Keeping Children Safe Through Our Curriculum

At St Robert Bellarmine Catholic Primary School, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do.

Our safeguarding curriculum is designed to give children the knowledge, skills, confidence and vocabulary they need to keep themselves and others safe. We want every child to understand that they have the right to feel safe, to recognise when something may be wrong and, importantly, to know when, where and how to ask for help.

Safeguarding is not taught as a single lesson or subject. It is woven throughout school life and delivered through RSHE, PSED in the Early Years, online safety, the wider curriculum, assemblies, themed learning, workshops and visits from external professionals.

Learning is carefully adapted to the age and stage of our pupils and becomes progressively more sophisticated as children move through the school.

Our safeguarding curriculum is organised around six key areas:

1. Keeping Safe

Children learn how to recognise situations that may be unsafe and what they can do if they are worried about themselves or someone else.

Learning includes:

• identifying trusted adults;

• knowing how and when to ask for help;

• personal safety;

• recognising risks;

• understanding appropriate boundaries;

• road and community safety; and

• developing greater awareness of risk as children become increasingly independent.

Our overriding message to every child is:

If something worries you, tell a trusted adult.

2. Relationships, Friendship and Respect

Children are supported to understand what healthy and respectful relationships look like.

Learning includes:

• developing positive friendships;

• kindness and respect;

• recognising healthy and unhealthy behaviours;

• personal boundaries;

• anti-bullying education;

• resolving disagreements appropriately;

• recognising when behaviour is unacceptable; and

• knowing how to seek help.

Our annual friendship and anti-bullying work provides further opportunities for children to explore these themes.

3. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At St Robert Bellarmine, we want every child to know that they belong.

We follow the Liverpool Archdiocesan ‘No Outsiders in Our School’ scheme, which provides age-appropriate opportunities for children to explore equality, diversity and inclusion through a carefully selected range of high-quality children's literature.

Through stories, discussion and wider learning experiences, pupils develop their understanding of the protected characteristics, learn to recognise and challenge prejudice and discrimination, and develop respect for people whose lives and experiences may be different from their own.

Anti-racism education and opportunities to learn about disability and difference further strengthen this work.

Our approach reflects our Catholic ethos and our belief that:

“We are God’s Work of Art.”

Every child is unique. Every child is valued. Every child belongs.

4. Online Safety

Technology provides children with wonderful opportunities to learn, communicate and explore, but we also recognise the importance of teaching children how to navigate the online world safely.

Online safety is taught progressively throughout the school.

Children learn about:

• using technology safely and responsibly;

• keeping personal information private;

• recognising inappropriate or concerning content and behaviour;

• communicating respectfully online;

• knowing what to do when something online makes them uncomfortable or worried;

• identifying trusted adults who can help; and

• making increasingly informed and responsible choices as they grow older.

Our curriculum is reinforced through dedicated online-safety learning, including Safer Internet Day.

5. Mental Health and Wellbeing

Supporting children's emotional wellbeing is an important part of our safeguarding provision.

Children are helped to develop an age-appropriate understanding of:

• emotions and feelings;

• positive mental health;

• resilience;

• managing worries;

• healthy relationships;

• strategies for looking after their wellbeing; and

• when and how to seek help.

This learning is supported through planned mental health and wellbeing activities, including our Hello Yellow work, Inside Out mental health awareness and, where appropriate, specialist support and workshops from the Mental Health Support Team (MHST).

6. Health, Safety and Increasing Independence

As children grow, we help them develop the knowledge and skills they need to make safe, healthy and increasingly independent choices.

Learning includes:

• healthy and active lifestyles;

• physical and emotional wellbeing;

• road safety;

• community safety;

• Bikeability;

• age-appropriate awareness of risks;

• preparing for greater independence; and

• knowing where to find reliable help and support.

Additional age-appropriate learning is introduced as pupils progress through Key Stage 2 and prepare for secondary school.

Safeguarding Learning Across the School

Our safeguarding curriculum is progressive and responsive. Important concepts are revisited so that children can deepen their understanding as they mature.

Early Years – Building the Foundations

In Nursery and Reception, safeguarding learning is closely linked to Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED).

Children begin to learn about:

Keeping safe • feelings and emotions • friendships • kindness • trusted adults • asking for help • healthy choices • road safety • equality and difference

PSED is embedded throughout the Early Years curriculum, alongside planned RSHE and safeguarding opportunities.

Years 1 and 2 – Developing Understanding

Children build on these foundations through learning about:

Personal safety • online safety • friendship • anti-bullying • equality and diversity • anti-racism • mental health and wellbeing • road safety • healthy lifestyles • RSHE

Children are increasingly encouraged to recognise unsafe or unkind behaviour and understand what they can do and who they can tell.

Years 3 and 4 – Recognising Risk and Responsibility

As children's independence develops, learning increasingly explores:

Online safety • personal safety • respectful relationships • anti-bullying • equality and diversity • anti-racism • mental health • road safety • community safety • age-appropriate Prevent education • RSHE

Children develop greater confidence in recognising risks, making safe choices and understanding their responsibilities towards others.

Years 5 and 6 – Preparing for Greater Independence

In upper Key Stage 2, safeguarding education prepares children for increasing independence and transition to secondary school.

Learning includes:

Online safety • healthy and respectful relationships • anti-bullying • equality and diversity • anti-racism • mental health and resilience • road safety • Bikeability • community safety • age-appropriate Prevent education • healthy lifestyles • RSHE

Additional age-appropriate learning and specialist workshops are used where appropriate to help pupils understand risks they may encounter as they become older and increasingly independent.

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Wider Safeguarding Opportunities

Our planned curriculum is enhanced by additional opportunities and specialist support.

These may include:

Area	Examples of Provision
Keeping Safe	Keeping Safe focus, assemblies and age-appropriate workshops
Online Safety	Online safety curriculum and Safer Internet Day
Relationships	Friendship and anti-bullying learning
Equality & Inclusion	No Outsiders, equality and diversity learning, anti-racism and disability awareness
Mental Health & Wellbeing	Hello Yellow, Inside Out, resilience activities and MHST workshops
Road & Community Safety	Road safety and Bikeability
Health	Healthy and Active learning and School Nurse involvement
RSHE	Planned, age-appropriate RSHE throughout the school
Preparing for Independence	Additional age-appropriate safeguarding learning and workshops in upper Key Stage 2

Our existing provision also includes specific opportunities such as HANDS deaf awareness, MHST wellbeing and resilience workshops, Bikeability, School Nurse involvement, Ariel Trust resources and disability-focused learning.

 

Our Aim

By the time children leave St Robert Bellarmine Catholic Primary School, we want them to:

• feel safe, valued and confident that they belong;

• understand how to keep themselves and others safe;

• recognise healthy and respectful relationships;

• respect difference and challenge discrimination;

• use technology safely and responsibly;

• understand the importance of looking after their physical and mental health;

• recognise situations that may present a risk;

• know how to make safe and informed choices; and

• know that they should always speak to a trusted adult when something does not feel right.

Through our safeguarding curriculum, Catholic ethos and wider school life, we aim to give every child the foundations they need to flourish:

“We are God’s Work of Art.”