At Claremont, the welfare, health, and happiness of our students are at the heart of everything we do. Safeguarding is a responsibility shared by every member of our community and is underpinned by statutory requirements outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and other key government legislation.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding means:
- Protecting children from maltreatment.
- Preventing impairment of health or development.
- Ensuring children grow up in a safe and effective care environment.
- Taking action to provide children and young people with the best outcomes.
Safeguarding encompasses a broad range of activities, including child protection, health and safety, site security, safety on trips, anti-bullying initiatives, and online safety.
Our safeguarding team
We have a dedicated team to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students:
Rebecca Hurton
Assistant Principal (Safeguarding & Compliance)
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads
Ben Moir
Vice Principal
Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Prep School, with support from Phase Leads
Lea Owen
Deputy Principal, Senior School
Designated Safeguarding Lead: Senior School, supported by Heads of Houses
Francoise Armstrong
Director of Boarding
Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Boarding, with support from House Leads
Laura Chan
Nursery Manager
Designated Safeguarding Lead: Nursery & Early Years
Safeguarding practices
All concerns are recorded securely in our Myconcern system. Safeguarding records are transferred promptly if a child joins or leaves Claremont. If a student or family requires support, we work with local safeguarding partners, such as the Single Point of Advice (SPOA) in East Sussex and Integrated Front Door in Kent. Parental consent is sought before external referrals unless there is an immediate risk to the child. Staff complete rigorous and regular safeguarding training on topics such as abuse, radicalisation, mental health, and online safety.
Online safety
The digital world presents growing challenges as well as immense opportunities. Claremont uses Smoothwall Monitor on school devices and filters internet access with Smoothwall Filter, ensuring harmful content is blocked, and students can utilise ICT systems safely to enhance their learning.
Operation Encompass
Claremont participates in Operation Encompass, a national initiative supporting children exposed to domestic abuse. Through this programme, the police notify the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) before the next school day if a child has been involved in a domestic incident.
This enables us to provide timely and discreet support to affected children, ensuring their well-being and helping them feel safe at school.
