Safeguarding

Orchard Academy carries out refresher safeguarding courses for staff annually, which include PREVENT, Female Genital Mutilation, E-Safety, Child Sexual Exploitation and Keeping Children Safe in Education. We revisit our safeguarding policy regularly, and it is updated annually.

Orchard Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Hannah Auger 0750 0559 239 in an emergency.

Our Lead Governor for Safeguarding is Chris Akpakwu - governance@emat.uk

Our Safeguarding Commitment

The Everyone’s Invited campaign has rightly served to focus our minds on the need to continue to work together to protect children.

We, at EMAT, believe that schools play a crucial role in teaching pupils about sex and relationships, equality and diversity and modern citizenship as well as preparing them for the modern world. This is enacted through each school’s culture, its curriculum, and all policies. We aim to give all pupils and staff a voice to enable them to act in a protective manner towards themselves and others. This includes developing a robust whistleblowing culture as well as fostering a culture of integrity and mutual respect.

We recognise that we have the responsibility of tackling sexual violence and harassment, instilling values in our stakeholders and encourage all to be driven by their strong moral compass. Like so much of education, our work must complement that undertaken by parents and carers so that young people receive a consistent message, and they can go about their lives free from harassment and abuse.

All of our schools will continue to engage with their stakeholders, listen to their concerns and signpost necessary support and provision within and beyond its schools. We ask that anyone who has experienced such behaviour, or who is suffering because of it, to report it to an appropriate adult either in the school or within the EMAT team so they can be supported, and steps can be taken to address the issue.

A dedicated NSPCC helpline is now available to support anyone who has experienced sexual abuse in educational settings or has concerns about someone or the issues raised. The dedicated NSPCC helpline number is 0800 136 663 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk.

Staff members can also seek support from the health and wellbeing service which is provided by Vivup via 0330 380 0658 or via Your Care.

If you are troubled about possible wrongdoing at work, please don’t keep it to yourself. Our Speak Up Policy is there to reassure you that it is safe and acceptable to speak up and to enable you to raise any concern you may have at an early stage and in the right way. If you feel unable to raise the matter with your manager, for whatever reason, please raise the matter with:

EMAT Head of Governance & Compliance alexandra.rigler@central.emat.uk
EMAT Head of People & Culture vicky.donnelly@central.emat.uk

If you are unsure about raising a concern you can get free and independent advice from Protect helpline on 020 3117 2520 or by emailing whistle@protect-advice.org.uk.