Safeguarding

Ark Acton Academy is a community and all those directly connected (staff, governors, parents, families, and pupils) have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure. We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children with their best interests at the centre of our work.

Ark Acton Academy recognises the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help children to feel safe, secure, and respected. We encourage children to talk openly about anything that worries them, and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to. Adults in our school take all welfare concerns seriously and are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect.

They are rigorously trained to follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection, and justice. There are four main elements to our safeguarding policy:

• Prevention (e.g., positive, supportive, safe school culture, curriculum and pastoral opportunities for children, safer recruitment procedures);
• Protection (by following the agreed procedures, ensuring all staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to safeguarding concerns);
• Support (for all students, parents and staff, and where appropriate specific intervention for those who may be at risk of harm);
• Working with parents and other agencies (to ensure appropriate communications and actions are undertaken).

Below are links to resources where you can anonymously report concerns and find further support.

If you have a concern that a child or children are being harmed, at risk of harm, or you receive a disclosure (intentionally or unintentionally) you must report it immediately to one of our designated safeguarding leads.