Safe Guarding Policy – Kip McGrath Aldridge
Last updated: 03/12/2025
Last updated: December 2025
Review due: December 2026
Applies to: All staff, tutors, volunteers, contractors, visitors, and students
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Sally Hogan
Deputy DSL: Sally Hogan
Centre Director: Sally Hogan
Local Safeguarding Partners: Walsall Safeguarding Partnership (WSP)
Legislation & Guidance:
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
• The Children Act 1989 & 2004
• Education Act 2002
• UK GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018
• Prevent Duty 2015
• Safer Recruitment statutory guidance
1. Policy Statement
Kip McGrath Aldridge is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children who attend the centre. We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to:
• Protect children from harm
• Promote their welfare
• Provide a safe and supportive environment
• Respond promptly and appropriately to safeguarding concerns
We operate a culture of vigilance and professional curiosity. All staff understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
2. Aims
This policy aims to ensure that:
• Children feel safe, valued, and respected
• Concerns are reported quickly and recorded accurately
• Staff understand their responsibilities under KCSIE 2025
• Parents understand how the centre safeguards their children
• Risks are minimised both in-centre and online
• Allegations and disclosures are handled sensitively and in line with statutory guidance
3. Definitions (KCSIE 2025)
We recognise the four categories of abuse:
• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Neglect
We also recognise safeguarding risks highlighted in KCSIE 2025, including:
• Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)
• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
• County Lines
• Domestic abuse
• Online abuse & cyber grooming
• Harmful sexual behaviour (HSB)
• Radicalisation & extremism
• Bullying & cyberbullying
• Mental health concerns linked to safeguarding
• Children missing from education
• Honour-based abuse, forced marriage, and FGM
4. Roles & Responsibilities
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
The DSL is responsible for:
• Receiving and acting on safeguarding concerns
• Contacting social care, police, or LADO when required
• Maintaining confidential records
• Liaising with schools, LSP, and safeguarding partners
• Ensuring staff training is up-to-date
• Conducting annual safeguarding audits
All Staff
All staff must:
• Complete annual safeguarding training
• Follow KCSIE 2025 Part 1
• Report concerns immediately to the DSL
• Maintain professional boundaries
• Never guarantee confidentiality to a child
• Record concerns factually and securely
5. Safer Recruitment
We follow safer recruitment principles to reduce the risk of harm:
• Enhanced DBS checks for all staff and volunteers
• Barred list checks where legally required
• Verification of identity, employment history, and references
• Professional conduct checks
• Mandatory safeguarding induction prior to working with students
• Tutors must be qualified teachers or suitably vetted educators
6. Code of Conduct & Professional Boundaries
Staff must:
• Maintain appropriate physical and professional boundaries
• Never have private contact with a student outside the centre
• Use only centre-approved communication methods
• Never transport a child without prior authorisation
• Avoid being alone with a student in a closed room without visibility
• Use positive, professional language
• Avoid physical contact unless necessary to prevent harm
7. Online Safety
We ensure online safety by:
• Requiring staff to use centre accounts for online lessons
• Monitoring online sessions when necessary
• Ensuring cameras are on during lessons for safeguarding
• Prohibiting recording of sessions unless authorised
• Ensuring content, resources, and tools are age-appropriate
• Following UK GDPR when storing student data
8. Reporting a Concern
Any member of staff who has a safeguarding concern must:
1. Listen — Do not interrupt
2. Reassure — Do not promise confidentiality
3. Record — Write what was said, using exact words where possible
4. Report — Immediately inform the DSL
If a child is in immediate danger:
Call 999 and inform the DSL as soon as possible.
If the DSL is unavailable:
Contact:
Walsall MASH
Telephone: 0300 555 2866
Out of hours: 0300 555 2922
9. Low-Level Concerns & Staff Conduct
We follow KCSIE 2025’s Low-Level Concerns guidance.
These include:
• Comments or actions that could be misinterpreted
• Minor breaches of boundaries
• Unprofessional behaviour
All low-level concerns must be reported to the DSL.
