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CHILD PROTECTION POLICY Working Together To Safeguard Children (DoH 2006) Our Objective: New Era Academy is a national examination board providing the opportunity for students of all ages, abilities, cultures and backgrounds to take graded examinations in a range of dramatic techniques and disciplines. The Academy seeks to encourage and promote the personal development of communication, presentation and performance skills to enable and equip candidates to be successful in the contemporary world. The Environment: The Academy is mindful of the need to safeguard all children involved in the taking of its examinations. Our policy is to inform and involve parents/guardians/carers and teachers in order to ensure, as far as it is reasonably practicable, a safe environment during examinations. The venues chosen for examinations are chosen carefully by The Teacher or Area Co-ordinator who liaise with The Academy, very often a school or church hall. It is expected that all children will be accompanied to the venue by a teacher, parent or a responsible adult. The Academy seek to provide toilet facilities at examination centres, however, they will not accept any responsibility whatsoever for supervising these toilet facilities. To Whom This Policy Applies: This policy relates to children under the age of 18 years and those vulnerable adults of any age who are identified by their teacher to the Academy prior to their examination. This should be done by the teacher at the time of entry for the examination. In order to recognise the needs of children from minority ethnic groups and children who are disabled, the Academy actively seeks prior notification of these needs by teachers/parents/guardians or carers. Academy Personnel: All Examiners and Academy personnel who may be either supervising children or in one-to-one contact with children during examinations will undertake a voluntary disclosure through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Enhanced Disclosure prior to commencing their work for The Academy. These disclosures will be processed either through a recognised umbrella body or through that person’s main employer, which in a large number of cases will be a school or education authority. When appointing Examiners the Academy’s Board of Directors follow a strict procedure of interviewing, training and taking up references, all of which are held on record at the Academy’s main office. Examiners are regularly monitored and required to attend training days run by the Academy. When visiting a school or large organisation the Academy ask that all visiting Examiners should be signed in and out in the proper way, and given a visitor badge, depending on the system run by the venue. Photography, Video and Sound Recording: No photography, video recording or sound recording of any description is allowed at any time during the examination. Occasionally photography may be requested for press or publicity purposes, and this will usually relate to a photograph taken by the teacher or parent and sent to the Academy. If this is the case a request is made to the parent or guardian of the child, at this point should anyone not wish their child(ren) to be included, then it will be their responsibility to refuse and remove their child(ren) at that time. The Legislation and Guidance that Supports this Policy: The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; The Children Act 1989; The Police Act 1997; The Data Protection Act 1998; The Human Rights Act 1998; The Protection of Children Act 1999; The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000; The Children Act 2004. Policy Review: It is the responsibility of the New Era Academy Board of Directors to review and implement this policy. The Board of Directors for New Era Academy will constantly review this policy, improving and enhancing it as necessary in line with current Government guidelines. It will look to other agencies for good practice, including the NSPCC and Arts Council England policy guidelines. This policy will be reviewed regularly and updated as required. |
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