Safeguarding and inclusivity

Here at the Phoenix Academy of film and theatre arts we take the safeguarding of our students very seriously.

All of our staff are dedicated to providing a safe and secure environment for students, parents and teachers and our student Safeguarding Policy is available to parents and staff at any time.

A vital part of our Child Safeguarding arrangements is that we have a specialist member of staff to facilitate safeguarding during academy time. This role is either practiced by our safeguarding officer Holly Williams or our deputy head of safeguarding Kyli Ferguson. This ensures that we have one member of staff dedicated purely to safeguarding at any given time so that our subject leaders are able to facilitate their specialist classes safe in the knowledge that the Director or safeguarding officer is present.

Each and every member of staff at Phoenix has an enhanced clearance via the DBS - Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) and its structure is often used as an example of Best Practice when Child Safeguarding issues are discussed.

In addition our Director has direct contact with an independent dedicated Child Safeguarding team and receive professional help and advice on those rare occasions that it is required.

The Phoenix Academy Inclusivity Policy

In recognition that attending Phoenix can have a significant and positive impact on the lives of children and young people, this aspect of our service provision is highly valued by Parents and of children attending classes.
It is our aim to give each child the best possible experience of Phoenix and what we can provide regardless of their circumstances.

The Phoenix Academy of film and theatre arts is an inclusive organisation with an equal opportunities recruitment policy that also applies to the enrolment of its students. Beyond the ability to have fees paid for them, children and young people from all backgrounds are offered the same opportunity and support needed to attend and participate whether for education, personal development, pleasure or vocation/career.

All prospective students should be welcomed to apply regardless of social, political, religious and cultural background, sexual orientation or gender and likewise the Stagecoach opportunity should be open to all abilities through effective marketing initiatives.

We do not hold auditions for places at their scheduled classes – with the exception in some cases; e.g. performance groups that are run as an added extra for showcasing and encouraging talent. Not all Performance groups will require auditions for entry.

All applications should be treated equally and all prospective students given at least a two week trial to assess their capability to participate. Here at Phoenix we commit to giving students a high quality artistic and professional experience of the performing and digital arts using a diverse range of teaching techniques. Some children and young people can have a range of individual needs including SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) or more complex behaviors that our teachers may be able to integrate into a Stagecoach class effectively.

However, it must also be recognised that such children and young people can be vulnerable and not all children will be able to cope with the ensemble style used in our best practice teaching methods. Parents should be clear that the two week trial works from both sides and it may not be possible to include members who, although enjoying the experience, are either disruptive to the learning of the main body of the group in which they are placed or who are not able to access learning or participate and engage in the learning activity.

At any point our faculty will, where possible and where resources are available, make reasonable adjustment to accommodate the physical, behavioural and learning needs of the child.