10. Allegations Against Staff
If a child or adult makes an allegation, the DSL will:
• Contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within 24 hours
• Follow statutory procedures
• Immediately remove the staff member from direct contact if needed
• Maintain confidentiality
• Keep accurate records
Walsall LADO: 01922 650868
11. Recording & Information Sharing
All safeguarding records are:
• Stored securely
• Time-stamped
• Shared only on a ‘need to know’ basis
• Retained according to statutory guidance
We follow UK GDPR, which allows information sharing for safeguarding purposes without consent when necessary to protect a child.
12. Staff Training
All staff must complete:
• Annual safeguarding refresher
• KCSIE 2025 Part 1 briefing
• Prevent Duty awareness
• Online safety training
• Induction training prior to working with children
13. Behaviour, Attendance & Welfare
We recognise safeguarding concerns can also emerge around:
• Sudden disengagement
• Changes in behaviour, mood, or appearance
• Missing sessions
• Signs of coercion, distress, or fear
• Decline in academic performance
• Peer-on-peer concerns
We maintain communication with schools when necessary and appropriate.
14. Prevent Duty
We are committed to preventing radicalisation. Staff must report concerns related to:
• Extremist views or behaviours
• Online radicalisation
• Isolation or significant behaviour change
• Exposure to extremist content
Referrals may be made to Channel via Walsall MASH.
15. Visitors & Contractors
All visitors must:
• Sign in
• Wear ID badges
• Never be left unsupervised with children
• Follow centre safeguarding expectations
16. Photography & Social Media
• Staff cannot take photos of students on personal devices
• Centre devices must be used when photography is required
• Photos are only taken with consent
• No student names will be shared publicly online
17. Health & Safety
We maintain robust health and safety procedures, including:
• Regular risk assessments
• Fire safety drills
• Medical and allergy information
• First aid provision
• Safe drop-off and collection procedures
18. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if:
• Legislation changes
• A safeguarding incident occurs
• A recommendation is made from the LSP or Ofsted-equivalent review
APPENDIX 1 — Staff Code of Conduct
1. Purpose
This Code of Conduct sets expectations for all staff, tutors, volunteers, and contractors at Kip McGrath Aldridge. It supports the centre’s Safeguarding Policy and complies with KCSIE 2025.
2. Professional Conduct
All staff must:
• Act professionally, respectfully, and honestly at all times
• Maintain appropriate boundaries with students and parents
• Model positive behaviour and language
• Challenge unsafe practice
• Report any concerns immediately to the DSL
3. Contact With Students
Staff must never:
• Communicate with students privately via personal phone, email, or social media
• Meet students alone outside the centre
• Give personal contact information
• Transport students without written permission and management approval
All communication must use centre-approved systems (e.g., centre email, lesson platforms).
4. Physical Contact
Physical contact must be:
• Necessary (preventing harm, first aid)
• Age-appropriate
• Recorded where safeguarding relevant
Staff must avoid unnecessary or ambiguous physical contact.
5. Online Conduct
Staff must:
• Use centre accounts for all online lessons
• Ensure background and behaviour are appropriate
• Keep cameras on during online teaching
• Never record sessions unless approved
• Not use personal devices for lesson delivery
6. Appearance & Language
Staff must:
• Dress appropriately (smart casual / professional)
• Avoid sarcasm, belittling, or inappropriate jokes
• Not use offensive, discriminatory, or sexualised language
7. Gifts & Favouritism
Staff must not:
• Give or accept personal gifts from students
• Show favouritism
• Engage in behaviour that creates a perception of bias
8. Reporting Concerns
Staff must report concerns immediately — including low-level concerns — to the DSL and record them accurately.
APPENDIX 2 — Low-Level Concerns Flowchart (KCSIE 2025)
Low-Level Concern Identified
⬇️
Report immediately to the DSL
(Verbally + written record)
⬇️
DSL logs concern in Low-Level Concerns Register
⬇️
DSL reviews:
• Is it inconsistent with Code of Conduct?
• Could it be misinterpreted?
• Is it repeated behaviour?
⬇️
DSL decides next step:
• Internal management guidance or training?
• Monitoring or supervision required?
• Escalate to LADO if threshold met?
⬇️
Outcome recorded
⬇️
Staff member informed
⬇️
Ongoing monitoring if required
(If at ANY point the concern suggests harm or risk of harm → escalate to LADO within 24 hours.)
