Safeguarding

We work closely with parents and multi-agency services to ensure that all our students are protected. We teach all of our students to keep themselves safe both in and out of the Academy, in person and when they are on the internet. We encourage and support students to become more independent and self disciplined and ensure that through our Personal Development (PD) and RE curriculum students are taught about there own wellbeing and fundamental British Values. The PD curriculum includes sex and relationships education, drugs education, keeping yourself safe online and sections on British Vales such as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. As a happy, safe and tolerant community we ensure all students, staff parents and visitors are treated with dignity and respect.

Our Safeguarding Team

We have two members of staff who have the leadership of child protection along with all of our heads of year who are DSL Level trained. Our DSL is Ms Sidhu and our deputy DSL is Mr Whitley. You can contact them directly by clicking on the text below their picture:

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Ms Sidhu.	Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mr Whitley

Our Child Protection Policy

Our child protection reflects the changes in national policy and is reviewed annually by the governors. A copy of the policy can be found on our policy page. In the Academy a safeguarding team meets each month to review health and safety processes, the academy network security, site safety, child protection concerns and safeguarding education. It is important that all aspects of safeguarding are talked about regularly.

Helping your child keep safe online – useful links

The internet, mobile devices, apps and social media have allowed students to develop their education in ways that were unimaginable 10 years ago. With the opportunities to communicate freely and openly with people across the world, there is also the danger that students can become involved or victims of cyberbullying and unwanted attention. All of our students are regularly reminded of the importance of internet safety and keeping safe both on and offline. Through PD, assemblies and the computing curriculum students are given the tools to deal with the online world. One way that this website helps is by having the ‘click CEOP’ button at the bottom of every page. This ensures that students are one click away from help if they need it.

The internet can be a daunting place for parents too. Below we have put together some links and information to help you and your son or daughter stay safe:

• For advice on all types of bullying and a parental guide to cyberbullying, please visit the Department for Education anti-bullying pages.
• For advice for parents and students, the think you know? campaign has a range of resources.
• The internet matters campaign shows parents how to protect their computer networks and gives advice on how to stay safe online. There are also a range of useful links to help you stay safe online.
• If your child sees something unsafe or illegal online you can report it by clicking on the CEOP button or by using ParentPort.

Preventing extremism

We are all committed to protecting young people from harm. The Educate against hate website has a number of resources around protecting young people from extremism. There is a useful parent section if you are worried about your child.

Operation Encompass

Our Academy is part of Operation Encompass. 

Operation Encompass is a national police and education early intervention safeguarding partnership which supports children and young people who experience Domestic Violence and Abuse and which is in place in every police force in England and Wales.

Children were recognised as victims of domestic abuse in their own right in the 2021 Domestic Abuse Act.

Operation Encompass means that the police will share information with the Academy about all police-attended Domestic Abuse incidents which involve any of our students PRIOR to the start of the next school day.

In practice, this means that Police will share information with First Response who will phone the Academy between 8 and 8.30am and ask to speak with the Principal or a Designated Safeguarding Lead. The school will be informed simply that there was an incident and the name of the student. The First Response Children’s Duty (FRCD) Officer making the phone call will not be in a position to give more information at that point.

By knowing that a student has had this experience, the Academy is in a better position to be supportive and understanding of the student’s needs and possible behaviours. The DSL will share this information on a need to know basis.

Families will be reminded of the Academy’s engagement with the Operation Encompass through reminders in letters home. For more information about the initiative, visit https://www.operationencompass.org/