Mellor St Mary CE Primary School aims to provide a safe, nurturing environment in which all pupils achieve their full potential and have the skills and confidence to meet the challenges of the future. All Teaching Staff record concerns about children in various files kept in the office (behaviour/CP/racist/bullying/homophobic)

There is a Welfare meeting held each week where staff share concerns about children and families. The school has recently purchased CPOMS- (software for safeguarding and recording for staff) Training in using this is delivered in house. The school liaises with all relevant specialist agencies such as the family and medical centres, ELCAS, CAMHS, paediatricians, speech therapists, occupational therapists, school nurse etc. Although none of these are based in school, some do come into school to carry out assessments and therapy, with parental permission.

In some cases, school or one of the other agencies may complete a CAF (Common Assessment Framework) form with parents. This is an assessment and planning tool which is used to gather information about children and families in one place to help the family to decide what type of support is needed. It may be used to address an unmet educational need (as above) or an emotional or social need. More information for families about the CAF process is available here:

http://www.lancashirechildrenstrust.org.uk/resources/?siteid=6274&pageid=45139 

Sometimes, a Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting is called to continue the system of support for the family. These are usually held in school and parents will always be involved.

The school has a variety of policies which cover health and wellbeing issues eg Medicines in School Policy, Accident / Incident Report Procedures Policy etc. The school’s Single Equality Policy is available for free on the website and via the school office on request.

Some medication, such as asthma inhalers are kept in the teacher’s cupboard in the appropriate classroom. All other medication is kept in a locked cupboard next to the staff room, or in the staff-room fridge if necessary. All medicine is recorded in a medicine book along with details of dosage and frequency; parents sign to grant authorisation to the school to administer to their child. Full records are kept in accordance with the appropriate policy.

A review of medical for individual children with specific needs, Care Plans are written at a meeting between a member of the school’s staff, the child’s parents, the child (when appropriate) and the School Nurse. Mellor St Mary is a small school; all staff should know which children have Care Plans and who is trained to deal with them. Any new adults coming into school go through a short induction in accordance with the school’s Induction Policy to ensure they are made aware of any particular needs. Additionally, there is a list of children with medical needs in the front of a confidential green file that is held in the office; this gives a brief outline of their difficulty and signposts the reader to more detailed information which is held securely in the office. Care Plans are also kept in the locked medicine cupboard.