Safeguarding at SV Academy

Every Student. Every Day. Everyone's Responsibility.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is at the heart of everything we do at SV Academy.

We are committed to providing a safe, caring, respectful and inclusive learning environment where every student aged 13–19 feels protected, valued and supported to achieve their full potential.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Every member of staff, volunteer, governor, contractor and visitor has a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of our students.

Our safeguarding culture is child-centred, meaning that the welfare, safety and best interests of every young person remain at the centre of every decision we make.

Our Commitment

SV Academy is committed to:

Protecting every student from abuse, neglect, exploitation and harm.
Providing a safe and secure learning environment.
Promoting students' physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
Listening to students and ensuring their voices are heard.
Encouraging students to speak to trusted adults if they have concerns about themselves or others.
Identifying safeguarding concerns at the earliest opportunity.
Working closely with parents, carers, local authorities and safeguarding partners.
Maintaining a strong safeguarding culture across the academy.
Providing regular safeguarding and child protection training for all staff.
Continuously reviewing and strengthening our safeguarding arrangements.

Statutory Guidance

Our safeguarding arrangements are informed by current legislation and statutory guidance, including:

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Children Act 1989
Children Act 2004
Education Act 2002
Equality Act 2010
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (Prevent Duty)
Data Protection Act 2018
UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
Human Rights Act 1998
Independent School Standards
Online Safety legislation and statutory guidance

Designated Safeguarding Team

SV Academy has an experienced safeguarding team responsible for leading all safeguarding and child protection matters.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Sonia Ramanah

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead(s)

Will Conn

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is responsible for:

Managing safeguarding and child protection concerns.
Making referrals to Children's Social Care where appropriate.
Liaising with external safeguarding agencies.
Supporting staff with safeguarding advice and guidance.
Maintaining confidential safeguarding records.
Coordinating Early Help support.
Ensuring safeguarding training remains current.
Monitoring safeguarding practice across the academy.

What We Safeguard Against

Our safeguarding procedures cover a wide range of safeguarding risks, including:

Physical abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect
Domestic abuse
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)
County Lines
Modern slavery
Human trafficking
Online abuse
Grooming
Sextortion
Child-on-child abuse
Sexual harassment
Sexual violence
Bullying
Cyberbullying
Radicalisation and extremism
Prevent Duty
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Forced marriage
Honour-based abuse
Missing children
Mental health concerns
Self-harm
Suicide risk
Substance misuse
Serious youth violence
Criminal exploitation
Contextual safeguarding
Online safety risks
Artificial Intelligence misuse
Gaming and social media risks

Online Safety

Online safety is an integral part of safeguarding at SV Academy.

Students are taught how to:

Stay safe online.
Protect their personal information.
Recognise online grooming.
Report inappropriate content.
Use social media responsibly.
Identify misinformation and deepfakes.
Use Artificial Intelligence responsibly.
Protect themselves from cybercrime.
Develop healthy online relationships.

The academy uses appropriate filtering, monitoring and digital safeguarding systems to help protect students while using school technology.

Student Wellbeing

Safeguarding extends beyond child protection.

We actively promote:

Positive mental health
Emotional wellbeing
Healthy relationships
Good attendance
Personal development
Respect
Diversity
Inclusion
British Values
Online resilience
Healthy lifestyles

Every student has access to trusted adults who can provide guidance, support and appropriate intervention whenever required.

Safer Recruitment

SV Academy is committed to safer recruitment practices.

All staff, governors, volunteers and contractors undergo appropriate pre-employment checks, which may include:

Enhanced DBS checks
Children's Barred List checks
Identity verification
Qualification checks
Employment history verification
Professional references
Right to Work checks
Prohibition from Teaching checks
Section 128 checks (where applicable)

The academy maintains a fully compliant Single Central Record in accordance with statutory requirements.

Staff Training

Safeguarding training is mandatory for all members of staff.

Training includes:

Safeguarding induction
Annual safeguarding updates
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
Prevent Duty
Online Safety
Child Protection
Low-Level Concerns
Professional Boundaries
Whistleblowing
Mental Health Awareness

The Designated Safeguarding Lead receives enhanced specialist safeguarding training together with regular statutory updates.

Reporting a Safeguarding Concern

If you are concerned about the safety or welfare of a student at SV Academy, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately.

All concerns are taken seriously and managed in accordance with statutory safeguarding procedures.

Where appropriate, concerns may be referred to:

Children's Social Care
Police
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
Health Services
Early Help Services
Other safeguarding partners

If a child or young person is in immediate danger, always call 999 immediately.

Our Safeguarding Culture

Safeguarding is embedded throughout every aspect of academy life.

We strive to create an environment where:

Students feel safe.
Students know who to speak to.
Staff remain professionally curious.
Concerns are acted upon promptly.
Every student is listened to.
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.
Continuous improvement is encouraged.

Safeguarding Policies

The following safeguarding-related documents are available to download:

Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy
Staff Code of Conduct
Online Safety Policy
Behaviour Policy
Anti-Bullying Policy
Whistleblowing Policy
Low-Level Concerns Policy
Safer Recruitment Policy
Prevent Risk Assessment

Policy Information

Contact the Safeguarding Team

If you have any safeguarding concerns or require advice, please contact our safeguarding team.

Designated Safeguarding Lead: Sonia Ramanah

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Will Conn

📧 Safeguarding Email: head@streetvibes.org

📞 Telephone: 02030318240

Safeguarding Policy