Policies

Introduction to this Policy

At Tottington High School, we are committed to providing a fully accessible environment, which values and includes all pupils, staff, parents and visitors regardless of their educational, physical, sensory, social, spiritual, emotional and cultural needs. We are committed to challenging negative attitudes about disability and accessibility and to developing a culture of awareness, tolerance and inclusion.
Tottington High School plans, over time, to increase the accessibility of provision for all pupils, staff and visitors to the school. The Accessibility Plan contains relevant actions to:

• Improve access to the physical environment of the school, adding specialist facilities as necessary. This covers improvements to the physical environment of the school and physical aids to access education.
• Increase access to the curriculum for pupils with a disability, expanding the curriculum as necessary to ensure that pupils with a disability are as equally, prepared for life as others. This covers teaching, learning and the wider curriculum of the school. It also covers the provision of specialist aids and equipment, which may assist pupils in accessing the curriculum.
• Improve the delivery of written information to pupils, staff, parents and visitors with disabilities.

Accessibility Plan

The Shaw Education Trust wishes to provide all students the best possible educational opportunities available within the funds allocated by the Education and Skills Funding Authority.

The law states that education during normal academy hours is free of any compulsory charge to parents/carers, and the Trust is committed to uphold the legal requirements. However, educationally valuable activities have been and will continue to be dependent on financial contributions in whole or in part from parents/carers.

The Trust’s concern is to keep financial contributions to a reasonable minimum, and to ensure as far as possible that all children are able to take part, irrespective of their circumstances.

The law recognises that charges may be made to parents/carers in certain defined circumstances – provided that the Trusts academies have identified the activities for which charges will be made, and has explained the basis on which charges may be reduced or waived for certain students.

Charges and Remissions Policy

Introduction

Tottington High School is concerned that all pupils remain safe, free from harm and is committed to playing a full and active part in the multi-agency response to child protection concerns. Additionally, the school has a legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and to have a child protection policy to meet Department for Education and Skills and Department of Health requirements.

Through their day to day contact with pupils, and direct work with families, education staff have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect. Parents should be aware therefore that where it appears to a member of staff that a child may have been abused, the school is required, as part of the local child protection procedures to report their concern to Social Care immediately. To avoid any misunderstandings therefore, parents of children who sustain accidental injuries which result in cuts/bruises/fractures should inform the school without delay.

Principles

Children have a right to be safe.

Parents have a right to be informed.

Children are best protected when parents and school can work together.

Partnership

School will inform parents of any concerns about their children (providing it does not compromise the pupil’s safety) and will help and support them as necessary.

Prevention

School will take positive action to prevent children suffering abuse and neglect through the development of an open culture that informs children of their rights and encourages them to speak about any concerns. The school will also address the issue of children’s safety through the curriculum.

Responding to Concerns

School will refer all allegations or concerns that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected to Social Care within the Children’s Services Department. School will consult with other agencies when it has concerns that a child may have been abused or neglected. School will discuss with parents any concerns they have about children. Parents will be kept informed of what has happened.

Child/Child Abuse

Physical and emotional abuse of children by other children will be dealt with through the school’s anti-bullying policy. Parents will be kept informed. All concerns about possible sexual abuse will be referred to Social Care.

Child Protection Conferences

School will attend conferences and provide information about children and families. This information will be shared with parents beforehand. School will keep confidential child protection records separately from a pupil’s academic and other school records.

Confidentiality

Information from parents about possible child abuse cannot be kept confidential. Information and records about children on the Child Protection Register will be given only to those people who need it and will be kept strictly confidential by them.

Please see the Safeguarding Policy available below:

Safeguarding Children & Encompass

Report a Safeguarding Consern

BURY ENCOMPASS COMMITMENT

As part of Tottington High School’s commitment to keeping children safe we have signed up to implement the principles and aims of the Encompass Model.

In signing up to Encompass the Governing Body and Senior Leadership Team:

• Endorse the Encompass Model and support the Key Adults in our school to fulfil the requirements of the Bury Encompass Protocol.
• Promote and implement Bury Encompass processes and use these in accordance with internal safeguarding children processes.
• Recognise the sensitive nature of the information provided and ensure that this is retained in accordance with the principles of data protection.

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Operation Encompass

Introduction to this Policy

Everyone has rights with regard to how their personal information is handled. During the course of our activities we will process personal information about a number of different groups of people and we recognise that we need to treat it in an appropriate and lawful manner. This personal information is collected by the academies within the Trust, but also by the central team who work for the Trust.

The type of information that we may be required to handle include details of job applicants, current, past and prospective employees, pupils, parents / carers and other members of pupils’ families, directors, academy councillors, members suppliers and other individuals that we communicate with. The information, which may be held on paper or on a computer or other media, is subject to certain legal safeguards specified in the GDPR and other legislation. The GDPR imposes restrictions on how we may use that information.

Data Protection Policy

Equality Objectives

Equality Policy

Digital technologies have become integral to the lives of children and young people, both within schools and outside school. These technologies are powerful tools, which open up new opportunities for everyone. These technologies can stimulate discussion, promote creativity and stimulate awareness of context to promote effective learning. Young people should have an entitlement to safe internet access at all times.

This Acceptable Use Policy is intended to ensure:

• that young people will be responsible users and stay safe while using the internet and other digital  technologies for educational, personal and recreational use.
• that school systems and users are protected from accidental or deliberate misuse that could put the security of the systems and users at risk.

