Policies and Guidelines

 

Safeguarding children

Main Policy Template: Curtis School of Dance

 

At the Curtis School of Dance we recognise that the welfare of children is of paramount importance. We have a responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of all children and young people we work with and have an explicit duty to do so under the Children Act 1989 and 2004 and the Education Act 2002.

A ‘child’ is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age is living independently, in further education, or working does not change his/ her entitlement to services or protection as a child.

 At the Curtis School of Dance we believe that all children without exception have the right to protection from abuse regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs and that no child, or group of children should be treated any less favourably than others in being able to access the services and support to meet their needs. 

All staff and volunteers have a strict duty never to subject a child to any form of harm or abuse. Failure to adhere to these procedures will be treated as gross misconduct. 

Children and their parents/ carers who attend Curtis School of Dance may view our policy where appropriate and a copy will always be kept with Miss Deborah Curtis.

 

Designated safeguarding lead:

The designated safeguarding person (DSP) within our organisation is Mrs D.M. Curtis

​

• Royal Academy of Dance Safeguard Level 1, 2 & 3 - June 2023

 

The Designated Safeguarding Person will advise members of staff and visitors to Curtis School of Dance on best practice and expectations. They will be responsible for the monitoring and recording of any safeguarding concerns and for ensuring that all concerns are shared with the appropriate statutory authorities. 

All staff and volunteers at Curtis School of Dance should be made aware of this policy and should be able to demonstrate their roles and responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, including how to raise concerns with both children’s social care and the police. Staff and volunteers shall be made aware of this through ongoing training and pre work briefings.

 

Overview of responsibilities:

All staff and volunteers must report all concerns to the designated safeguarding lead at the nearest available opportunity.

It is the responsibility of all staff and volunteers at Curtis School Dance to take steps to protect children, to keep them safe from hazards and to take appropriate action in the event of an accident.

 It is the responsibility of all staff and volunteers to take reasonable steps to protect children and young people from harm and abuse while in contact with our organisation and our staff and to report any incident of or suspicion of abuse to the Designated Safeguarding Person or in their absence to the appropriate statutory authority.

All staff working at Curtis School of Dance who have contact with children and young people are required to hold a valid, clear DBS check.

 

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people means:

Protecting children from maltreatment, preventing impairment of a child’s health or development, ensuring that children are growing up with the provision of safe and effective care and taking action to ensure that children have the best life chances. 

At the Curtis School of Dance we will do this by:

• Identifying and responding to concerns about a child or young person

• Providing a safe and happy dance environment

• Supporting development through dance in a way that fosters a sense of belonging / sense of self/ sense of community/ sense of independence

• Supporting young people to communicate freely with us, supporting their communication methods, providing time and space to talk

• Fostering an environment of trust and building appropriate professional relationships

Consent and information sharing: 

Issues of consent are essential to effective safeguarding practice. Additional consent must be sought for any activity that is out of the usual parameters of our work. Basic consents for day to day activities will be sought through enrolment process, (Note: This should include for example photo consent, consent for performances), and appropriate organisational guidance shall be provided to ensure those consenting have clear and transparent information on what they are consenting to. 

Significant harm is no exception to this. Before making a referral to Children’s Social Care parents or carers must be informed that you are doing so, including the reasons why and must be asked for consent to do this.  It should be noted however that in cases where parents, carers or children do not agree to information being shared you are still able to refer to Children’s Social Care without consent but it is important to explain clearly to social care why consent cannot be established and to make a record of this. 

Instances where you may not wish to seek consent are where:

• Discussion with parents/ carers could place the child or other members of their family at increased risk

• The child is in immediate danger (e.g. requires medical attention)

• Having the discussion with parents may put you or another member of staff at risk.

It is often necessary to share information to provide support and prevent impairment or to protect a child from harm. Decisions to share will be appropriate, necessary and proportionate.  You must record your decision and the reasons for it, whether or not you choose to share information. If you decide to share you should record what you shared and who you shared with. 

Child protection:

Is part of safeguarding children and promoting welfare. It refers to activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.

This is about abuse and maltreatment of a child. Someone may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them, or by others (for example over the internet.) They may be abused by an adult or adults or another child/ children. Abuse may be physical, emotional, sexual, neglectful or multiple types of abuse. Please see appendix A for definitions of types of abuse.  

 

All staff and volunteers should be able to recognise, and know how to act upon evidence that a child’s health or development is being impaired or that the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. All concern about harm must be recorded and shared with the Designated Safeguarding person.

