Safety Procedures Outside of the School

St Paul’s is committed to doing all it can to ensuring the safety of our pupils. Please see below for updated information on our security precautions and the support we provide for our pupils.

The school has fully-vetted agency security staff at both ends of Hammersmith Bridge during pupil arrival and departure times. On the north side, security concentrates in the area from Hammersmith Bridge to the Eventim Apollo, where many of our pupils alight for the school buses.

We have increased patrols on the bridge, using our own security staff who are also SIA qualified, and we have staff at the Hammersmith Bridge gate at the beginning and end of the school day to provide further vigilance and assurance for pupils. When we are alerted to any crimes committed against our pupils, near the school or in the wider local area, we report them to our Safer Schools Officer, who coordinates with local police. We also alert the police if we become aware of threatening conduct in the vicinity of the school, and work with our own security team to protect the pupils against any such threat.

In terms of education, pupils are provided with safe travel advice at multiple points each year (twice this year so far in tutors). Personal safety is an important part of the Fourth Form PSHE programme and delivered early in the year. Security staff constantly remind pupils not to have their devices out when walking to and from school.

In terms of reports of a general rise in crime in Barnes, the school has raised this with our local officer to explore the extent of the issue and to determine whether any concerted action is appropriate.

If a pupil becomes aware of any threatening behaviour or potentially criminal activity, they should contact their Tutor or Undermaster directly, so that we are made aware of the issue and can respond appropriately. In the unfortunate case where the child has been a victim of a crime, please report this to the police swiftly – this not only enables them to respond immediately, which can protect other children, but actual crime reports are an important factor in justifying the deployment of additional resources in the area.

On a purely pastoral basis, if your son is ever a victim of a crime, whether linked to school or not, please let your son’s tutor know so that we can best support them.