The safeguarding of pupils at St John’s is our priority at all times and we take a robust approach to protecting the health and well-being of all children and young people, and all members of our school community, always.
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Bob Warminger
Safeguarding the wellbeing of our pupils is a shared responsibility, and we have clear systems in place to support this.
Bob is our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). In addition to his role as Head of Care, Bob has overall responsibility for ensuring that safeguarding and child protection arrangements are effective and responsive across the school and residential provision.
What does the DSL role involve?
As Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Bob Warminger is responsible for ensuring that safeguarding and child protection arrangements are effective across the school and residential provision. His role includes:
Responding appropriately to any concerns about a child’s wellbeing or safety
Supporting pupils, families and staff when worries or disclosures are shared
Liaising with parents, carers and, where necessary, external professionals to put the right support in place
Ensuring that all safeguarding procedures are followed in line with statutory guidance
Bob is supported by three Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSLs):
Kevin Harrington, Nicola Slorach, and Kate Pirie.
How the DSL Team Works
Together, the DSL team ensures that:
- any safeguarding concerns are dealt with promptly
- information is handled sensitively and securely
- pupils receive timely, appropriate support
- staff are trained, supported and confident in their safeguarding responsibilities
- the school maintains a strong culture of vigilance and care
If you have a concern about the safety or wellbeing of a child, please contact a member of our safeguarding team as soon as possible.
Working in partnership
Safeguarding works best when schools and families work together. Bob works closely with parents and carers, as well as with the wider school team, to ensure that pupils feel safe, listened to, and supported both in school and at home.
If parents ever have concerns about their child’s wellbeing, they are encouraged to contact the school and speak to Bob or a member of the safeguarding team.
Full details of our approach to safeguarding including our current Safeguarding Team can be found in our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
Operation Encompass
We work in partnership with West Yorkshire Police through Operation Encompass, a national initiative that helps schools provide timely support for children who may have been affected by domestic abuse.
From 1 May 2026, West Yorkshire Police are moving to a secure electronic system for sharing Operation Encompass notifications with schools. This information is received by our safeguarding team via our secure safeguarding email inbox, which is checked each morning.
Only trained safeguarding staff access these notifications, and all information is handled sensitively and in line with our Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy.
If you would like to know more about Operation Encompass, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead or visit www.operationencompass.org