Child Safety

St Mary's Primary School is committed to the safety and welfare of all children, within a secure environment. All children have the right to be treated with respect and to be protected from abuse and harm.

Child Safeguarding Officer Training

Last week, I completed my yearly training through Catholic Education Sandhurst Limited (CESL) as a Child Safeguarding Officer. The training was extensive and very thorough, reiterating that every child has a right to be safe and respected at school. A child-friendly version of our Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct policy (also available via our school website https://www.sminglewood.catholic.edu.au/child-safe-standards) can be found below. We encourage families to discuss this policy with their children and we will continue to refer to this policy in classrooms to ensure students are well-aware of their rights around safety at our school. 

St Mary's Catholic Primary School: 

Child-Friendly Student Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct

Why do we have this Code of Conduct? At St Mary's Catholic Primary School, we believe that everyone learns best when they feel safe and respected. This Code of Conduct is here to help you understand how to keep yourself and others safe at school.

Your Rights as a Student:

• You have the right to be safe at school.
• You deserve respect, kindness, and fairness.
• You can be part of your school community and make a positive impact.
• You have the right to be treated fairly and with dignity.

Your Responsibilities as a Student:

• Be kind and respectful to everyone—teachers, students, and staff.
• Follow school rules and listen to your teachers.
• Help create a safe and supportive environment for everyone.
• Take responsibility for your actions and be honest.
• Include others and respect people’s differences.

Do Not:

• Bully or harass anyone.
• Break school rules or ignore the directions of your teachers.

If You Have Safety Concerns: If you feel unsafe or see someone else being unsafe, tell a trusted adult. This could be your parent, carer, a teacher, or the School Child Safety Officer. We are here to listen and help.

Consequences: If you break the rules, there will be consequences as per our Behaviour Policy. This is to help everyone stay safe and respectful.

Always Remember:

• Treat others how you want to be treated.
• Speak up if something doesn’t feel right.
• We’re all here to make sure school is a safe place for everyone!