Safeguarding
Safeguarding is our priority here at Dowdales – every member of staff is committed to the safeguarding of the whole of Dowdales. We have a specific team of people who lead our safeguarding procedures to ensure that our students and staff are safe, well cared for and have the confidence that any concerns will be listened to and acted upon.
Safeguarding Statement
Dowdales School is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. To achieve our commitment, we will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust Safeguarding processes and procedures that promote a culture of Safeguarding amongst our staff and volunteers.
We are committed to inspiring, challenging and Safeguarding our students, enabling them to become:
- Successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve.
- Confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
- Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution, both socially and economically, to society.
The Safeguarding Team
We are committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
To achieve our commitment, we will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust Safeguarding processes and procedures that promote a culture of Safeguarding amongst our staff and volunteers
Mrs Massicks
Safeguarding Lead
Mr Waddington
Deputy Headteacher
Mrs Gilchrist
Attendance Support Worker
Mrs Ashfield
(SWiS)
Social Worker in SchoolDowdales is a secular school, however, we see a student’s spiritual development and the acts of collective worship, which we have as important parts of school life. However, parents have the right to withdraw their child from acts of collective worship and lessons in Religious Education. If you wish to do so please put your views, in writing, to the Headteacher and alternative arrangements can be discussed.
The school has a policy for Sex Education which all parents are welcome to see. Sex Education is part of Health Education and Citizenship courses. The values of family life and stable relationships are fundamental to this programme of work.Parents who wish to, may see the teaching materials we use. As a parent, you also have the right to withdraw your child from all or part of our Sex Education.
We are proud of our Careers Education which is acknowledged as one of the best in the area. There is a co-ordinated programme of guidance and students have access to a wide range of up to date information. There are Careers talks and Careers conventions and all students have individual guidance interviews with a Careers Officer. Individual action planning in small tutor groups is at the heart of our Careers programme in Year 11.
Students in Years 7 – 11 are required to attend school assemblies. The subjects chosen for assemblies are about aspects of school life and are often about our duties towards each other and towards the wider community in which we live. Visiting speakers also help and our assemblies are broadly Christian in their character.
Students in schools are covered by personal accident insurance.
The Council can only be held responsible for accidents where they or their staff are proved to be negligent.
Whilst in school and during school activities.
- The provision of personal accident insurance is considered to be the responsibility of parents. Parents who are interested in this kind of insurance can contact their local insurance broker.
The admission of a child to Dowdales School and the formal curriculum offered to a registered student are not subject to statutory charge nor the parent’s willingness to make a voluntary contribution. Voluntary contributions may be sought for activities during the school day which entail additional costs, for example a visit to a museum, historical site etc. In these circumstances no student will be prevented from participating because his/her parents cannot or will not make a contribution. No child will be denied the opportunity of attending an activity, however, it is possible that unless sufficient voluntary contributions are received to cover the cost, the
experience will not go ahead. A charge is levied for individual tuition in the playing of a musical instrument, although this is subsidised by the school. Any parent who is in receipt of Income Support, Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance, support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Child Tax Credit (with provisions) is entitled to claim remission of charges for board and lodging on residential trips that are not optional extras. In accordance with current legislation the school has a detailed policy for charging. Parents who wish to see this should contact the school.
If you become concerned about your child’s education it is important that you tell us about this. We will do all we can to resolve your concerns and to ensure you are happy with your child’s education. In the first instance you should contact your child’s Head of School or Form Teacher. Parents are also welcome to speak to the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher who will always listen to all enquiries. More serious complaints should be addressed to the Headteacher, in the first instance. Parents also have the right of complaint to the Governing Body or the Local Authority. Advice on how to pursue a formal complaint is available from Children’s Services, 5 Portland Square, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA1 1PU.
Parents may obtain from the school copies of any school or Local Authority policy, the Ofsted report, the action plan arising from this report or any other data covered by the Freedom of Information Act in accordance with the Data Protection Act. To view our school policies click on the button below.
Occasionally, we take photographs of the children at our school. We may use these images in our school prospectus or in other printed publications that we produce, in displays and on our website. We may also make video or webcam recordings for school-to-school conferences, monitoring or other educational use.
We also sometimes send images to the news media, or our school may be visited by the media who will take their own photographs or film footage (for example, of a visiting dignitary or other high profile event). Students will often appear in these images. The news media may use the images in printed publications (including local or national newspapers), on televised news programmes or on their website. They then store them in their archive. They may also syndicate the photos to other media for possible use, either in printed publications, on websites, or both. When we submit photographs and information to the media, we have no control on when, where, if or how they will be used.
To comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, we need your permission before we can photograph or make any recordings of your child.
Image Consent forms are compulsory for all students. They are sent out to all new students via an online form.
If you would like to complete the online Image consent Form please email – click here