Marie Redmond Tuition Safeguarding Policy
Introduction
This policy has been developed in accordance with the principles established by the Children Act 2004; and in line with the following:
- Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013 (WTTSC)
- Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families 2000
- Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 (KCSIE)
- Education (Independent Schools) (England) Regulations 2010.
Marie Redmond Tuition takes seriously its responsibility under section 157 of the Education Act 2002 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and to work together with other agencies to ensure adequate arrangements within our organisation to identify, assess, and support those children who are suffering harm.
- 1. Safeguarding (as defined in the Joint Inspector’s Safeguarding report is taken to mean, “All agencies working with children, young people and their families take all reasonable measures to ensure that the risk of harm to children’s welfare are minimised,” and “Where there are concerns about children and young people’s welfare, all agencies take all appropriate actions to address those concerns, working to agree local policies and procedures in full partnership with other agencies”.
- 2. “Teachers” covers ALL adult teachers operating with Marie Redmond Tuition, as well any administrative staff.
We recognise that all teachers have a full and active part to play in protecting our pupils from harm and that the child’s welfare is our paramount concern.
All contrctors believe that our organisation should provide a safe, caring, positive and stimulating environment.
All teacheers must read the following document and acknowledge that they have done so in writing.
Designated Safeguarding Lead
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at Marie Redmond Tuition is the Education Director, Marie MacLennan. Contact number is: 01494 956 809. She has undergone training in Advanced Safeguarding Children (Level 3), which is updated every year in line with Buckinghamshire Local Safeguarding Children Board recommendations. In cases of suspected abuse, the DSL has the responsibility to liaise with outside agencies such as the Local Authority Designated Officer, police and social services. At Marie Redmond Tuition we recognise our responsibility not only to protect ‘children at risk of significant harm’ but also ‘children in need’: if children are identified as being ‘in need’ we will work with external agencies if that is what is called for. There is a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Anne Redmond. She also undertakes training in Advanced Safeguarding Children (Level 3) every year. Her contact numbers is: 01494 956 809..
Training
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead will complete Advanced Safeguarding Children (Level 3) and Prevent Duty training every year. All teachers will be trained in child protection and Prevent Duty regularly in line with LSCB advice, either at their current school or with an outside provider.
All teachers will have induction training that includes reading the Marie Redmond Tuition Safeguarding Policy which includes our Teacher Code of Conduct Policy. On appointment, ALL teachers send an email to Marie MacLennan to confirm they have read the Safeguarding Policy. ALL teachers are asked to read our policies annually and to send an email to Marie Maclennan, confirming they have read them.
Teacher responsibilities
There is a professional responsibility for all adults working with children to be vigilant to the possibility that a child may be suffering significant harm and to take action if abuse or neglect is suspected.
Everybody is involved in safeguarding: anyone can make a referral.
Public toilets
In some of our centres, toilets are accessible by members of the public. The policy below refers to those centres.
This is an area where teachers need to be extremely vigilant in protecting their students’ safety.
All students must be escorted to the toilet, together.
The students must line up outside while the teacher checks that members of the public are not in the room.
If the students are not using the toilet, they must stay in their line outside, with the teacher.
The teacher must prevent any members of the public using the facilities while their students are in there.
Under no circumstances will students be allowed to use the toilets without their teacher escorting them there and back.
If there is a support teacher with the class, they will be able to escort those students who want to go to the toilet, with the remaining students staying in the classroom with their teacher.
Dismissal at the end of lessons
Teachers must tick students off their register as they dismiss them.
On the teacher’s notes, any adults in addition to parents who are authorised to collect are detailed.
If anyone else tries to collect a child, it’s imperative that we have permission from parents. In this case, the teacher will need to phone the parents for permission, from their phone.
