At the heart of effective safeguarding in schools are strong relationships. I truly believe that positive, professional relationships in school lead to everything you would want to see in a school. Happy stakeholders, improved teaching and learning, high outcomes and excellent behaviour. And at its best, proactive safeguarding is visible in the everyday relationships that exist within a school.
How does positive safeguarding look at a glance?
For a visitor or a brand-new member of staff, the first thing they would likely notice in a school that is proactive in safeguarding is how well staff know the children. That might be through the way pupils are greeted in the morning, teachers asking about weekend plans, or small references in conversation that show these interactions happen regularly. These moments may seem simple, but they create the trust and familiarity that allow children to feel safe and known.
In my many years as a classroom teacher, I have always ensured that I am at my classroom door in the morning, ready to high-five the children and ask how they are. Monday mornings have always started with conversations about the weekend. I am out on the playground every day for break duty to not only ensure the children are safe, but to interact with them and learn more about them.
Safeguarding through staff relationships
Alongside this, visitors would notice the strength of relationships between staff. Safeguarding works best when colleagues communicate openly and work together to build a shared picture of a child’s wellbeing. This might involve passing on small pieces of information that help colleagues better understand how a child is feeling, or checking in with each other about concerns that may need to be logged or followed up.
Most schools have formal systems for logging and actioning incidents, but it is often the informal conversations between colleagues that help build the fuller picture. Those moments that start with, “It may be nothing, but have you noticed…?” or “Just a heads up, I think that…”
Importantly, strong safeguarding cultures also extend to how staff look out for one another. When colleagues know each other well, they feel able to ask supportive questions such as, “You don’t quite seem yourself today, is everything okay?” That culture of care ensures that safeguarding is not seen as the responsibility of one person or team, but something everyone contributes to.
Backed by policies
Alongside these relationships, there are, of course, clear systems in place. Staff know who the safeguarding leads are, how to record concerns, and what steps to follow if something worries them. These will often be displayed around the school - in staff rooms, corridors, and sometimes even on the back of toilet doors, as they are in my own schools.
But these systems are most effective when they are supported by a culture where people feel confident raising concerns early, knowing they will be taken seriously. In schools where proactive safeguarding is embedded well, it becomes part of the everyday rhythm of the school rather than something that only appears in response to serious incidents.
What role do MATs play in safeguarding?
Multi-academy trusts (MATs) can play an important role in strengthening safeguarding by creating clear and consistent systems across schools.
Shared reporting platforms, consistent training and common safeguarding expectations can help ensure that staff across a trust understand the same processes and standards. This consistency can be particularly valuable for staff who move between schools or collaborate across settings.
Many trusts, including my own, benefit from having a central safeguarding lead or team that oversees safeguarding practice across the organisation. This role can help ensure policies are aligned, training remains up to date, and emerging risks are identified across schools.
Just as importantly, it provides school leaders and DSLs with a trusted professional sounding board. Safeguarding decisions can sometimes be complex and nuanced, so having the opportunity to talk through situations and quality assure decisions with someone at trust level can be incredibly valuable.
At the same time, it is important to recognise that each school community has its own context. The challenges facing pupils in one setting may differ from those in another, influenced by local factors, demographics or emerging community issues. For this reason, consistency should focus on shared principles and systems rather than identical approaches. Schools benefit from having the same safeguarding framework while retaining the flexibility to respond to the needs of their own pupils and families.
Trust-wide collaboration
Trust-wide collaboration can also be extremely valuable. Regular safeguarding network meetings, opportunities for designated safeguarding leads to share experiences, and cross-school discussions about emerging issues can help schools learn from one another. These forums allow patterns to be identified and good practice to be shared more widely.
When trusts balance shared systems with local understanding, they create safeguarding structures that are both consistent and responsive. This combination allows schools to maintain high standards while still responding effectively to the needs of their individual communities.
Ultimately, safeguarding in schools works best when strong systems are supported by strong relationships - between staff, pupils, families and the wider community.
About the author
Matthew King is Head of School and Assistant Headteacher across two primary schools, and also serves as a Trust Leader for Teaching and Learning and an Education & Safeguarding Governor. A Pearson National Teaching Awards Gold Winner for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School, he is passionate about building school cultures where strong relationships underpin both safeguarding and learning.
Read more from Matthew King’s safeguarding series
