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Child Safeguarding Policy

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Rock & Pop Foundation

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy 2025

Rock and Pop Academy Ltd

Introduction

The Rock & Pop Foundation is committed to protecting the safety and wellbeing of every child we work with.

  • We deliver instrumental lessons, workshops, and enrichment programmes within schools across the UK.

  • Schools remain the primary safeguarding authority, and our staff always follow the host school’s safeguarding policy and procedures.

  • Our role is to complement and support the safeguarding already in place by:

    • Maintaining safe and professional conduct.

    • Being alert to any concerns.

    • Reporting concerns immediately to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and our own DSP.

This policy is written in line with the Department for Education’s Keeping Children Safe in Education (2025).

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1. Statement of Intent

  • Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

  • Music lessons should be safe, inclusive, and positive.

  • Concerns or disclosures are always taken seriously and acted upon.

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2. Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP)

  • Rock & Pop Foundation DSP: Steven Sammut

  • Role: oversees safeguarding policy, staff awareness, and liaison with schools/external agencies.

  • Tutors report concerns to:

    • The school DSL (first point of contact), and

    • The Rock & Pop DSP.

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3. Legal Framework

This policy aligns with:

  • Keeping Children Safe in Education (2025)

  • Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)

  • The Children Acts 1989 & 2004

  • Data Protection Act 2018 / UK GDPR

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4. Key Principles

  • The welfare of the child is paramount.

  • All children have equal rights to protection.

  • Confidentiality is respected but never a barrier to reporting.

  • Tutors are not investigators – they pass concerns to the school DSL.

  • Office staff safeguard by ensuring secure data handling.

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5. Safer Recruitment

All Rock & Pop Foundation staff:

  • Hold an Enhanced DBS check with barred list clearance.

  • Provide at least two professional references.

  • Undergo online search checks (DfE 2025).

  • Provide proof of identity and qualifications.

All checks are logged on our Single Central Record (SCR).

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6. Training

  • Tutors: annual safeguarding awareness training (signs of concern, professional conduct, reporting routes).

  • Office staff: annual training in data protection and safeguarding awareness related to handling pupil data.

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7. Safeguarding in Music Lessons

Supervision & Visibility

  • Lessons take place on school premises, during school hours.

  • Rooms must be visible (glass panels or door ajar).

  • Tutors are never in locked or isolated spaces with pupils.

1-1 Lessons

  • Allowed, but must be:

    • Timetabled and known to school/parents.

    • Held in visible rooms.

    • Conducted with strict professional boundaries.

  • No personal contact, messaging, or social media links with pupils.

Conduct

  • Tutors sign in/out at reception and follow all school visitor procedures.

  • Feedback is shared only via schools or agreed channels.

  • No gifts, private meetings, or contact outside lessons.

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8. Recognising and Responding to Concerns

Tutors are trained to be alert to:

  • Physical signs (unexplained injuries, neglect).

  • Behavioural changes (withdrawal, fearfulness, sudden aggression, reluctance to attend).

  • Direct disclosures from a child.

If a concern or disclosure arises:

  1. Stay calm, listen, and reassure.

  2. Do not promise secrecy.

  3. Record factually what was said (time, date, names).

  4. Report immediately to the school DSL and notify Rock & Pop DSP.

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9. Allegations Against Staff

  • Allegations against a tutor are reported to the school DSL and Rock & Pop DSP.

  • Safeguarding measures are taken immediately.

  • If required, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) is informed.

  • Low-level concerns (e.g. boundary issues) are logged and reviewed internally.

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10. Office & Administrative Staff

Our admin staff safeguard pupils by:

  • Handling information securely (GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018).

  • Sharing data only on a need-to-know basis.

  • Storing and deleting data safely.

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11. Whistleblowing

Staff may raise safeguarding concerns through:

  • The school DSL

  • The Rock & Pop DSP

  • NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line – 0800 028 0285 / help@nspcc.org.uk

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12. Review

  • First created: Jan 2013

  • Latest update: Sept 2025

  • Next review: Sept 2026

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📌 Contact Details
Designated Safeguarding Person (DSP): Steven Sammut
Office: 30 Grosvenor Road Aldershot Hants GU11 3DP
Email: admin@rockandpopfoundation.com

 

 

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