Our safeguarding curriculum integrates safety education into a school's broader curriculum, ensuring students actively learn how to identify risks, manage personal boundaries, and report concerns. It empowers pupils with life skills and resilience. Our robust safeguarding curriculum weaves safety and well-being into everyday subjects and school activities rather than treating them as isolated topics.

 

Safeguarding and the promotion of British values are central to our work at Physis Academy. We plan to constantly challenge children to think deeply about safeguarding matters and their own personal physical and mental wellbeing. We are committed to creating a safe, caring, and inclusive environment where every child can thrive. Our safeguarding curriculum helps pupils develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to keep themselves and others safe – in school, at home and in the wider community.

 

Safeguarding at Physis Academy is embedded across our whole school experience – not just in specific lessons, but through assemblies, curriculum opportunities, pupil leadership, and real-life experiences. We ensure every child acquires the resilience, knowledge, understanding, and skills required for their personal safeguarding.

 

The primary components and delivery methods include:

1. Key Thematic Areas

• Online Safety: Identifying the dangers of cyberbullying, social media use, managing screen time, and recognizing age-inappropriate content.

• Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE): Learning about healthy relationships, trust, boundaries, and how to spot abuse (e.g., the NSPCC’s "PANTS" rule for younger students).

• Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing: Fostering emotional literacy, recognizing complex feelings, self harm and building resilience.

• General Risk Management: Teaching practical safety measures like road safety, fire awareness, and water safety.

 

2. How It Is Taught

• PSHE & Citizenship: Explicit lessons on staying safe, knowing who to turn to for help, and understanding one's body and rights.

• Assemblies & Workshops: Regular discussions on themes like anti-bullying, with external support from charities and local emergency services.

• Cross-Curricular Links: Challenging derogatory language, promoting British values, and embracing diversity across multiple subjects.

• Tutor groups and Social Times: We recognise that social times provide valuable opportunities for learners to develop and navigate interpersonal relationships. During these periods, staff actively model positive, respectful, and healthy interactions, helping to foster essential social and communication skills.
   

3. Practical Tools and Support

Schools implement localized mechanisms to ensure students feel safe and heard:

• Worry Boxes: Discreet physical or virtual boxes where students can drop notes if they have concerns.

• Pastoral Team: Access to dedicated in-school mentors, clinicians, and well-being groups

• Student Information Board: Maintained by students throughout each term

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