School Life
Safeguarding and well-being
At Saint Cecilia’s, the safeguarding and well-being of all our pupils and students is of paramount importance to us.
If you have a safeguarding concern about any of our pupils or students, email safeguarding@saintcecilias.london.
Safeguarding means protecting pupils from harm, supporting their well-being, and ensuring they grow up in a secure and nurturing setting where they can thrive. Creating this supportive environment for children is a shared responsibility which we take seriously and are committed to both the moral and legal duty of keeping pupils safe. Our school fosters a culture of vigilance, respect and open communication, where children know they are valued and can seek support from trusted adults. Strong pastoral care and a protective ethos help prevent harm and promote well-being. All staff, including volunteers, must undergo a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check before starting work. Safer recruitment practices are built into our hiring process, with trained staff on interview panels assessing candidates’ suitability for working with young people.
Safeguarding is central to staff training, beginning with induction and continuing with regular updates throughout the year. All staff, even those not in the classroom, undergo mandatory ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ training each September. Everyone understands their responsibilities, can recognise signs of concern and knows how to act when needed.
We have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and a Deputy (DDSL) as well as a trained team of staff in our Pupil Support Team. This safeguarding team works closely with the police, children’s social services, mental health and well-being providers, hospitals, coaching support through Kick and Regenerate. We do not have a school counsellor, however, we do have on-site counselling through Place2Be.
Our Safeguarding policy is available on our policies page.
Important notice:
If a crime has been committed involving your child, always report it to the police. If it is urgent, call 999, otherwise 101 and note down the CAD (crime reference number) and pass this to the Safeguarding team safeguarding@saintcecilias.london.
If you tell us about an incident, where we feel a crime may have been committed but you have not yet reported it, we will seek support from our police liaison officer.
If your child discloses information to the school about a crime, our standard safeguarding procedures apply regarding reporting the matter to children’s services via MASH@wandsworth.gov.uk and to the police.
If a concern arises about the actions of a member of staff or where a professional fails to take protective action to safeguard a young person, we will also involve the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
All pages in this section
“The arrangements for safeguarding are effective…. Leaders have ensured that pupils are confident in raising concerns. Leaders respond quickly to these concerns, including working with a range of external agencies.”
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Help is available at any time from mentors and teachers. We also have a private email account, iwanttotalk@saintcecilias.london, where pupils and students can contact us with worries or concerns (school hours, term time only).
We educate pupils on healthy relationships, how to report concerns and challenge misconceptions about consent in PSHE lessons, assemblies and mentor meetings. If a pupil or student experiences sexual misconduct, we offer comprehensive support through Mentors, Pupil Support Managers, our Safeguarding team, Chaplain and police liaison officer.
We work with Place2Be, a mental health charity helping young people explore their emotions and build self-esteem. Place2Be offers one-to-one counselling and group sessions, helping our young people manage worries so they don’t interfere with friendships, learning or their well-being. Saint Cecilia’s Place2Be mental health professional, Mirda Goldsmith, works in school on Mondays, offering regular support for pupils and students who need it. Place2Be also provides guidance for parents, carers, teachers, and school staff. The service operates through a referral system and there may be a waiting list for your child to be seen. For more information, visit place2be.org.uk/family.
If you or your child need support, want to book an appointment with Place2Be, or learn more about our pupils and students well-being initiatives, please contact Ms Elise Mussett.
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Wandsworth Local Authority has a range of support available to young people here.
The NHS can help you if you need support with mental health click here
South West London CAMHS have list of organisations that can help during school holidays.
Please note: We have not quality assured the organisations listed in these resources.
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Fearless is a service you can use if you need to report a crime but want to do this anonymously. www.crimestoppers-uk.org/fearless
NSPCC’s helpline (0800 136 663) is for people who have experienced sexual harassment or abuse in education. If you would rather email them, their email is help@nspcc.org.uk
Childline offers help and advice and you can call them for free on 0800 1111, talk to a counsellor online, send them an email or post on the message boards. www.childline.org.uk
This excellent leaflet for young people is full of information about organisations that can help you. There are email addresses, phone numbers and apps for you to use.
Mental Health Foundation have produced these easy to read guides which are packed full of good advice covering ‘Mental Health Tips’ and ‘Why Kindness Matters’.
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This leaflet is full of support on ‘surviving’ the transition into secondary school for parents of Year 7s.
Contact the Crisis Duty Hotline for help if your child has a mental health emergency.
If you are worried about a child contact MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) for year-round support mash@wandsworth.gov.uk or 020 8871 6622. (During term time, contact us safeguarding@saintcecilias.london)
Call 999 or go to A&E if you are concerned about an immediate risk of physical harm.
CAMHS produce a list of crisis numbers for schools and young people.
NHS compile this list of useful contact numbers.
NHS has this map of support available across the borough.
Stem4, the child mental health charity, has these self-care leaflets to help your child cope with stress, depression or anxiety.
Children’s and Young People’s Wellbeing Service, SW London NHS produced this video ‘Supporting your teenager with anxiety.’
Children’s and Young People’s Wellbeing Service, SW London NHS produced this video ‘Parenting teens in times of uncertainty’.
If you are concerned about risky or inappropriate images or content posted or shared by your child on social media, contact: NSPCC, UK Safer Internet Centre, or Internet Matters.
If you are concerned your child is a victim of online sexual abuse contact TALK at the Internet Watch Foundation.
If you would like general support and advice with helping your young person cope with mental health issues, contact these charities: YoungMinds or Mind.
If your young person would like to talk to a counsellor, WhereToTalk compiles a guide to talking therapies.
If you need mediation or family support contact Wandsworth Mediation Service.
If you are worried that your child is gambling or has a gambling addiction, please contact your GP for support. Support is also available from: Gambling Commission or GamCare
If you are, or have been, a victim of crime there are organisations that can support you. Crimestoppers is the charity you can report crimes to anonymously.
Refuge National Domestic Violence Helpline is open 24 hours, 7 days a week at 0808 200 0247. If you are in immediate danger, always call 999.
NAPAC (National Association for People Abused in Childhood) offers support to adult survivors of all types of childhood abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect.