All members of staff at Joseph Chamberlain College are committed to the highest standards when it comes to protecting and safeguarding the students in our care. We aim to:
- Create an atmosphere where all students feel secure, valued, and listened to.
- Recognise signs/symptoms of abuse and respond quickly, appropriately, and effectively to all cases of suspected abuse.
- Develop, nurture, and encourage students’ self-esteem, self-expression, and self-assertiveness.
- Tackle all instances of bullying and harassment swiftly and constructively.
Every student is allocated to a tutor group, each with a personal progress tutor. This allows each and every student to have at least one member of staff who knows them as individuals, can give them personalised advice, and takes responsibility for overseeing their academic progress, providing general support, setting high standards, and embodying the spirit of the college.
In addition to personal progress tutors, Joseph Chamberlain College has a phenomenal Health and Wellbeing Team that provides support to all students who might need it.
All students are encouraged to report to their tutor, an assistant principal, or directly to the principal if they are concerned about themselves or someone else. We recognise that some students may be the victims of neglect or physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, and with this knowledge, we ensure all staff working with students are trained to identify such abuse.
All forms of bullying, harassment, abuse, and victimisation are not tolerated at Joseph Chamberlain College. If any instances of these should unfortunately occur, all staff and students are told to report it and are assured that the incident will be dealt with promptly and effectively.
The safety of our students is a top priority at Joseph Chamberlain College, and students are encouraged to follow safe practices throughout the college. For example, when working with chemicals, equipment, or out of college on a placement, students will be given clear, easy-to-follow instructions by teachers and assessors detailing how to maintain both the safety of themselves and those around them.
As part of our safeguarding arrangements, we have a two-way information-sharing agreement in place with West Midlands Police. The agreement is compliant with Crime & Disorder Act 1998 and Data Protection Act 1998 and focuses on preventing young people from becoming involved or further involved in crime and antisocial behaviour as a victim or offender. The college has recently joined the Community Safety Charter to work with local organisations, charities, businesses, and groups to eliminate harassment, antisocial behaviour, and intimidation experienced by anyone who lives, works, or studies in England. Our college is also part of Operation Encompass, a national scheme that operates jointly between colleges and local Police Forces, where the college is notified if a young person has experienced domestic abuse. If you have any queries about the partnership policy, please call Jo Lawrence, Vice Principal, on 0121 446 2200.
If you are a parent or carer who is concerned about your child’s safety online and are seeking advice, please click here to visit the ThinkUKnow website.
If you are a parent or carer who is seeking advice regarding the protection of your child from radicalisation, please click here to visit and receive advice from Educate Against Hate’s website, or, alternatively, click here to view an advisory pamphlet from Victvs.
If you would like to report harmful content found online, please click here to visit the Report Harmful Content website.
If you would like to access our policies regarding safeguarding or the Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 statutory guidance for schools and colleges, please click the links below.
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023