Child given money by "Vicar" at school

It's really weird, definitely talk to school so they can look into this. Even if there's been a misunderstanding (which I don't actually think is the case here), they need to talk with this member of the clergy. Safeguarding concern alarms are a-ringing.

Agree. I work for a diocese and this is the appropriate response as well as informing the school.

No, there really isn't, immediate harm means the child is at risk of immediate harm which she isn't as she is at home with her parents and not in the care of someone who is going to harm her nor is there the opportunity for the potential harmer to have access to her.

Many dioceses have their Chrism Mass earlier in Holy Week. Our is Thursday but I know many that are evenings earlier in the week too. I think OP has said they're in County Durham which I presume is Durham Dio.
That said it's not clear that this person is an actual vicar , but they're clearly representing the church . Reporting to Diocesan SG lead (rather than parish)and School is the way ahead.

If a police officer on this thread advised the OP to go straight to the police then they gave duff advice.

In fact this thread is so choc full of duff advice, it’s completely pointless. The OP has emailed the school and awaits a reply, that is a totally appropriate response to this situation. If she wishes to chase up further, she can also consider emailing LADO.

All the hysteria and drama is not warranted, the professionals will follow procedure, I think most people are annoyed of the Easter holiday delay more for the lack of dramatic updates than anything else.

Are you crazy ? Someone tell a girl to keep a secret and gives her money , that someone is not only a male but a representative of a religion highly involved in child abuse ! I’m actually shocked the OP didn’t go straight to the police as she should , even a police officer here told her that

Is it possible for your daughter to have stolen the £5 out of your purse or from someone else? And is trying to cover it up, because this is also possible. I would try and get more facts before going in all guns blazing

Obviously if the person from the church has given the money to your child then yes this person is wrong.

Sending you hugs, it's hard being a parent.

Maybe the kid presented as one who may not otherwise get an Easter egg…
The “just between us” could have been a don’t tell the other children thing. It beggars belief that he assumed the parents wouldn’t ask where the Easter egg came from.
Does your child have noticeably less than their peers, op?

Rather than make snide digs at me calling me naive and inventing scenarios where other children are being given money and are in danger - the Op could have called police four days ago if she felt that her and other kids were at imminent risk - this is not a child protection emergency on any level.

What's the immediate danger? This isn't a child protection emergency. If there's so much risk why doesn't the OP call police?

Ok, you ARE that naive 🙄

Sorry what - are we now inventing scenarios where the vicar/curate gave other kids money? So basically a vicar is going to run around a hall handing out fivers? Well maybe the OP should what's app her kids pals parents and ask if anyone else got a fiver.

Immediate danger of what?

Who said that “this” child was in immediate danger. IF there were nefarious intentions behind the money, are you honestly naive enough to believe that she was the only child given money?

A child protection emergency? Because someone gave her a fiver? How is this child at immediate risk? She's currently off school and with her family.

The NSPCC helpline might be useful but this isn't a child protection emergency.

Like most schools in our area we are seriously underfunded. Money is spent on educating the children and desperately trying to keep the heat running and the holes in the roof covered. The physical school is in a bad way but Ofsted outstanding last year! Most of our children are either FSM or EAL (or both) but we do our best for the children rather than have nice shiny things!

I’ve had a look at a few primary school websites (admittedly only on a mobile phone) they all just give the same sort of contact details that I’m used to seeing. Including this one in Durham which, like us gives the LADO contact details in the safeguarding policy.

You could ask her where the class teacher was seated, if she can remember
The teacher may have noticed something.

Don't be ridiculous. Of course there is.

Agree with a lot of this. Assemblies are multiple year groups so it's not like only one staff member would be present. Presumably the adults sit alongside the children (on chairs) and the vicar would be offered a seat too (or this would be the set up on my school). I don't know how they would be able to engage a child in a private chat and hand over money without multiple other children seeing and asking about it.
I know when I sit in assembly if I try to get the attention of one child to tell them to stop talking for example, even with a hissed whisper, multiple eyes are on me. If I sit on the floor to support a 1:1 child and give them something to fidget with you can guarantee all children in the immediate area need reminding to look at the front and not watch what the 1:1 child is doing/playing with. I also don't know how they would have hid the money once given it. Do they have pockets in their clothes? Then transfer to their bag at break/lunch? Ask to go to the toilet to hide the money?
This is why it needs investigating by the school initially rather than jumping straight onto call on the police.
I would also be talking to the child about the serious nature of the event (especially knowing that they lie) and make them aware that it is good they have told what happened but to make sure the information is definitely what happened.
Have the been told the school will be made aware?
I am just thinking about some children who do compulsively lie. Even when told of the consequences to others they will not back down until it eventually gets to a headteacher point having wasted TA and teacher time and the stories end up being false. I would be making sure DD is aware of the boy who cried wolf and how telling lies may make people less likely to believe in the future.

Writing as a vicar, whether male or female this shouldn't have happened.
I would however query if this was the cofe vicar as at 11am on maundy Thursday all vicars are meant to be at a service in the cathedral.in our diocese that is a 3 line whip you need to be there by 10 and don't tend to leave until about 1. The likelihood of putting on an assembly the same day is very low.
It is of course possible other dioceses don't have the same 3 line whip.
It is however possible that the person taking the assembly wasn't the vicar (or curate) but a 'helper' from the church if the vicar was busy. Still totally wrong. I can't imagine as a vicar how you could even end up sat next to a child in a school hall and giving them money and no one seeing. I would be seriously also questioning the school how a vicar ended up alone with a pupil, they can't have had a conversation privately 'during' assembly as they wouldn't be able to talk even if someone else was leading at that point. Again this isn't me saying it didn't happen, I think it needs investigating, just that it needs investigating as to how the school allowed circumstances for such an event to take place need looking at too.
And apologies if I am repeating others it's been a very busy couple of weeks and I haven't had time to read the full thread.

Posters are jumping to the conclusion that the person is male.. yet op has not used specific pronouns and in fact said their...

Would your feelings be the same if it was a female vicar (which is acceptable in CofE)

Hope they reply tomorrow

A child protection emergency means a child is in current or immediate danger.

Not the case here.

The vicar was a familiar face at our village CofE school. Weekly assemblies, services in church, present at fetes and performances etc.

If he'd given my kid money I would have lost my shit.

You need to make sure the school deal with this formally and demand that your child is never left alone with or put in groups with that man ever again.

If I were you, I would also take that money back to him personally and ask that he never gift anything or attempt to bribe your child to keep a secret again, making it clear that if he did you would be raising it with Police, the diocese and the LEA.

This is as inappropriate an interaction, short of physical abuse, I can imagine.

I understand your need to ensure DD has told the truth here but be ready for him to lie to cover his own ass.