
Safeguarding
Braunton Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you have concerns that a child in school is at risk of harm then you must let a member of staff know. You can contact the relevant Head of Year or a member of the safeguarding team as follows:
or contact the school on tel: 01271 812221 and ask to speak to one of the Safeguarding team.
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​The Safeguarding Team:
Mrs Woodhead (Designated Safeguarding Lead/Assistant Vice Principal, Inclusion & Pastoral Lead), Miss J Barrett (Deputy Safeguarding Officer) and Mrs Bowler (Principal) lead the safeguarding team as Child Protection Officers.​

Mrs E Woodhead

Miss J Barrett

Mrs F Bowler
All staff and volunteers are trained to the appropriate level in safeguarding and training is repeated at set intervals to ensure that new staff are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. Pastoral staff have enhanced safeguarding training.
All Level 3 enhanced trained staff wear orange lanyards for easy identification.
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Safeguarding Assemblies
Data shows 11-13 year old girls are increasingly at risk of grooming and coercion at the hands of online predators. In 2020, there has been a rise of 77% on 2019 figures of online requests for self-generated child sexual abuse material. In 80% of these cases, the victims were 11- to 13 year old girls. As part of the latest UK Home Office and Microsoft campaign, parents are encouraged to T.A.L.K to their children about the dangers:
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· Talk to your child about online sexual abuse. Start the conversation – and listen to their concerns.
· Agree ground rules about the way you use technology as a family.
· Learn about the platforms and apps your child loves. Take an interest in their online life.
· Know how to use tools, apps and settings that can help to keep your child safe online.
“Any child, no matter what their background, with unrestricted access to internet-connected devices, is at risk.”
Safeguarding Policies​​
The Risk Assessment Process
Life at home, school, on holiday or in the workplace can never be risk free and accidents, regrettably, do happen in spite of the sensible precautions we all should take. Braunton Academy is totally committed to taking reasonable precautions to mitigate all risks in every aspect of the operations of the Academy. Braunton Academy regularly reviews all operational risks and the steps we take to mitigate them are reported through the Governors' Estate Portfolio group. This risk assessment is part of the annual review process of the Academy.​
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Mr Magson (Academy Estate Manager) organises regular health and safety checks to ensure that the site is safe for use by all.
Mrs Hellmund (Human Resources and Administration Manager) ensures that there is an up to date central record of staff and that DBS checks are completed. All new staff at interview are given questions from the panel related to safeguarding.
Ofsted rated Braunton School (now Academy) as 'Outstanding' for safeguarding.
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Specific Safeguarding Issues
Child Criminal & Sexual Exploitation
Criminal and Sexual exploitation involves an individual, or group of adults, taking advantage of the vulnerability of an individual, or groups of children, or young people, and victims can be boys or girls. Children and young people are often unwittingly drawn in to criminal and sexual exploitation through the offer of friendship and care, gifts, drugs and alcohol, and sometimes accommodation. Sexual exploitation is a serious crime and can have a long-lasting adverse impact on a child's physical and emotional health. It may also be linked to child trafficking.​
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The Academy includes the risks of sexual exploitation in the PSHE and SRE curriculum and assemblies to all year groups. A common feature of sexual exploitation is that the child often doesn't recognise the coercive nature of the relationship and doesn't see themselves as a victim. The child may initially resent what they perceive as interference by staff, but staff must act on their concerns, as they would for any other type of abuse.
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All staff are made aware of the indicators of criminal and sexual exploitation and all concerns are reported immediately to the DSL.
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The Academy will engage with and make referrals to the MACE process and the REACH Team when and where appropriate and make an enquiry to MASH for any child that goes missing if they are not known to Children's Services. Follow the links below for more information.
Private Fostering Arrangements
By law, a parent, private foster carer or other persons involved in making a private fostering arrangement, must notify children's services as soon as possible. DCFP guidance for further information is available below.​
If you have concerns about a child outside of school
Click the link below to the Safeguarding Board for Devon – this site aims to provide important information to parents and carers, children and young people and professionals who work with them.


Online Safety
Every Wednesday, National Online Safety produce guides that focus on specific platforms/risks of popular apps and websites.
Believing in empowering parents, carers and trusted adults with the information they need to hold informed and age-appropriate conversations about online safety with their child, should they feel it needed.
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Sign up for their mailing list to receive a new weekly guide of a popular app or website, sent to your email address.
Mental Health Support
Free, safe and anonymous online support for young people,
Chatlines Open:
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Monday – Friday 12pm – 10pm
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Saturday – Sunday 6pm – 10pm

Thinkuknow
Thinkuknow from the CEOP Education Team provides information and resources for schools and parents. Please click on the link for further information.​
County Lines

Online Safety Update - Monkey App
Online safety experts have been alerted to an extremely dangerous website and app called ‘Monkey’, which allows users to have video calls with strangers. The platform markets itself as ‘an alternative to Omegle, with a TikTok vibe’. This platform has been reviewed and it has been found to contain large amounts of inappropriate, disturbing, and harmful content transmitted via web cameras. More information available below.