Our Data Protection & Cookie Policy

Last revised Sept 2023

Information we collect

Browsing this site

By simply browsing our site, we do not collect any personally-identifiable information about you. We use the Squarespace analytics platform to see how many people visit our site and how they use it. We use this platform as we control the data collected and it isn't shared to third parties. Data collected includes your ISP and approximate location, browser, device, screen resolution, pages visited and the first two bytes of your IP address. Data collected is only used internally and is not shared with third parties.

Emailing us or enquiring about a class

If you email us or use the Contact / Enquiry form, you will share with us certain information. This will include your email address and could also include your name, your child's name, their date of birth and any other details you tell us within the message. Your message will be encrypted and stored on our email servers https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000851908-GDPR-and-Squarespace

Only key members of our staff can read these messages and we will only use the details you provide to enable us to fulfil your request (for example, giving you details about a suitable class).

Registering your child

If you register your child for our classes, we will collect personal information about you and your child. 

This will include:  

  • your name,

  • your address,

  • your email address

  • your phone number

  • your child's name

  • your child’s date of birth

  • gender (Optional)

  • the date they started classes

You may also tell us about any previous dance experience your child has, any exams they have taken and if they have any needs or conditions we should be aware of (for example allergies, disabilities or any medication they might need to take whilst dancing). With these details we will also store a record of exams your child takes with us, invoices we issue (including when and how they were paid) and any items you order from us (for example uniform or show tickets). We store this information securely within the EU and only key members of staff have access to it. We use the information to provide our services to you, keep you informed, and help us tailor our services better to the needs of our customers. Certain relevant details will be shared with our dance teachers to allow them to provide relevant and inclusive classes.

Photographs, & Marketing - please see safeguarding policies for further info

- With your permission, photographs and videos of our Pupils & Students are used for illustrative purposes on our website and may be used on our social media channels and marketing materials.

- Photographs and videos of Pupils and Service Users under 18 will NOT have their full names or other personally-identifiable data attached;

- Photographs and videos of Students and Service Users over 18 MAY have their full names attached with prior consent.

Information others collect

We use Stripe to take credit and debit card payments. If you pay us by card, Stripe will collect certain personal details about you. This can include your name, address, payment details and what you are buying. Stripe may share some of these details with other financial, government and law-enforcement organisations -for example your bank- to enable the transaction to go through. You can find out more here. You can prevent Stripe collecting details about you by not paying with your card. We do not disclose any of your details to Stripe unless you initiate a card payment.

RAD & ISTD

The RAD and ISTD are our examining bodies. If you enter your child for exams, we will disclose certain details about your child. These include their name and previous exams they have taken. If your child needs additional support during their exam (for example because they have a disability), the additional support they need will also be disclosed. You can prevent RAD and ISTD collecting information about your child by not entering them for exams. This will not affect your child's ability to progress through our classes in any way. We do not disclose any of your child's details to either RAD or ISTD unless you enter them for an exam.

Disclosing your details to others

Your personal details are your property. Apart from the instances listed above, we do not disclose your details to anyone. There is a possibility we could be obliged by law to disclose information about you. This is highly unlikely as we hold very little personal information. If it did happen, we would fight the request as best as possible. If we were still obliged to comply, we would only disclose the bare minimum possible to comply.

Cookie Policy

Our website will ask you if you wish to accept cookies. Details on how how website uses cookies can be found here: 

https://www.squarespace.com/cookie-policy/

What are cookies?

Cookies are small pieces of data that websites store on a device. Cookies can improve your and your visitors’ browsing experience because they help websites remember preferences and understand how people use different features.

Questions, requests and updates

If you have any questions about how your data is used, need to update it, delete it, or would like a copy of the data we hold on you, please contact us.

 

Our Child Protection Policy

Suzanna Raymond School of Dance (hereby referred to as SRSD)
Administrator for Suzanna Raymond School of Dance: *Lucy Fletcher (Also known as *Emma Lucy Woolger) 
Principal / Director - Suzanna Raymond 

Statement : SRSD has a duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all its students/children whilst taking part in classes with the SRSD. SRSD will provide, as far as is reasonably practicable, an environment that is safe and with minimum risk to all who take part.

A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 (The children Act 1989)

Policy Aims
The aim of the SRSD Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice:
Providing children and young people with appropriate safety and protection whilst in the care of SRSD.
All staff/volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues.

Promoting Good Practice
Child abuse can arouse strong emotions in those facing such a situation. It is important tounderstand these feelings and not allow them to interfere with your judgement about the appropriate action to take.

Abuse can occur within many situation including the home, school and outside environments. Some individuals will actively seek employment or voluntary work with young people in order to harm them. A teacher, official or volunteer will have regular contact with young people and be an important link in identifying cases where they need protection. All suspicious cases of poor practice should be reported to The Principal.

Good Practice Guidelines
All personnel should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to protect themselves from false allegations. The following are common sense examples of how to create a positive culture and climate.

Good practice means:

  • Always working in an open environment avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging open communication.

  • Treating all students equally with respect and dignity.

  • Always putting the welfare of each student first.

  • Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust.

  • Making dance fun and enjoyable.

  • Ensuring any form of manual/physical support required should be provided openly. It is difficult to maintain hand positions when the child is constantly moving, students should always be consulted and their agreement gained, prior to any support. Some parents are becoming increasingly sensitive about manual support and their views should always be carefully considered.

