Safeguarding & Well-Being

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Turning Point Academy is committed to safeguarding children and promoting children's welfare and expects all staff, trustees, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment and maintain a vigilant and safe environment. Everyone has a responsibility to act without delay to protect children by reporting anything that might suggest a child is being abused or neglected. It is our willingness to work safely and challenge inappropriate behaviours’ that underpins this commitment. The school seeks to work in partnership with families and other agencies to improve the outcomes for children who are vulnerable or in need.'

At Turning Point Academy our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mike Marshall (Principal).  We also have a Deputy Safeguarding Lead (Anthony Riley - Deputy Principal) and a 'back-up' Safeguarding Lead (Ryan Wray - School Guidance Counsellor.  Marc Williams, our Safeguarding Development Officer has also completed DSL training to the same level as our safeguarding leads.  Our wider 'Well-Being Team,' support our pupils exceptionally well with a whole range of safeguarding, welfare and pastoral issues.  Any safeguarding concerns should be reported to Mike Marshall.  Any safeguarding concerns about the Designated safeguarding Lead should be reported to Stefan Campbell (Proprietor). All our safeguarding team have been trained to a high standard with the NSPCC, and training is routinely updated every two years.

THE TPA SAFEGUARDING, PASTORAL & WELFARE TEAM

Mike Marshall - Designated Safeguarding Lead / Principal
Anthony Riley - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead / Deputy Principal
Ryan Wray - Back-up Safeguarding Lead / School Guidance Counsellor
Rachel Clarke - Referrals, Attendance & Family Liaison Lead
Emily Parr - Pastoral & Welfare Manager (Years 9 to 11)
Mike Nickeas - Pastoral & Welfare Manager (Years 3 to 8)
Antony Shinks - Pastoral & Welfare Manager (Nurture base)
Marc Williams - Safeguarding Development Officer / DSL trained

Our Safeguarding policy aims to promote a safe environment where child safeguarding concerns can be managed in an appropriate way. It supports the Safeguarding agenda, and draws links through, and is reflected in, all relevant School policies and documents. All staff at TPA are regularly trained on a whole range of safeguarding issues in order to keep up to date with the ever-changing world of issues, and ensure we are able to provide as much advice and support as we can when it is needed, and spot when a child needs to be safeguarded against abuse and exploitation.
 
Turning Point Academy is a place where children and young people of various abilities, cultures and ethnic backgrounds have the opportunity to learn and understand what is and what is not acceptable behaviour towards them. 

Our school ensures children learn in a safe, caring and enriching environment. Children are taught how to keep themselves safe, to develop positive and healthy relationships, how to avoid situations where they might be at risk including by being exploited. 
 
Our school also has a statutory responsibility to share any concerns it might have about a child in need of protection with other agencies and in particular police, health and children's services. Schools are not able to investigate concerns but have a legal duty to refer them. In most instances the school will be able to inform the parents/carer of its need to make a referral. However, sometimes the school is advised by children's services or police that the parent/carer cannot be informed whilst they investigate the matter. We understand the anxiety parents/carers understandably feel when they are not told about any concerns from the outset. The school follows legislation that aims to act in the interests of the child. 
 
Turning Point Academy will always seek to work in partnership with parents and other agencies to ensure the best possible outcomes for the child and family. 

Our Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy can be found in the policies section of this website and is available on request via the school office, and also by clicking onto the button below - 
Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy - Updated September 2023
Anti-Bullying at TPA 
 
At Turning Point Academy we are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our pupils so they can learn in a relaxed and secure atmosphere free from oppression and abuse. Bullying is an anti social behaviour and affects everyone. All types of bullying are unacceptable at our school and will not be tolerated. All pupils should feel able to tell and when bullying behaviour is brought to our attention, prompt and effective action will be taken. 

We are a TELLING school.

This means that anyone who is aware of any type of bullying that is taking place is expected to tell a member of staff immediately.

Our anti-bullying policy can be found on this website under the policies section.  It is also available via the school office.

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