Safeguarding Policy

Stalford Academy believes that safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility and that everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play. We define safeguarding as:

  1. Protecting children from maltreatment
  2. Preventing impairment of children’s health or development
  3. Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
  4. Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

Children are best protected when our school’s stakeholders have a clear understanding of our school’s reporting requirements and processes, and how we maintain a safe and secure environment in partnership to uphold children’s safety and well-being.

Policy

Stalford Academy is committed to:

  1. Ensuring the interests and well-being of children, young people and vulnerable adults are taken into account, in all our considerations and activities, wherever in the world those may be.
  2. Respecting the rights, wishes and feelings of the children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom we, our licensees and associated organisations work.
  3. Taking all reasonable practicable steps to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults from neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse and to promote their health, wellbeing and human rights.
  4. Promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and their protection within a position of trust.

Guiding Principles

  1. The child’s needs are paramount, and the needs and wishes of each child will be put first so that every child receives the support they need, before a problem escalates.
  2. Our staff will always act professionally when we come into contact with children and families so that we are alert to their needs and any risks of harm that individual abusers, or potential abusers, may pose to the children.
  3. We will share information in a timely way and discuss any concerns about an individual child with colleagues, and relevant local authorities (where appropriate).
  4. As experienced educators, we will use our professional judgment to put the child’s needs at the centre of our decision-making so that the right solution is found for each individual child.
  5. We will contribute to whatever actions are needed to safeguard and promote a child’s welfare and take part in regularly reviewing the outcomes for any child against specific plans.
  6. We respect, and work in partnership with, the local safeguarding authority as they coordinate the work to safeguard children. We make sure that our policy and practice is compliant with local procedures for child protection and safeguarding.
  7. We recognise that children need the following from us: vigilance, understanding and action, stability, respect, information and engagement, explanation, support and advocacy.
  8. As front line professionals working with children, we aim to make sensible decisions in areas such as pre-employment screening, making sure that we request background and reference checks which are aimed at ensuring the children are kept safe.
  9. We work in partnership with parent/guardian/carer(s). In doing so, we will ensure that they are aware that the school has a duty to report concerns that we may have over the safety or well-being of a pupil as part of our statutory duties to protect children from significant harm/abuse/neglect. Parent/guardian/carer(s) will also be reminded that, where appropriate, any potential referral to local authorities will be discussed with them before the referral will be made. However, parent/guardian/carer(s) will not be contacted, nor will the referral be discussed, where it is felt that to do so would place the child at an increased risk of harm, and/or where the local authorities have advised as such.
  10. We are committed to continuing to develop our knowledge and skills in safeguarding and protecting children. Teachers and staff have access to training to identify and respond early to abuse and neglect.

Reporting

  1. Reporting suspected or alleged harm to students by a non-employee (i.e., family member, another student, self-harm)

    If teachers and staff have any concerns about the safety of students within the school, they must report their concerns in a timely manner. If the allegation or suspicion of harm to a student is against a non-employee of the school, teachers and staff must report directly to the Student Affairs Manager or Principal. In the case where the allegations are against the Student Affairs Manager, teachers and staff will report directly to the Principal.
  2. Reporting harm or inappropriate behaviour to students by an employee

    If the allegation or suspicion of harm to a student is against an employee of the school, teachers and staff must report directly to the Principal.

Causes of Harm

There are five causes of harm that teachers and staff need to be aware of and respond to in order to keep children safe:

  1. Sexual Abuse
  2. Emotion/Psychological Abuse
  3. Physical Abuse
  4. Neglect
  5. Domestic Violence

Sources of Harm

There are four sources of harm that teachers and staff need to be aware of and respond to in order to keep children safe

  1. By an employee - Is any person who is engaged by the school to carry out work for financial reward on a temporary, casual, permanent or fixed term basis; and includes contractors.
  2. By a non-employee - Any person who is not an employee of the school (i.e. family member, friend, volunteer or other).
  3. By another student - Is any person, regardless of age, who is enrolled at the school.
  4. Self-harm - This includes direct means of harming themselves (i.e., cutting, burning). Self-harm also includes engaging in serious risk taking behaviours such as significant alcohol/substance abuse, reckless dangerous physical activities and/or unsafe promiscuity.

Risk Identification, Assessment and Management

  1. A risk identification and assessment will be conducted by the teacher or staff in-charge for any new activity that the school is organising for the first time to determine the Likelihood, Severity, and Risk of the activity.
  2. Risk control and mitigation measures should be put in place to reduce the Likelihood or lower the Severity of the consequences that the activities may pose, thereby reducing the level of Risk.
  3. Low risk activities may be carried out after obtaining verbal approval from the Vice-Principal.
  4. Medium risk activities require the written approval of the Principal using the Risk Assessment Method Statement Form before they can be carried out.
  5. High risk activities are not allowed and will not be approved.

Conclusion

Stalford Academy remains unwavering in its commitment to creating a safe, secure, and supportive environment where every student is protected from harm and empowered to thrive. We recognize that safeguarding is not a static checklist but an ongoing culture of vigilance, transparency, and shared responsibility.

This policy serves as the foundation for our safeguarding framework. Strict adherence to these guidelines is mandatory for all employees, contractors, and partners. Any breach of this policy will be treated with the utmost seriousness and may result in disciplinary action and referral to relevant Singapore authorities where necessary.