With the cooperation of parents and carers, Cirencester Creative Dance Academy (CCDA) aims to create a safe, inclusive environment for all pupils. CCDA promotes equal opportunities, celebrates diversity, and will not tolerate discrimination against any pupil or staff member on the grounds of age, sex, gender identity, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, disability, or any medical condition.
The Principal is the Designated Safeguarding Officer and is responsible for ensuring all issues brought to her attention are handled thoroughly and sensitively, and for setting clear health and safety guidelines. All staff, parents, and pupils are expected to uphold these standards and to follow any guidelines issued by CCDA.
Responsibilities
Principal: Katherine-Lucy Bates
- Keeping CCDA up to date with technical skills, qualifications, and insurance.
- Bringing this policy to the attention of all teaching staff, volunteers, and parents/guardians.
- Ensuring, where reasonably practicable, that no pupil is discriminated against, including in relation to any medical condition, disability, or ethnicity.
- Ensuring concerns are addressed thoroughly and sensitively.
- Setting clear health and safety guidelines.
Teaching Staff
- Always act in the best interests of the pupils in their care.
- Follow sensible health and safety guidelines as set out by the Principal.
- Ensure teaching methods are anatomically safe.
- Where physical corrections are required (due to the nature of dance training), carry them out appropriately and sensitively, and only when necessary.
- Follow CCDA’s safeguarding procedures if there are concerns over a child’s wellbeing.
Parents/Carers
- Inform the Principal in writing of any issues that could affect their child’s health and safety while in CCDA’s care.
- Ensure the health and safety of their child whilst on the premises (before, between, or after lessons).
- Ensure children register their attendance on arrival with the CCDA representative.
- Ensure children are respectful of health and safety rules when attending any CCDA activity or venue (including festivals, theatres, and performances).
- Keep CCDA up to date with all contact details.
- Complete all enrolment steps and permission/opt-in forms as required.
Health & Safety Responsibility of Pupils
- Store personal belongings away (use leisure centre lockers where applicable).
- Do not leave bags or shoes on the floor.
- No hot drinks in studios; only water allowed.
- No jewellery.
- Hair to be tied up neatly in a bun or plaited ponytail.
- Warm up correctly and be appropriately attired to avoid injury.
Photography/Filming
CCDA may capture photos and videos for educational and promotional purposes (e.g. website, private/public Facebook pages, Instagram, programmes, posters). Parents/guardians must ensure permission forms are completed accordingly.
Bullying
CCDA has a zero-tolerance approach to bullying. Students and parents are encouraged to report concerns promptly. Anti-bullying guidance is available for parents and students to read on the CCDA website.
Safeguarding procedures
- Designated Safeguarding Officer: Katherine-Lucy Bates.
- If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
- If a child is not in immediate danger, notify the Principal of any concerns over a child’s safety and wellbeing, and follow the disclosure procedure below.
If a member of staff takes a disclosure they should:
- Reassure the child they’ve done the right thing by telling you.
- Make sure the child knows that abuse is never their fault.
- Never talk to the alleged perpetrator about the child’s disclosure.
- Keep accurate and detailed notes on any concerns.
UPDATE Autumn 2025
Unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated towards any pupil and towards any staff or teachers of CCDA, from either parents of pupils to other pupils, or from the pupils to other pupils.
Furthermore, we reiterate that as policy, parents should report any incidents involving any person’s behaviour directly to the safeguarding lead, and at no time attempt to deal with any incident themselves, or incite any other parents.
Whistleblowing
If any member of staff has concerns over the wellbeing of anyone within CCDA and needs advice from Gloucestershire County Council, call 01452 426565. If you witness something affecting people within CCDA and need HR advice, contact Gloucestershire Shire Hall HR on 01452 425888.
Legislation & Guidance
Supporting this policy:
- The Children Act 1989
- The Policy Act 1997
- The Human Rights Act 1998
- The Data Protection Act 2018
- The Protection of Children Act 1999
- The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000
Child Protection Policy Part 2
For Rehearsal and Performance
(To be read in conjunction with Part 1.)
Policy Statement
CCDA Principal, teachers, and show staff are committed to best practice for safeguarding children at all times. CCDA complies with Gloucestershire County Council guidance on Children in Performance.
Staffing
- All backstage helpers/teachers are DBS-checked and receive a briefing on their roles and responsibilities.
- A clear rota for backstage teachers/helpers is maintained, including certificate checks and records (number and issue date).
- All backstage helpers wear identification badges on lanyards with colour-coded roles.
- Performance licences are obtained for any child meeting the criteria.
- Children with performance licences have a registered chaperone allocated for each performance.
- In the event of a BOPA, only DBS-registered parents will be allowed to chaperone, and there will be at least one local authority chaperone present.
Safeguarding
- A designated Safeguarding Lead is in place.
- Systems are in place for signing pupils in and out of designated changing rooms.
- A record of emergency contact details for each pupil is maintained.
- Changing rooms/toileting facilities are suitable for gender and age differences and promote privacy and dignity.
- All children, irrespective of whether they have a chaperone, are accounted for during rehearsal/performance; all changes/handovers are clearly communicated.
- Clear plans ensure pupils are escorted between changing rooms and stage without passing through public areas.
- Mobile phones, tablets, cameras, and recording devices are excluded from backstage areas (room leads hold an emergency phone).
Health and Safety
- A venue risk assessment is completed with the venue’s responsible officer prior to the performance (see appendix 1a where applicable).
- The Principal conducts a health and safety brief; each Lead backstage helper delivers a room-specific brief before each performance.
- A teacher-led warm-up is conducted for all pupils before rehearsal and each performance.
- A minimum of two certified first aiders attend all rehearsals and performances, with access to an approved first aid kit.
- Records of pupils with particular health requirements are kept by the Principal and shared with each room’s Lead backstage helper, with a master copy retained.
Policy Review
The policy will be reviewed annually and revised as required. Updated August 2025.
