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Leading Futures
Safeguarding
At Leading Futures we are committed to keeping our learners safe both in and outside of the provision
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Within the provision we have a team of staff who are trained to deal with safeguarding and child protection matters.
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Our learners and staff know who these people are as we display our safeguarding poster around the provision. Learners know who they can speak to if they need support and there is a culture of vigilance and safeguarding amongst staff.
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We are dedicated to maintaining a safe learning environment where all learners and staff feel secure, respected, and valued, knowing that their voices will be heard and taken seriously. Our provision is committed to the principles of "every child matters" and "keeping children safe in education," and we implement policies, practices, and procedures that prioritise safeguarding as well as the emotional and physical wellbeing of all learners and staff.
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Our safeguarding policies will be accessible on our policies page.
What is Safeguarding?
It can be difficult to accept, but every child, regardless of age, gender, religion, or ethnicity, can be at risk of harm, abuse, or mistreatment. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children means:
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Protecting children from maltreatment
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Preventing the impairment of children’s mental health or development
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Ensuring children grow up in environments that provide safe and effective care
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Taking action to ensure that all children have the best opportunities for positive outcomes
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In line with statutory guidance, Leading Futures is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children (anyone under the age of 18).
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All staff members, including permanent and temporary employees, governors, and volunteers, are aware of their legal responsibility to protect children from harm.
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Child protection is part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures which detail how to respond to concerns about a child.
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Our
Safeguarding Team
At Leading Futures, our designated safeguarding and child protection lead is:
Emma Rennie-Gibbons.
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In addition to Emma, we have a team of deputy designated safeguarding leads who work together to support and protect our students.
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The safeguarding team can be contacted during our opening hours. Outside these hours, the designated safeguarding lead can be reached by email: safeguarding@leadingfutures.uk
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Please remember, if yourself or someone is in immediate risk of harm, please contact 999 or visit your nearest A&E.
Staying Safe Online
At Leading Futures, we prioritise online safety as a crucial part of our curriculum. We are committed to ensuring that our learners acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and understanding to navigate the digital world safely.
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Throughout their time with us, learners will be given multiple opportunities to learn about the potential risks they may face online and how to protect themselves while engaging with the internet.
Key areas of focus include:
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Identifying and managing security threats
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Protecting personal data
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Managing their online reputation
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Avoiding harmful or illegal content
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In line with statutory guidance from Keeping Children Safe in Education, every staff member, governor, and volunteer at the academy understands their legal responsibility to stay up to date with online safety practices. This ensures that safeguarding our learners and educating them about online safety is always a top priority.
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To support this, the provision has implemented effective filtering and monitoring systems:
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Filtering: Our systems block access to harmful content, ensuring learners cannot view inappropriate material.
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Monitoring: We track learners’ on-screen activity to ensure they are using technology responsibly and safely.
At our provision, we understand the importance of online safety and ensure our comprehensive curriculum addresses the four key areas: content, contact, conduct, and commerce. We are committed to helping learners understand both the benefits and risks of the digital world, empowering them to navigate it safely.
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Through the delivery of our curriculum, we are confident that our learners will leave with a solid understanding of the importance of online safety, equipped to handle the digital world responsibly. Learners will be taught how to:
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Follow the rules and principles for staying safe online
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Recognise risks, harmful content, and inappropriate contact
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Report harmful content and understand why it’s important to do so
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Critically assess online friendships
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Respond appropriately if they encounter danger online or while using technology
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Understand the purpose of signing an acceptable use agreement
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If there are any online safety concerns, learners can report them to the safeguarding team. Our E-Safety Policy can be found on our policies page.
Safeguarding Contact Form
​Should you have any concerns regarding the safeguarding of a learner, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the team using the form.
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Behind the Screen Campaign
This Childline campaign aims to engage and reach boys and young males, raising awareness of Sexually Coerced Extortion, sometimes referred to as ‘Sextortion’. Sexually Coerced Extortion is an issue impacting boys and young men’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Click the button below to learn more.