Keeping Safe

Feeling Safe

Our staff at Keystone Academy take very seriously their role in making sure all pupils feel safe in school.   Every year, all staff complete safeguarding training, so they know how to spot signs that a young person may not be safe or may need extra support and care to ensure their wellbeing.  We have key people with specific jobs who will be available to help and support pupils (and their families) if ever they have any concerns or worries:

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Mr Ben Garton

Pastoral  Lead

Mr Gabe Gray

Mental Health Counsellor

Mrs Louise Warrener-Wakeman

SENCO

Mr Steve Gray

Form Tutors

Mrs Knight, Miss Proudman, Rhodes, Mrs Thomas, Mr Davies, Mrs Lanham, Mrs Irwin, Mr Hitchman, Miss Seabury, Mr Morton-Banner, Mrs Laux, Mrs Johnson, Mr Brown and Mrs Foster

Deputy Headteacher

Mrs Kim Stephens

Headteacher

Mrs Ali Bellaby

To find out more about how we safeguard young people, our full policy can be viewed here: Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Online Safety

We all know that it is fun to explore the internet and to use social media.  In fact, we can learn so much from it… from watching clips on youtube, catching up on TV shows and listening to the views of others who have similar interests or experiences to us.   We are a lucky generation to have technology at our fingertips.  But if we’re not careful, we can accidentally open ourselves up to a whole host of risks.

So the question is – do you know how to keep yourself safe online?

Here is a link to Childline, offering some really useful advice for young people who would like a few tips to keeping safe online.

It’s worth remembering that there is always someone at the other end of the computer / phone / social media page…

So, mirroring our values at Keystone, we should always remember to be kind to others – both face to face and online.

Preventing Bullying

At The Keystone Academy, we believe all pupils have a right to learn in a supportive, caring and safe environment without the fear of being bullied.  Every member of staff is responsible for the welfare and wellbeing of our pupils.  We understand that both bullies and victims of bullying need support.

We are committed to developing an anti-bullying culture where the bullying of adults, children or young people is not tolerated in any form.  We recognise that all forms of bullying, especially if left unaddressed, can have a devastating effect on individuals; it can create a barrier to learning and have serious consequences for mental wellbeing.  By effectively preventing and tackling bullying, The Keystone Academy can help to create a safe environment where pupils are able to learn and fulfil their potential.

Definitions

It is important to understand what constitutes bullying as opposed to being rude or mean.

Rude – Inadvertently saying or doing something that hurts someone else.

Mean – Purposefully saying or doing something to hurt someone once (or maybe twice).

Bullying – the repetitive, intentional harming of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power.

Bullying is, therefore:

• Deliberately hurtful
• Repeated, often over a period of time
• Difficult to defend against

Bullying can include:

Reporting incidents of bullying

If you are concerned about bullying in any form, you are invited to tell someone in school about it.

Pupils are encouraged to:

• speak to a member of staff if they are being bullied or know someone who is being bullied
• be confident to believe in their right not to be bullied
• be confident to ‘stand up and say no’
• look out for the signs of bullying
• be careful about how they tease and ‘banter’ so as not to hurt the feelings of others