Child Protection Policy for the Samara Ballet School

This document forms the child protection policy for The Samara Ballet School and should be followed by teachers, assistant teachers and parent helpers during dancing lessons, examination sessions and the school dance show.  The principles should apply to all children and young people attending the school but also to any vulnerable adults who participate from time to time.

The objective of Samara Ballet School is to provide dance classes for all sections of the community regardless of gender, age, race, religious belief or disability.  It also aims to ensure that all children and young people have the opportunity to dance regardless of financial means and bursary funding is always available to ensure total inclusion for all.

The school aims to provide a safe environment where children can learn in suitable secure surroundings under the care of fully qualified, registered, insured and CRB checked teachers.  Teachers are aided from time to time with assistant teachers, who teach under the guidance of the main teacher, and from parent helpers on exam days and during shows.  We aim to ensure a CRB checked adult is always in attendance to supervise, and group numbers and class sizes are limited to ensure a suitable ratio of care.   All staff, voluntary or otherwise, are expected to share any concerns of suspected abuse, be it sexual, physical or emotional, to Michelle Rasdall in the first instance and this will be acted upon immediately.

The Samara Ballet School will only be responsible for children during lesson time and cannot supervise visits to the toilets nor provide constant chaperones in the changing areas or grounds around the premises.  All changing areas are single sex although male and female children of primary school age may both change in the same area with their own parent as supervisor.   During the show and exams the areas are supervised by chaperones of the same gender and separate changing areas are provided for all ages of male and female pupils, supervised by a CRB checked series of volunteers. One to one care can be provided during shows and exams for vulnerable pupils needing extra support, provided they attend full time school. Children under school age at the time of any performance must have either a parent or appointed guardian in attendance at all times as Samara Ballet School cannot be held responsible for this age group.  No visitors will be allowed in changing areas nor back stage and only those adults listed on the rota (which can be found on the changing room door) will have access to back stage areas.  All staff, volunteers, first aiders and CRB checked supervisors will be identified by badges.

No recordings of any kind are allowed during the show be it photographs or video except by the company employed to made a DVD recording of the performance.  Any parent who does not wish their child to be filmed for the DVD should notify the school in writing prior to the performance and they have full rights to ask for their child not to be filmed.  An official photographer will be in attendance during the show performances and parents are responsible for supervising the taking of any photographs directly with the company providing the service as the school will not be responsible for the outside contractors.

This policy is regularly updated in accordance with government guidelines and Michelle Rasdall will be happy to discuss any matters relating to the policy if further clarification is required.

     Last updated May 2010