The school will try to ensure that students will have good access to digital technologies to enhance their learning and will, in return, expect the students to agree to be responsible users.

Acceptable Use Policy Agreement

I understand that I must use school ICT systems in a responsible way, to ensure that there is no risk to my safety or to the safety and security of the ICT systems and other users.

For my own personal safety:

• I understand that the school will monitor my use of the systems, devices and digital communications.
• I will keep my username and password safe and secure – I will not share it, nor will I try to use any other person’s username and password. I understand that I should not write down or store a password where it is possible that someone may steal it.
• I will be aware of “stranger danger”, when I am communicating on-line.
• I will not disclose or share personal information about myself or others when on-line (this could include names, addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers, age, gender, educational details, financial details etc )
• I will not I arrange to meet people off-line that I have communicated with on-line without parental knowledge.
• I will immediately report any unpleasant or inappropriate material or messages or anything that makes me feel uncomfortable when I see it on-line.

I understand that everyone has equal rights to use technology as a resource and:

• I understand that the school systems and devices are primarily intended for educational use and that I will not use them for personal or recreational use unless I have permission.
• I will not try (unless I have permission) to make large downloads or uploads that might take up internet capacity and prevent other users from being able to carry out their work.
• I will not use the school systems or devices for on-line gaming, on-line gambling, internet shopping, file sharing, or video broadcasting (eg YouTube), unless I have permission of a member of staff to do so.

I will act as I expect others to act toward me:

• I will respect others’ work and property and will not access, copy, remove or otherwise alter any other user’s files, without the owner’s knowledge and permission.
• I will be polite and responsible when I communicate with others, I will not use strong, aggressive or inappropriate language and I appreciate that others may have different opinions.
• I will not take or distribute images of anyone without their permission.

I recognise that the school has a responsibility to maintain the security and integrity of the technology it offers me and to ensure the smooth running of the school:

• I will only use my own personal devices (mobile phones / USB devices etc) in school if I have permission). I understand that, if I do use my own devices in the school, I will follow the rules set out in this agreement, in the same way as if I was using school equipment.
• I understand the risks and will not try to upload, download or access any materials which are illegal or inappropriate or may cause harm or distress to others, nor will I try to use any programmes or software that might allow me to bypass the filtering / security systems in place to prevent access to such materials.
• I will immediately report any damage or faults involving equipment or software, however this may have happened.
• I will not open any hyperlinks in emails or any attachments to emails, unless I know and trust the person / organisation who sent the email, or if I have any concerns about the validity of the email (due to the risk of the attachment containing viruses or other harmful programmes)
• I will not install or attempt to install or store programmes of any type on any school device, nor will I try to alter computer settings.
• I will only use social media sites with permission and at the times that are allowed.

When using the internet for research or recreation, I recognise that:

• I should ensure that I have permission to use the original work of others in my own work
• Where work is protected by copyright, I will not try to download copies (including music and videos)
• When I am using the internet to find information, I should take care to check that the information that I access is accurate, as I understand that the work of others may not be truthful and may be a deliberate attempt to mislead me.

I understand that I am responsible for my actions, both in and out of school:

• I understand that the school also has the right to take action against me if I am involved in incidents of  inappropriate behaviour, that are covered in this agreement, when I am out of school and where they involve my membership of the school community (examples would be cyber-bullying, use of images or personal information).
• I understand that if I fail to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy Agreement, I will be subject to disciplinary action.  This may include  loss of access to the school network / internet, detentions, exclusions, contact with parents and in the event of illegal activities involvement of the police.

Please complete the sections on the attached document to show that you have read, understood and agree to the rules included in the Acceptable Use Agreement. If you do not sign and return this agreement, access will not be granted to school systems and devices.

Signed agreements must be returned school via the head of year.

Effective communication between school and home is vital and parents/carers will expect to be communicated at three specified times during the academic year as follows:

Progress Report: this will give brief outline of progress both in academic work and on other relevant areas of attitude to learning, attendance etc. All year groups can expect the Progress Report around Christmas.

Parents’ Evening: this will give Parents/carers the opportunity to talk face-to-face with subject staff to get further detail on academic progress in subjects. The timing of this evening will depend on the Year Group.

End of year Report: this will include similar information as given in the Progress Report and the end of year exam information, but will also include a brief overview from form tutors. Most year groups can expect this report near the end of the academic year.

Also included in both reports will be statistical information on Attendance, including ‘Lates’ and Behaviour. At other times in the year, parents will receive information on areas for development for students.

Communication however, should be constant, and parents/carers can expect to be contacted at various other times during the school year when the need arises. Parents/carers are also encouraged to contact us at any time with any query.

Report a safeguarding concern

Bury ENCOMPASS Commitment

As part of Tottington High School’s commitment to keeping children safe we have signed up to implement the principles and aims of the Encompass Model.

In signing up to Encompass the Governing Body and Senior Leadership Team:

•     
• Endorse the Encompass Model and support the Key Adults in our school to fulfil the requirements of the Bury Encompass Protocol.
•     
• Promote and implement Bury Encompass processes and use these in accordance with internal safeguarding children processes.
•     
• Recognise the sensitive nature of the information provided and ensure that this is retained in accordance with the principles of data protection.

Safeguarding Children & Encompass