No professional should assume that another will pass on information about the safety of a child.  If a professional has concerns about a child’s welfare and believe they are or are likely to suffer significant harm they have a responsibility to inform Children’s social care.

Seeking medical attention:

If a child has a physical injury, and there are concerns of abuse, medical attention should be sought immediately. Any safeguarding concerns should be shared with ambulance or hospital staff and then must be reported to children’s social care.

Nothing should be allowed to delay urgent medical treatment. 

Referring a concern and your DSP:

Our Designated safeguarding person will act on behalf of the Curtis School of Dance in referring concerns or allegations of harm to Children’s social care or the police as appropriate. If the designated safeguarding lead is in any doubt information should be shared with children’s social care for a second opinion. It is not the role of the DSP to investigate only to collate information, clarify details of the concern and facilitate information sharing. In the absence of the DSP the individual who has the concern is responsible for contacting children’s social care and the information should be shared with the DSP retrospectively.  

 

Protection of children:

At the Curtis School of Dance we will make every effort to protect children from harm when they are visiting our setting/ attending our classes. We will do this through: 

 

• Provision of safeguarding training for all staff and volunteers 

• Appropriate recruitment and selection procedures 

• Ensuring all staff and volunteers hold clear current DBS checks

• We will take all reasonable steps to ensure health safety and welfare for all those who access our organisation

• We will take all practicable steps to ensure that no one working with us or for us would put a child in a situation of unreasonable risk to their health and safety.

• We will not harm or abuse children within our care and will take all reasonable steps to ensure no one working with us or around us within the community could harm or abuse a child in our care. 

• We will ensure good reporting to our DSP and onward to children’s social care where ever we suspect harm and will foster an environment of good communication, transparency and trust.   

• All involved with our organisation will follow our code of conduct which can be found on our website under the policy Tab.

 

Allegations against staff members/ volunteers:

​

If any member of staff has concerns about another member of staff or volunteer at the Curtis School of Dance such as

• Believing they have behaved in a way that has harmed or may cause harm to a child

• Having possibly committed a criminal offence against or relating to a child

• Behaved toward a child in a way that indicates he/ she is unsuitable to work with children. (This could include both children within the work place, children within the community or their own children). 

The allegation or concern should be reported to the Principal with responsibility for dealing with allegations immediately. This is Mrs D M Curtis.

Neither the member of staff who has raised the concern/ allegation nor the member of staff who is alleged against should be allowed to question children or be part of any further investigation.

The designated manager for The Curtis School of Dance will report the matter to the Local Authority designated Officer (LADO). 

If an allegation or concern arises about a member of staff, outside of their work with children, and this may present a risk or harm to a child/ren for which that member of staff is responsible, the general principles outlined in this policy will still apply. 

 

This policy will be reviewed annually.

Date of last review  09/02/24

Signed  Mrs D.M. Curtis (Designated Safeguarding Person)

 

Appendix A:

​

Definitions of abuse:

Physical abuse: A form of abuse that may involve hitting shaking throwing poisoning burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of or deliberately causes illness in a child.

 

Emotional abuse: The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as too cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless, unloved inadequate, or valued in so far as they meet the needs of another person only, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as the over protection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the Ill treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (or cyber bullying), causing children to frequently feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone. 

Sexual abuse: Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing rubbing, touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. 

Neglect: The persistent failure to meet a child’s physical and/ or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, clothing, and shelter (including exclusion from home and abandonment); protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care givers); ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include an unresponsiveness to a child’s basic emotional needs.  

 

This is not a complete list, just examples. It is essential to remember it is not the role of staff or volunteers to determine whether abuse has taken place. It is simply to identify concerns and share them first with the DSP and then the Local Authority.

 

Appendix B:

​

Harm or the potential harm to a child may come to your attention in a number of ways:

• Information given to you by the child, his/ her friends a family member or close associate

• The child’s behaviour may become different from the usual, be significantly different from the behaviour of their peers, be bizarre or unusual or may involve ‘acting out’ harmful situations through play. 

• An injury may arouse suspicion if; it does not compare with the explanation given, different individuals give different explanations, the child appears anxious when discussing the injury, a child is pre mobile or has limited mobility and is bruised. 

• Suspicion is raised as a picture of events is built up over time

• A child or young person is known to be having contact with an individual/s that have been identified as presenting a potential risk of harm to children. 

