"Safeguarding is the name given to individuals and organisations working together to protect and promote the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults." 

At Ark Victoria Academy we take safeguarding very seriously. All adults who regularly work on our site are required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to prevent unsuitable people from working with students. All visitors are closely supervised when on site. We make sure that all visitors are told our safeguarding policy and agree to it before they are let through our doors. 
 

Safeguarding legislation and government guidance says that safeguarding means:

• Protecting children from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of children’s health or development
• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
• Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes

Our first priority is your child’s welfare and therefore there may be occasions when our concern about your child means that we have to consult other agencies even before we contact you. The procedures we follow have been laid down by Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board. If you want to know more about this procedure, please speak to the Headteacher.

In addition, when staff become aware of or feel the need to become involved in situations where there is a risk of children being involved in any of the following:

• Self-harming
• Causing injury to other children, staff, parents and visitors
• Causing damage to property

Staff will make dynamic or planned risk assessments to help keep all children safe. The Children Act 1989 makes it clear that in any decision involving a child “the paramount consideration must be the child’s welfare”.

Please read our Student Welfare poster here: Student Safeguarding Welfare Poster 2023.pdf

Safeguarding Policy

You can download our full safeguarding policy here - Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.pdf

Keeping Children safe in Education - KCSIE_2022_revised DFE Guidance.pdf

Personal Safety

There are some very useful resources on the NSPCC underwear rule webpage (please see the NSPCC link below).  These include a video for parents, downloadable leaflets in a variety of languages and advice on specialist situations such as discussing personal safety with children who have a learning disability.

We would request that all parents take some time to read the NSPCC advice and talk with their children about this sensitive but important subject.

NSPCC

Top tips for building cyber resilience at home

Top tips for building cyber resilience at home.pdf

Supporting-Young-People-Online.pdf

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about iPads

Please click here for more information

Prevent

From 1 July 2015 all schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have "due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism". This duty is known as the Prevent duty.  It is intended to help schools  think about what they can do to protect children from the risk of radicalisation and suggests how they can access support to do this.

In order for schools and childcare providers to fulfil the Prevent duty, it is essential that staff are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, and know what to do when they are identified. 

Schools  can build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling them to challenge extremist views. It is important to emphasise that the Prevent duty is not intended to stop pupils debating controversial issues. On the contrary, schools should provide a safe space in which children, young people and staff can understand the risks associated with terrorism and develop the knowledge and skills to be able to challenge extremist arguments.

Prevent Parent Leaflet.pdf

Bonfire Night

Fire Safety Information

Roshni Domestic Abuse Helpline

Roshni Counselling Flyer.pdf