If a child discloses possible abuse or neglect, the teacher may find the following helpful:
- Do not promise confidentiality
- Do not ask leading questions
- Do not promise that things will get better
- Do not apportion blame
- Reassure the young person that you are taking him/her seriously
- Allow the student to finish without directly questioning or stopping him/her
- Ensure that you have a full understanding of the facts as related by the pupil
- When the student has finished explain what you are going to do next
If a child is at risk of imminent harm inform the DSL or Deputy DSL immediately.
A teacher observing or having been told by a child about possible abuse or neglect will need to make a written record. Write down the full account using the child’s own words, as far as possible. Do not use ‘leading questions’. Do not tell the child that you will keep it a secret – let them know that you will get help. Sign the notes and record the date and time of disclosure. Pass this record to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Safeguarding Lead (see contact details above).
Confidentiality
Teachers must recognise that all matters relating to child protection are confidential.
The DSL will disclose personal information about a pupil to other teachers on a ‘need to know’ basis only.
However, all teachers must be aware that they have a professional responsibility to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard children.
All teachers must be aware that they cannot promise a child to keep secrets which might compromise the child’s safety or well-being or that of another.
Marie Redmond Tuition will always undertake to share our intention to refer a child to Social Care with their parents/carers unless to do so could put the child at greater risk of harm, or impede a criminal investigation. If in doubt, we will consult with the Education Safeguarding Advisory Service or Social Care (First Response Team) on this point.
Pupils who have suffered or are likely to suffer significant harm should be reported to Children’s Social Care immediately. Those pupils who are in need of additional support from one or more agencies should go through the inter-agency process, including use of the ‘Common Assessment Framework’ (CAF) and ‘Team around the Child’ (TAC) approaches.
All allegations should be reported within 24 hours.
Dealing with allegations against a teacher
All teachers should take care not to place themselves in a vulnerable position with a child and to minimise the possibility of allegations being raised against them.
We understand nonetheless that a pupil may make an allegation against a teacher. If such an allegation is made, the teacher receiving the allegation will immediately inform the DSL or Deputy DSL if the DSL is not present.
The DSL/Deputy DSL on all such occasions will discuss the content of the allegation with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) immediately and definitely within 24 hours. There should be no unnecessary delays and Marie Redmond Tuition will not undertake their own investigation of allegations without prior consultation with the LADO, or in the most serious cases, the Police, so as not to jeopardise statutory investigations.
If the allegation made to a teacher concerns the DSL, the person receiving the allegation will immediately inform the Deputy DSL, who will consult the LADO, without notifying the DSL first.
The subject of the allegation will be informed as soon as it is possible to do so following advice from the LADO and other agencies. Suspension of the teacher against whom an allegation has been made needs careful consideration, and we will consult in making this decision.
If there has been a substantiated allegation against a teacher, the school should work with the LADO to determine whether there are any improvements to be made to MRT’s procedures to help prevent similar events in the future.
Reporting dismissed teachers to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Marie Redmond Tuition understands that it is a legal requirement to notify the DBS within one month if the services of a person are discontinued because they were considered unsuitable for work with children and meet the DBS criteria for referral. Failure to report constitutes an offence. (Contact details for DBS: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service/about) We would also consider making a referral to the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) where a dismissal does not reach the threshold for DBS referral.
Code of Conduct for teachers regarding Safeguarding of Children
Marie Redmond Tuition wants to maintain the very good relationship that exists between teachers and students. The following Code of Conduct is aimed at avoiding situations which could allow allegations of abuse to be made. Teachers need to consider the code and make up their own mind on how to conduct themselves – in the same way as they would make a risk assessment for health and safety purposes. At all times good practice means valuing and respecting children as individuals and teachers using appropriate behaviour which always excludes bullying, shouting, racism and sexism.
- In the normal course of a lesson there should be no need of physical contact between teachers and students. However, it is normal to offer comfort in times of distress but never comfort a child without asking first. Gestures of comfort and friendly contact can be misinterpreted by children and onlookers. In some cases these gestures, with some pupils, might be unwise and you might decide that it is anyway unwise in principle.