• A parents behaviour before the birth of a child may indicate the likelihood of significant harm to an unborn child for example substance misuse. 

 

Appendix C:

​

Managing a disclosure from a child:

• Listen carefully

• Do not ask leading or probing questions

• Never stop an individual who is talking freely

• Never promise to keep a secret

• Be reassuring they have done the right thing in disclosing

• Following the disclosure record the information and pass it on to your DPS.

 

Additional/Supporting School Policies

 

Code of Conduct

 

Unacceptable Behaviour

​

Curtis School of Dance states that any unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated, either within the Dance Studio or at any event/performance where the Curtis School of Dance is being represented.

Unacceptable behaviour may result in the pupil's exclusion from the school. Unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated off parents/carers or other family members and could result in parent/carers or family members been banned from events/performances. 

Unacceptable behaviour includes - swearing, spitting, fighting and derogatory comments towards others.

Most importantly whilst at examinations/performances/events you are all ambassadors and representatives of the Curtis School of Dance and we expect you to behave in an appropriate/acceptable manner.

You are encouraged to fully support your school and the dancers within it.

Should any issues arise that are a cause for concern, please let Deborah know and we will deal with the situation appropriately.

 

Class Etiquette

​

• Arrive on time

• Wear the appropriate footwear and dance wear

 • Act in a polite and well mannered fashion towards teachers and students

• No food in the studio

• Only capped water bottles allowed in the studio

• Ask if needed, permission to leave during a lesson

• No hot drinks or takeout food allowed in the waiting premises

• No bad language to be used 

• No smoking or drinking of alcohol

​

Late Policy 

 

If your child is more than ten minutes late then they will not be allowed to participate in the class as we will have warmed up by this point and it is not safe for your child to join a class without warming up. 

 

Uniform Policy 

​

After attending the dance school for one month you will be expected to wear the correct dance uniform. Students need to ensure they are wearing the Curtis School of Dance uniform to lessons, no other brands or logos should be worn. To ensure health and safety is met during lessons students should not wear jewellery, tie their hair back and not chew gum during lessons. 

 

Break Policy 

​

I am aware that some students have breaks and sometimes get dropped off early and like to wait before their lessons start. I am happy for this to continue as long as parents understand that I am not responsible for them during this time. I would certainly advise that younger students are not left by themselves during break times. The dance school is not responsible for any items or valuables during lesson times. For more guidance please see the unsupervised child policy.

 

Collecting your child

​

All parents/carers must come into the centre to collect their child if they are under 12yrs.

​

Possible bad weather disruptions or cancellation of classes

​

In the event of bad weather I will make a decision as early as possible as to cancel dance or not. Notices will be sent out via text and email. Notices will also be put on the school website, facebook and twitter. The above procedure will also apply if lessons are cancelled for any other reason they will be carried over to the next term or can be made up with other classes through the week. 

​

Attending other dance schools

​

I am happy for students to participate in other dance or performing art opportunities outside the dance school. However, I would strongly advise students do not take lessons in the core subjects at other dance schools and also at mine as this causes confusion for the child as the techniques used may conflict. The core subjects are Ballet, Tap and Modern. I also need to be made aware if your child is attending another dance school as it affects the pin number I give them for examinations. If your child’s commitments to another dance establishment starts to conflict with the ethos of the Curtis School of Dance your child will be asked to consider giving up lessons at one of the establishments. 

 

Waiting Areas

​

All people using the waiting areas need to show respect to all other members of the school. Please ensure that your conversations are child friendly and no student should overhear bad language or swearing. 

Please note that waiting areas are for students and their parents/carers only please do not bring friends/boyfriends/girlfriends to wait for you during classes. 

​

Absence 

​

If your child has poor attendance they may not be entered for exams or performances. In popular classes where there is a waiting list, if your child’s attendance falls below 80% (in a half term) your place maybe given to a student on the waiting list 

 

Illness 

​

If a child is ill and not able to dance, please do not send them to class. Due to Health and Safety and the health of other students, students who are ill will not be allowed to watch the class either. If a child becomes too ill to dance during a lesson I will phone their parent/guardian and they will need to be collected from dance.

 

If your child is injured (for example broken arm, sprained ankle) they may be able to watch the class, however this needs to be discussed with Deborah prior to the lesson. 

​

If your child is returning to dance after a serious illness or injury a disclaimer will need to be signed to ensure your dancer is fit to participate in class. 

