared regularly, including during our Monday assemblies and through the Heathfield Excellence presentation each Wednesday.
SAFEGUARDING GOVERNOR
Our safeguarding governor is:
Mr. Steve Lawler-Smith
He works with school leaders to ensure safeguarding arrangements are effective and continuously reviewed.