Safeguarding
Safeguarding and Child Protection
The safety of our children at Brierley is our number one priority.
Brierley Primary School and Little Bears Nursery are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our children and families, and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Overall responsibility for Child Protection and Safeguarding within school: Mrs McIntosh (Headteacher).
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Mrs Cunningham (Assistant Headteacher).
Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are Mrs McIntosh (Headteacher) and Mrs Faddes (Assistant Headteacher).
Our Designated Mental Health Leader for children is: Mrs Cunningham .
Our Designated Mental Health Leader for staff is Mrs Cunningham.
The Designated Safeguarding Governor is Mr Chris Parker.
As a school we are passionate about keeping our children safe. We have a trained and designated safeguarding team who have the responsibility for day to day child protection issues in school. Mrs Cunningham is the Designated Safeguard Lead (DSL) and is supported by the deputy team, Mrs McIntosh and Mrs Faddes.
We have a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy (see below), which can be viewed in the policies section of our website.
Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child's welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about our children are discussed with the child's parents/carers first unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child's welfare.
What do I do if I have a concern about a child’s welfare?
We are all responsible for the well-being of the children in our community. Our school operates a whistle-blowing policy for all staff and volunteers. If you have a concern about a child’s welfare it is important that you speak to one of the designated adults in school. They may ask you to write down or dictate your concerns so we have an accurate record. Designated staff then take full responsibility for following up with any further actions. All concerns are treated with utmost confidentiality. The Whistleblowing Policy is available below, and in the policies section of our website.
What about concerns in the community?
‘It takes a whole village to raise a child. ‘– African Proverb
All adults in a community bear some responsibility for keeping children safe, from driving carefully and slowly where children play, to noticing when children may be in danger, in their home or community. Sometimes adults living in the community have concerns regarding a child’s welfare which are not apparent in school. Safeguarding requires adults in a community to put the safety and well-being of children above any personal reluctance or the rights of other adults and their privacy. The Designated Safeguard Lead in school can support adults in the community with their concerns.
If you have a safeguarding concern about a child, contact Integrated Front Door – Cheshire East: 0300 123 5012 (Option 3, Option 2)
Out of Hours Emergency Duty Team: 0300 123 5022
The Integrated Front Door is for access to services, support and advice for children and their families, from early help and support through to safeguarding and child protection.
Cheshire East contact numbers for further support:
Emergency - 999
Adult Safeguarding – 0300 123 5010
Adult Safeguarding Out of Hours – 0300 123 5022
ARCH (Refuge, Community Support) – 01270 253957
Barnardo’s (Refuge, Community Support) – 01625 501651
Cheshire East Alcohol Service – 01625 443203
Cheshire East Drug Service – 01625 422100
Children’s programmes – 01270 250390
Crewe Women’s Aid (Refuge, Community Support 24/7) – 01270 250390
Domestic Abuse Family Safety Unit – 01606 363532
Housing Options/Homelessness Team – 0300 123 5017
NCDV (help with injunctions etc) – 0844 8044 999
Police (24 hour, non urgent) – 101
Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre – 01260 697900
Samaritans:
Crewe- 01270 216666
Macclesfield – 01625 426000
Victim Support – 0300 303 1979
We are an Operation Encompass school.
Operation Encompass operates in all police forces across England. It helps police and schools work together to provide emotional and practical help to children. The system ensures that when the police are called to an incident of domestic abuse, where there are children in the household who have experienced the domestic incident, the police will inform the key adult (usually the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy)) in school before the child or children arrive at school the following day. This ensures that the school has up to date relevant information about the child’s circumstances and can enable immediate support to be put in place, according to the child’s needs. Operation Encompass does not replace statutory safeguarding procedures. Where appropriate, the police and/or schools should make a referral to local authority children’s social care if they are concerned about a child’s welfare. More information about the scheme and how schools can become involved is available on the Operation Encompass website: https://www.operationencompass.org/
Uniform Intelligence Hub
The Uniform Intelligence Hub (UIH) is a database containing images of UK school uniforms which is now deployed in every UK police force and used on a regular basis to identify child victims of abuse who are present in images and videos wearing a school uniform. Investigators can search logos/badges/school ties and combinations of pieces of uniform that are within the dataset. If a match is identified, officers can locate the school and liaise with school safeguarding leads to identify and subsequently safeguard the child.
Brierley Primary School have uploaded images of our school uniform in support of this.
NSPCC - Speak Out Stay Safe
Brierley Primary School has delivered the NSPCC Speak Out Stay Safe programme across years 1-6. Years 2, 5 and 6 completed additional workshops with NSPCC volunteers.
For further information regarding the Speak Out Stay Safe programme, please visit the NSPCC website: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/services/speak-out-stay-safe
In addition, the NSPCC offer a free parent and carer workshop that contains information on how to keep their children safe online. The 40 minute pre-recorded presentation covers topics such as online bullying, mental health, and social media, as well as signposting to resources and organisations for help and support. The workshop can be accessed by clicking on the link below.
Further Safeguarding Support and Guidance:
Keeping children safe in education 2026
Please see link below for Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 (part 1) document translated into different languages:
https://lgfl.net/safeguarding/kcsietranslate
Working together to Safeguard Children: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
Cheshire East Live Well: https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/livewell/livewell.aspx
Think You Know – An Introduction to Parents and Carers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ7TYRYoF4M
Hidden Harm
Water Safety - see poster on the 'Files' tab below.
At Brierley we promote British Values and we actively support the Government's Prevent Agenda to counter radicalism and extremism.
Pupil Governors
Our Pupil Governors represent pupil voice for the school. Their duties also include supporting the PSHE lead and Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure school is a safe place.
We are delighted to introduce you to our new pupil governors for 2026-2027. One of their important roles will be to meet regularly to discuss and promote safeguarding at Brierley Primary School. Our 2025-2026 pupil governor meetings can be found below in the files section.
![IMG_2533[1].jpeg](/uploads/644/images/IMG_2533[1].jpeg)
Safeguarding Assemblies
2.9.26 - Welcome back / Zones of Regulation
3.9.26 - British Value Rule of Law linked to school rules
4.9.26 - Equality Vs Equity
Family Hubs
Cheshire East Family Hubs is a service to provide extra support to parents, children and families.
Please visit the following website for more information regarding Family Hubs here https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/livewell/care-and-support-for-children//family-hubs/family-hubs.aspx
You can also find more information about what is on offer by joining the Cheshire East Family Hubs South on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CECFamilyHubsSouth/
The nearest Family Hub to Brierley Primary School is Crewe Lifestyle Centre Family Hub
Crewe Lifestyle Centre family Hub
Moss Square
Crewe
CW1 2BB
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm
Friday 9am to 4.30pm
The next nearest in location is Monks Coppenhall Family Hub:
Monks Coppenhall Family Hub
Remer Street
Crewe
CW1 4LY
Contact Details:
Email: mcccadmin@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Phone: 01270 371 240
Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm
Friday 9am to 4.30pm
Young Carers
A Young Carer is someone aged 5 to 17 who helps to look after someone in their family who is unwell, disabled, has a special educational need or misuses drugs or alcohol. This may be a sibling, a parent or another family member. They may care for more than one person or even have a condition or SEND themselves.
For more information about Young Carers please click the link below:
