As parents, we feel our children’s excitement, joy, anxiety and pain in a very deep way. We tell ourselves that we give our child the very best and every day, often without their knowledge, we strive to do that. Unfortunately one day we realise that we can’t control the world, we can’t protect them from everything, whether it’s an unkind word from a peer or an upsetting newspaper report.

There are films, books, people in the world who can have a negative impact on our children, however we can protect them to a large extent, by taking some simple measures. We can block age inappropriate media on DSTV and spend time speaking with our children, and educating them about issues in the world. We can teach them about ‘stranger danger’ both in the physical world and online. We can explain to them that when something feels wrong to them, they should speak to a responsible adult about it. All these things go a long way to equipping our young people now and in the future.

At St Andrew’s School, Safeguarding is incredibly important to us. So, what is Safeguarding? It is all about educating, listening to and seeking to understand the pupils, so that they feel protected and secure. However, this goes beyond life in School. It involves the teachers working in partnership with you as their parents. The world is an ever changing place, often very difficult to keep up with. Our children seem to be ahead of the game, so how can we advise and guide them?

In the next few newsletters, we will be looking at some key Safeguarding issues, from e-safety to body image, from bullying to managing social media accounts. We will endeavour to explain our structures, processes and policies, while advising on areas of concern. Our aim is to help equip you as parents and ensure that our pupils, your children, are safe and feel secure.

 
Claire Scott
Deputy Head Prep (Pastoral)