APPENDIX 3 — DSL Concern Reporting Form (Blank Template)
Child’s Name:
DOB:
Date of Concern:
Time:
Tutor/Staff Reporting:
Contact Details:
Nature of Concern
(Include facts only — what you saw/heard. No assumptions.)
Exact Words Used by Child (if disclosure):
Any Immediate Action Taken:
Are there previous concerns about this child?
□ Yes □ No
If yes, give brief details:
Signed (Staff):
Date:
DSL Section
DSL Name:
Action Taken:
(Include referrals, contact with parents/school/MASH, advice sought.)
Decision Rationale:
Next Steps / Monitoring Required:
Signed (DSL):
Date:
APPENDIX 4 — Incident Log Template
Student Name:
Date:
Time:
Member of Staff:
Type of Incident:
□ Safeguarding concern
□ Behaviour
□ Accident/injury
□ Online safety issue
□ Other (specify)
Details of Incident:
(Factual record — no opinions.)
Actions Taken:
Parent/Carer Informed?
□ Yes — who spoke and when:
□ No — reason:
Further Follow-Up Required:
□ Yes
□ No
Details:
Recorded By:
Signed:
Date:
APPENDIX 5 — Prevent Duty Risk Assessment
1. Centre Context
Kip McGrath Aldridge is a tuition centre providing small-group tutoring to children aged 5–18. Risk level: Low–Medium, based on diverse community and online delivery potential.
2. Identified Risk Areas
Risk Likelihood Impact Mitigation
Online radicalisation Medium High Online safety monitoring, cameras on, supervised online platforms
Extremist views raised by students Low Medium Staff training, reporting to DSL
Staff expressing inappropriate views Low High Safer recruitment, Code of Conduct, low-level concern reporting
External visitors Low Medium No unsupervised access
Students vulnerable due to mental health Medium High Welfare monitoring, early help
3. Staff Training
All staff complete:
• Prevent awareness
• KCSIE 2025 Part 1
• Annual refresher
4. Referral Process
If concerns arise → Report to DSL → DSL assesses via Walsall MASH → Channel as appropriate.
APPENDIX 6 — Online Lesson Safeguarding Protocol
Staff must ensure:
• Cameras are on for both tutor and student
• Neutral background with no personal items visible
• No 1:1 sessions unless approved and logged
• No recording unless authorised
• Session notes recorded for safeguarding
• Only centre-approved platforms are used
• Sessions take place in a quiet, professional space
• Screen sharing shows only educational materials
Students must:
• Be in a shared family area (not a bedroom, where possible)
• Be dressed appropriately
• Keep cameras on (unless agreed for SEND reasons)
APPENDIX 7 — Policy Summary for Parents
Safeguarding Summary — Kip McGrath Aldridge
• Your child’s safety is our highest priority.
• All staff are DBS checked and undergo safeguarding training.
• We follow Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025.
• We have a dedicated safeguarding lead who oversees all welfare and child protection concerns.
• Staff are trained to recognise and respond to concerns such as bullying, online safety, mental health, or abuse.
• If we are worried about a child, we will speak to the parent where appropriate — unless doing so puts the child at risk.
• We may share information with schools or safeguarding partners when required by law.
• Online lessons are monitored and follow strict protocols.
If you ever have a concern, contact our DSL:
[Sally Hogan/ 01922 288288]
APPENDIX 8 — Induction Script for New Staff
Welcome to Kip McGrath Aldridge. Before working with students, you must understand our safeguarding responsibilities.
Key Points:
1. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
2. You must read:
o Safeguarding Policy
o KCSIE 2025 Part 1
o Staff Code of Conduct
3. Any concern, no matter how small, must be reported to the DSL immediately.
4. Keep clear professional boundaries.
5. Never use personal phones or social media with students.
6. Be vigilant during online lessons — follow our online safety protocol.
7. Record concerns factually using our DSL concern form.
8. If a child makes a disclosure:
o Listen
o Don’t promise confidentiality
o Report
9. Understand low-level concerns and how to report them.
10. Ask if you are ever unsure — safeguarding takes priority over all other duties.
You must sign to confirm you have read and understood all safeguarding documents.
Signed: Date: