Designated Safeguard Lead: Mrs. Julie Forsythe
Deputy Safeguard Leads: Mrs. Sheena Williams, Mrs. Emma Newton, Miss. Zoe Bushell, Mrs. Rebecca Payne, Mrs. Rachel Barber (EYFS) Mrs. Vicki Adams (SEN)
If you are worried about a child, you can refer directly to the Dartford Children & Family Team here. Download our Visitor Information leaflet
We recognise the importance of providing an ethos and environment that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected. The protection of pupils is of paramount concern at our Academy and our primary focus is to provide a safe and nurturing environment, in which all our young people enjoy their learning, achieve their full potential and grow in self-esteem and independence. The purpose of our safeguarding procedures are to provide a clear framework for all staff to promote the following aims:
Encourage children to talk openly and enable them to feel confident they will be listened to
Be appropriately trained to be alert to the signs of abuse and neglect
Follow the school procedures to ensure children receive the appropriate support, protection and justice
At LACO we embrace the digital age by creating responsible digital citizens. Access to the Internet can take place anywhere and at any time, so we need to make sure our children are able to use the Internet safely. Our programme of online safety guides your child through the benefits and dangers of having a virtual presence. Whilst the school will support with any online concerns including online bullying, we need your support as parents and carers in what you allow your children to access and your awareness of what they are doing online. Together, we will keep our children safe.
For more information around Online Safety, click here.
The Academy has a duty of care towards pupils which means that their identity may need to be protected, to reduce the risk of inappropriate adult contact. From 2024/25 parental consent for the Academy to use photographs of children became automatic, unless parents opt out. We will never include the full name of the pupil alongside a published image, without your permission.
Newspapers covering events at the Academy normally ask for pupils’ names alongside any photograph taken. Also, the Academy uses a commercial photographer to take individual pupil photos which will be placed in the pupil Academy record and provided to you for purchasing. In this case the full name has to be given for identification in the Academy and by the photographic company.