Safeguarding

If you have an urgent concern about a child you can contact the Police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. You can also contact the Northamptonshire Multi-agency safeguarding hub directly on 0300 126 7000

INMAT is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and safety of all our pupils. We expect everyone associated with INMAT, all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are fully committed to ensuring that consistent, effective safeguarding policies, procedures and practices are in place to support pupils, families and staff in all our schools.

All our schools follow the guidance in the most recent version of Keeping Children Safe in Education, Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026) and the DfE Governance Handbook. All staff and volunteers will adhere to the INMAT safeguarding policy, whistleblowing policy and staff code of conduct.

Our CEO is the Trust Designated Safeguarding Lead. Our Trust Inclusion Lead supports our schools to make sure their processes and procedures are robust and fit for purpose. Each school in our trust has a Designated Safeguarding Lead and a safeguarding governor. We are committed to ensuring that our safeguarding leaders and all staff and volunteers receive the appropriate training to prepare them for their roles.

All our schools will work closely with families for the benefit of the pupils. Staff will make referrals and seek advice and guidance from external agencies such as Social Care if it is deemed necessary. There may be exceptional circumstances when the school will discuss concerns with Social Care and/or the Police without parental knowledge. Our leaders will always aim to maintain a positive relationship with all parents and carers.

If you have a concern about a pupil or a member of staff in one of our schools, please use the contact details below.

Reporting a Safeguarding Concern

If you have a concern about a pupil or a member of staff, please contact a designated safeguarding lead.

Designated Safeguarding Lead :

Mrs Farmer - Headteacher lead

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads:

Mrs Ricotta - Wellbeing lead
Miss Letts - Deputy Heady Teacher
Mrs Carley SENDCo and Designated Teacher for LAC

Safeguarding Governor:

Mrs Jo Hackett

If your concern is about a senior leader at School, please contact Helen Williams, the INMAT designated safeguarding lead: safeguarding@inmat.org.uk or 01604 434600

Useful links:

Emotional Abuse

Emotional Abuse is where a child’s need for security, love, praise and recognition is not met. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of someone else such as in Domestic Abuse or Domestic Violence. A parent, carer or authority figure is considered emotionally abusive when they are consistently hostile, rejecting, threatening or undermining toward a child or other family member. It can also occur when children are prevented from having social contact with others or if inappropriate expectations are placed upon them.

Symptoms that indicate emotional abuse include:

Clingy or attention-seeking behaviours which are excessive.
Excessive self-criticism or very low self-esteem
Fearfulness or withdrawn behaviour
Lack of appropriate boundaries with strangers; too eager to please.
Self-harm or eating disorders

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a young person or child to take part in sexual activities. Whether the child is aware of what is happening or not. This may include physical contact or viewing pornographic material, including through the use of the internet. Indicators of sexual abuse include: allegations or disclosures, injuries or disclosure, genital soreness, inappropriate sexualised behaviour including play, words or drawing, and sexually transmitted diseases.

Neglect

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs that can significantly harm their health and development. Neglect can include supervision that is inadequate, (being left alone for long periods of time), lack of stimulation, social contact or education, lack of shelter, appropriate food, clothing for correct conditions and medical attention or treatment when necessary.

Safer Recruitment & Selection

It is a requirement for all agencies to ensure that all staff recruited to work with children and young people are properly selected and checked. At Hall Meadow Primary we will ensure that we have a member of the Senior Leadership Team on every recruitment panel who has received the appropriate recruitment and selection training. We will ensure that all of our staff are appropriately qualified and have the relevant employment history and checks to ensure they are safe to work with children in compliance with the Key Safeguarding Employment Standards.