Contextualised Safeguarding
Contextualised safeguarding means we look beyond a child’s home or family to keep them safe. It recognises that children can be harmed by people or situations in places they spend time — for example, at school, online, on the street, in parks, or in groups with other young people — and that these risks must be managed just as carefully as risks inside the home.
Why this matters for Roman Road and our community
- Some risks come from friends or older children, not only from adults.
- Other risks come from places (for example, a route to school, a park or a social media group).
- If we only focus on home-based safeguarding, we can miss problems that happen in these other settings.
At Roman Road, where families and the local area are central to school life, looking at these wider risks helps us protect every child more effectively.
Some examples of of contextualised safeguarding
- A child being pressured by older pupils near the shops to take part in dares or to give away money.
- A popular online group where children are shown risky challenges or asked to share images.
- Children being targeted in a local park by someone grooming them or encouraging them to spend time with adults they don’t know.
- Peer groups encouraging self‑harm talk or risky behaviour that spreads across school.
What does school do about it?
- We teach children how to recognise and stay away from risky situations (including online).
- We check the places children use (eg. access points, playgrounds, routes to school) and act if they are unsafe.
- Staff talk with children regularly so we know how they are getting on and can spot changes early.
- We work with local services, the police and community organisations when problems are linked to people or places outside school.
- We include contextual risks in safeguarding plans for children — that means plans to reduce risks in school and in other settings, not just at home.
What our families can do about it
- Talk with your child openly about where they go, who they spend time with and what they see online. Keep the conversation simple and non-judgemental.
- Ask about friends, routes to and from school, and favourite online platforms. Notice changes in mood, sleep or friendships.
- Check privacy settings and talk about sharing images and personal information online.
- Tell us about anything worrying you see in the neighbourhood or online — even if it seems small. Schools often need that local information to act.
- If your child is affected, stay calm and contact the school so we can make a joined-up plan.
Water Safety
Roman Road is near the River Tyne, the River Wear and the coast so it is really important that our children are safe in the water. Make sure your children know the Water Safety Code!
Swimming Lessons
Swimming is a skill that could save your life. At Roman Road, we offer FREE swimming lessons to our KS2 children in a spiral model – children start their swimming journey in Y4 and revisit this each year until they leave primary school.
Autumn Term – Y6
Spring Term – Y5
Summer Term – Y3
Anti-Social Behaviour in the Community
Anti social behaviour is one of the top reported crimes in our area and is a priority for Northumberland Police. Take a look at the statistics for our community on the Northumbria Police website:
What is anti-social behaviour?
Anti-social behaviour refers to actions that harm or disregard the well-being of others or violate societal norms and rules. Anti-social behaviour can include:
- Noise
- Damage
- Rowdiness
- Litter
- Intimidation
What can families do?
- Have clear routines and boundaries – agree where your child can go and who they can be with.
- Let school know about any incidents that worry you
- Sign your children up to one of our after school clubs! Take a look on Class Dojo to see what’s on offer and send a message to Miss Bell to book a place
- Enrol your child in a local club or activity – Leam Lane Family Hub have loads of activities going on and local football clubs are always wanting new recruits
Safety Works
Each year, our Y6 class visit Safety Works. Here, our children can experience a range of interactive safety scenarios in impressive, true to life settings, helping them to learn how to prevent danger and live safely.
There is a life sized safety town of scenarios which have been built as ‘bricks and mortar’ scends from everyday life. They include a house, road with a pedestrian crossing, police station, hospital A&E room, park with open water and even a Metro!
We offer this trip at NO CHARGE to our families – school incur all costs to allow this visit to be fully inclusive.
Take a look at their website and learn more!
