Two Stone schools are taking part in a pilot project to keep children safe.
The Safer Schools Initiative is being rolled out to a handful of primary and secondary schools – Stone’s Walton Priory Middle and Alleynes Academy, and Doxey Primary, Stafford Manor High and Stafford Grammar.
The scheme, the first of its kind in the county, will complement the Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) studies which form part of the national curriculum. Information on a number of workshops has already been sent to the five schools which have all volunteered to take part in the pilot. Agencies from across the area have come together to run the workshops, aimed at preventing and tackling issues such as child sexual exploitation, substance misuse and cyber bullying.
If proved successful, the Stafford Borough Safer Communities Partnership is looking to roll the initiative out to other schools after Christmas.
The borough and county councils, police, fire service, Staffordshire Women’s Aid, and Chase Against Hate Crime have all teamed up to deliver the scheme. The work will also help schools comply with their Ofsted requirements to have measures in place to keep children safe.
Councillor Jeremy Pert, Cabinet Member for Communities at the Borough Council, said: “This is all about our key agencies working together with schools to continue to keep our children safe. We don’t want to scare children – we want to protect them. We want to give them the appropriate and consistent advice so they can help themselves, and their friends, keep safe. We are pleased that these five schools have put themselves forward to be part of the pilot, and it’s great to hear that the others have already been in contact with the ‘Partnership’ to be involved in the future.”
Find out more about the Partnership at www.staffordbc.gov.uk/CommunitySafety