​

​

Guidance and Policy for Unsupervised Children

 

What age can children be left unsupervised at dance (including classes, exams, shows or other events run by the CSD)? 

​

•The NSPCC recommends that all children under 13 years must be supervised by their parent, carer or guardian. This is due to concerns that they may not be mature enough to deal with an emergency or certain situations. 

​

•It is a parent’s decision as to what age they allow their child to attend dance venues unsupervised. 

 

•It is a parent’s responsibility to teach their child how to respond to emergencies or situations that may arise outside the house, so they feel confident when their child is not under their supervision. 

 

CSD & CDA policy on unsupervised children 

•Children in lessons are under the care and supervision of the principal teacher and or any other cover teacher 

 

•Children who have breaks between classes or wait for classes to start are NOT under the supervision or responsibility of the dance school, the venue in which classes take place are also NOT responsible for your child during these times. Children under the age of 13 years should be supervised during any break times when taking dance classes. It is the parent’s responsibility to put plans into place to find suitable supervision during break times and the child should be informed of this. 

 

•At dance events such as shows and performances the CSD will ensure all children are supervised by the correct amount of chaperones backstage. These chaperones will have attended an in house child protection meeting and be aware of the dance school’s policy regarding supervising children.

 

• At other dance events such as exams and competitions children under the age of 13 years old should be supervised by an adult over the age of 18 years+ 

​

Health and Safety

​

Curtis School of Dance takes seriously their responsibility to ensure the safety of their pupils. All pupils must complete an Enrolment Form when joining the school with clear information regarding emergency contacts and any relevant medical history. 

A copy of emergency contact numbers will be kept on class registers.

 

1. It is the parent's responsibility to notify the school of any changes to their emergency contact details

2. In case of a Fire emergency all teachers have a clear understanding of responsibilities.  They must be understood by all following the procedures of the relevant centre. 

3. The School will undertake regular assessment of risks regarding premises hired and any concerns will be raised with the providers

4. We are committed to ensuring all employees/volunteers are competent to do their tasks and to give them adequate training

5. It is the school's responsibility to keep a fully equipped First Aid Box at all hired premises. In case of an incident – an Accident / Incident report must be made

6. If required the school will contact the emergency services first, then the parent / guardian of the student(s) involved by the telephone number on the class registers

7. Parents understand that dance is as active as any sport, and whilst every effort is made to avoid them, injuries can happen. The school accepts no responsibility for injuries sustained via any means other than a teacher's negligence

8. Pupils will be supervised during class time only and parents / carers must ensure the safety of their children in the waiting, changing and toilet areas

9. Students/parents or guardians should inform the teacher of any special health considerations or existing injuries before participating in class

10. Parents must be responsible for ensuring your child's punctuality. Teachers are not available to supervise late pickups. Students may be refused entry if they are continuously late for class as they are missing out on warming up safely for class

11. Dress code must be observed at all times, especially footwear for safe dance practice. Only indoor dance shoes to be worn in the studio to protect the floor and for health and safety

12. Pupils should not wear any jewellery that may pose a risk to themselves or others (stud earrings, and jewellery worn for religious or cultural reasons are acceptable)

13. No food (or chewing gum) is allowed in the studio. Water is permitted in cap bottles

14. Please ensure that the elastics on your child's ballet shoes are secure and neither too loose nor too tight 

 

Public Insurance Liability

​

The principal of CSD & CDA has public liability insurance and the certificate is kept in house.  Any locum teacher who teach classes will be either covered via this insurance, or will have their own personal insurance.  

 

Smoking Policy

​

CSD & CDA has a non-smoking policy, and smoking is not permitted anywhere within the centres where lessons take place. This is due to the health hazards of smoking and passive smoking, and also because the centres regularly hold activities which involve young children. 

​

Drugs & Alcohol Policy

​

Curtis School of Dance has a strict no drugs & alcohol policy.  Any pupil, teacher or volunteer found using drugs or alcohol whilst attending classes or working at the school, will be presented with a verbal warning.  Parents will be advised if the pupil is under the age of 18 years.

 

Child Protection Policy 

​

Curtis School of Dance believes that:

• The welfare of children is vital

• All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse

• All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately

• All staff (paid/voluntary) working in dance have a responsibility to report concerns to the principal or other identified staff

 

The dance school has a duty of care to safeguard all children involved in dance from harm. All children have a right to protection and the needs of disabled children and others who may be particularly vulnerable must be taken into account. The dance school will ensure the safety and protection of all children involved in dance through adherence to the Child Protection guidelines.A child is defined as under 18 The Children Act 1989.