- Teachers should avoid being alone in a room with a student. However if a child is alone, the classroom door should be open and another colleague should be present, if possible.
- Never give absolute guarantees of confidentiality to students or teachers wishing to tell you something serious. Teachers can only guarantee that they will pass on information to the minimum number of people who must be told in order to ensure that the proper action is taken to sort out the problem and that teachers will not tell anyone who does not have a clear need to know.
- Personal communication with pupils can be misinterpreted. Teachers are not allowed to communicate with parents or students via email. Teachers should not accept or issue invitations from/to pupils to become ‘friends’ on social networking sites.
- Students should always be accompanied by a teacher and are not allowed to leave the classroom by themselves.
Cases where abuse may have been inflicted by a student
If an allegation of abuse is made against a student and there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, the student may be suspended from Marie Redmond Tuition during the investigation. Marie Redmond Tuition will take advice from the LADO on the investigation of such allegations and will take all appropriate action to ensure the safety and welfare of all students involved including the child or children accused of abuse.
If the abuse is by one or more students against another student when there is ‘reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer significant harm’ then any such abuse should be referred to the local agencies. In the event of such disclosures about student on student abuse the company should ensure that all students involved, whether perpetrator or victim, are treated as being ‘at risk’.
Teacher recruitment
Our Recruitment and Selection Policy has regard to the DFE publication: Keeping Children Safe in Education 2014.
Virtual Lessons
Parents will always know in advance about when their child’s lessons will take place.
Registration is required to join lessons, so that the Education Director has every email address of everyone who signed up to join classes.
Students are held in a virtual waiting room before being let into the classroom, so that the teacher can check who each person is before allowing them entry.
Students cannot join class before the teacher joins and will see a pop-up that says, “The meeting is waiting for the host to join. “
If someone who’s not meant to be there manages to join the virtual classroom, they can easily be removed from the Participants menu.
The director can join lessons at any time, on an ad hoc basis.
If a student becomes distressed during a lesson, the teacher should ask them to fetch an adult. The teacher should report this to Marie after the lesson or during the lesson.
Private messages between students are not allowed.
Students and teachers are not allowed to share their personal contact information online.
Sharing privileges are set to “Host Only,” so teachers by default are the only ones who can share content in class.
Lessons are not to be recorded.
Turn off a student’s video to block distracting content or inappropriate gestures while a lesson is in session. An alternative to removing a user is to momentarily disable their audio/video connections.
Mute/unmute individual students or all of them at once when needed.
Teachers must NOT post pictures of their virtual class on social media or elsewhere online.
We are particularly committed to protecting the privacy of Marie Redmond Tuition students and discourage publicly posting images of students, especially minors, in a Zoom virtual classroom.
Smart watches and mobile phones
Smart watches and mobile phones are not to be taken to lessons or mock exams. If a student has one with them, the teacher must look after the device during the lesson and hand it back to the child at the end.
MONITORING: Education Director, Marie Redmond, to monitor.
UPDATED: November 2025
REVIEW DATE: November 2026
CONTACTS
School contacts:
- Designated Safeguarding Lead:
Marie Redmond, Director: 01494 956 809.
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead:
Anne Redmond, Year 4 and 5 tutor: 01494 956 809.
Contacts at the local authority (Buckinghamshire County Council):
- Education Safeguarding Advisory Service 01296 383912
- Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) 01296 382070
- Social Care First Response Team- 0845 4600 001
- Family Resilience Service Referral Line 0845 4600 300
- Social Care - Out of Hours 0800 999 7677
- Thames Valley Police 999 (in emergency) otherwise 101(Child Abuse Investigation Unit)
- Local Safeguarding Children Board www.bucks-lscb.org.uk
Other contacts:
- NSPCC 0800 800 5000
- Childline 0800 1111
- Kidscape Parents’ Anti-Bullying Helpline 08451 205204
- Samaritans 08457 90 90 90
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office 020 7008 0151 (Forced Marriages Section)
- Crimestoppers 0800 555 111