​

Policy Aims

​

The aim of the Curtis School of Dance Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice:

• Providing children and young people with appropriate safety and protection whilst in the care of the studio

• Allow all staff/volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues

 

Promoting Good Practice

​

Curtis School of Dance will encourage the following:

• Always working in an open environment (e.g. avoid private or unobserved situations and encouraging an open environment i.e. no secrets)

• Treating all young people/disabled adults equally, and with respect and dignity

• Always putting the welfare of each young person first, before winning or achieving goals

• Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with dancers (e.g. it is not appropriate to have an intimate relationship with a child)

• Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust which empowers children to share in the decision making process

• Making dance fun, enjoyable and promoting fair play

• Ensuring that if any form of manual/physical support is required, it should be provided openly and according to guidelines provided by the RAD & ISTD. Care is needed, as it is difficult to maintain hand positions when the child is constantly moving. Young people should always be consulted and their agreement gained. Some parents are becoming increasingly sensitive about manual support and their views should always be carefully considered

• Keeping up to date with the technical skills, qualifications and insurance in dance

• Involving parents/carers wherever possible (e.g. for the responsibility of their children in the changing rooms). If groups have to be supervised in the changing rooms, always ensure parents/teachers/coaches/officials work in pairs

• Being an excellent role model – this includes not smoking or drinking alcohol in the company of young people

• Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism• Recognising the developments/ needs and capacity of young people and disabled adults – avoiding excessive training or competition and not pushing them against their will

• Keeping a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given.

• Requesting written parental consent if dance centre officials are required to transport young people in their cars

 

Practice not acceptable You should never:

• Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games• Share a room with a child

• Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching

• Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged

• Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun 

• Reduce a child to tears as a form of control

• Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon

• Do things of a personal nature for children or disabled adults that they can do for themselves

 

Guidelines for use of photographic filming at dance events

​

Videoing as a training aid: there is no intention to prevent the use of video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid. However, dancers and their parents/carers should be aware that this is part of the coaching programme and care will be taken in the storage of such films. If any other kind of photographic material or video of your child is required e.g. DVD of a performance or for advertisement material then parental permission will be accepted as as given when form of participation is filled in. Students/parents/carers are not allowed to record or take photos during classes or performances.

 

Recruitment and selecting staff and volunteers

Curtis School of Dance recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse children in some way and that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure that unsuitable people are prevented from working with children. When undertaking pre selection checks the following should be included:

• All staff should complete an application form. This will elect information about an applicant’s past and a self disclosure about any criminal record

• Consent should be obtained from an applicant to seek information from the Criminal Records Bureau (DBS CHECK)

• Two confidential references, including one regarding previous work with children. These references must be taken up and confirmed through telephone contact

• Evidence of identity (passport or driving licence with photo)

 

Responding to suspicions or allegations

It is not the responsibility of anyone working in the Dance Studio in a paid or unpaid capacity to take responsibility or to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities.The dance school will assure all staff/volunteers that it will fully support and protect anyone, who in good faith reports his or her concern that a colleague/volunteer is or may be abusing a child.When there is a complaint against a member of staff there may be three types of investigation:

• A criminal investigation. 

• A child protection investigation.

 • A disciplinary or misconduct investigation. 

The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence the disciplinary investigation.

 

Suspected abuse

​

Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a volunteer should be reported to the principal who will take such steps as considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question and any other child who may be at risk.

Action to help the victim and prevent bullying in dance

• Take all signs of bullying very seriously

• Encourage all children to speak and share their concerns• Help the victim to speak out and tell the person in charge or someone of authority

• Create an open environment• Investigate all allegations and take action to ensure the victim is safe

• Speak with the victim and the bully/ies separately

• Reassure the victim that you can be trusted and will help them, although you cannot promise to tell anyone else

• Keep records of what is said (what happened by whom, when etc)

• Report any concerns to the Principal

 

Action towards bullies

​

• Talk with the bully/ies explain the situation and try to get the bully/ies to understand the consequences of their behaviour• Seek an apology to the victim/s.

 • Inform the bully’s parents

• Provide support for the teacher of the victim

• Impose sanctions as necessary

• Encourage and support the bully/ies to change behaviour

 • Hold meetings with the families to report on progress

 • Inform all appropriate members of the action taken

 • Keep a written record of action taken (whom, when etc)