  • Keeping up to date with technical skills, qualifications and insurance

  • Involving parents/carers wherever possible. For example, encouraging them to take responsibility for their children in the changing rooms. If groups have to be supervised in the changing rooms, always ensure parents, teachers and volunteers work in pairs.

  • Being an excellent role model – this includes not smoking or drinking alcohol in the company of the students.

  • Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback.

  • Recognising the developmental needs and capacity of students – avoiding excessive training and not pushing them against their will.

  • Securing parental consent to act in loco parentis, if the need arises to administer emergency first aid and/or other medical treatment.

  • Keep a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of treatment given.

Practices to be avoided
The following should avoided except in emergencies. If a case arises where these situations are unavoidable (eg. The child sustains an injury and need to go to hospital, or a parent fails to arrive to pick up a child at the end of a session), it should be with the full knowledge and consent of the Principal or the child’s parents.

  • Spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.

  • Taking or dropping off a child to an event, unless written agreement is given and accepted between parent and staff.

Practices never to be sanctioned - You should NEVER

  • Engage in rough physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay

  • Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching

  • Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged

  • Reduce a child to tears as a form of control.

  • Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.

  • Do things of a personal nature for students that they can do for themselves.

NB It may sometimes be necessary for staff or volunteers to do things of a personal nature for children, particularly if they are young. These tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding and consent of parents and the students involved. There is a need to be responsive to a person’s reactions. If a person is fully dependent on you, talk with him/her about what you are doing and give choices where possible. Particularly if you are involved in any dressing or undressing of outer clothing, or where there is physical contact, lifting or assisting a child to carry out particular activities. Avoid taking on the responsibility for tasks for which you are not appropriately trained.

Incidents that must be reported/recorded
If any of the following occur you should report this immediately to another colleague and record the incident. You should also ensure the parents of the child are informed:

  • If you accidentally hurt a student

  • If he/she seems distressed in any manner

  • If a student misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done

Use of Photographic/filming equipment at events
There is evidence that some people have used performance events as an opportunity to take inappropriate photographs or film footage of young people. SRSD will always request written parental consent before any photographs or filming takes place. 

N.B: On registration with SRSD a parental consent form for the taking and use of photographs and videos will be signed by a parent/guardian for each pupil.

Recruitment and training of staff and volunteers
SRSD recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse children and all reasonable steps will be taken to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children.

Pre-selection checks will include the following:

  • All volunteers/staff will complete an application form. This will include self- disclosure about any criminal record.

  • Consent will be requested from an applicant to seek information from the Criminal Records Bureau

  • Two confidential references will be taken up and confirmed through telephone contact.

  • Evidence of identity will be requested.

Interview and induction
All employees and volunteers will be required to undergo an interview. All employees and volunteers will receive formal or informal induction during which:

  • A check will be made that the application form has been completed in full, including sections on self-disclosure and criminal records.

  • Qualifications are substantiated, where appropriate.

  • Job requirements and responsibilities will be clarified.

  • They will read and accept SRSD’s Code of Conduct.

  • Child protection procedures will be explained and training needs clarified.

Training
In addition to pre-selection checks, the safeguarding process will include training to help staff and volunteers to:

  • Compare their own practice against established good practice, and to ensure their practice is likely to protect them from false allegations.

  • Recognise responsibilities and report any concerns about suspected poor practice or possible abuse.

  • Respond to concerns expressed by a child or young person.

  • Work safely and effectively with children.

  • Give advisory information outlining good practice and information on what to do if they have concerns about the behaviour of an adult towards a young person

  • Give advisory information outlining good practice and information on what to do if they have concerns about the behaviour between children.

Responding to allegations or suspicions
It is not the responsibility of anyone working with SRSD in a paid or unpaid capacity, to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. There is a responsibility to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities. SRSD assures all staff/volunteers that it will fully support and protect anyone who in good faith reports his/her concern that a colleague is, or may be, abusing a child.

Action

1. Concerns about poor practice:

  • If, following consideration, the allegation is clearly about poor practice, the administrator (Lucy Fletcher) will deal with it as a misconduct issue. If the allegation is made towards the administrator, the report must be made to the child’s class teacher or principal who will refer the allegation to the social services department.

2. Concerns about suspected abuse

  • Any suspicion that a child has been abused by a member of staff or volunteer must be reported to the administrator, who will take actions considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question any other child who may be considered at risk.

  • The administrator will refer the allegation to the social services department.

  • The parents or carers of the child will be contacted following advice from social services.

  • If the administrator is the subject of the suspicion/allegation, the report must be made to class teacher who will refer the allegation to the social services department.

  • The administrator will deal with ALL media enquiries.

Confidentiality
Every effort will be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all concerned. Information will be handled and disseminated on a need to know basis only.

This will include the following:

  • The Administrator / Principal

  • The parents of the person who is alleged to have been abused

  • The person making the allegation

  • Social Services

  • The alleged abuser (and parents if the abuser is a child)

Bullying
If bullying is suspected, the following actions will take place:

To help the victim and to prevent bullying:

  • All signs of bullying will be taken very seriously

  • All children will be encouraged to speak about their concerns. The victim will be helped to speak out and to tell someone in authority.

  • All allegations will be investigated and actions taken to ensure the safety of the victim.

  • Victims and alleged bullies will be spoken to separately

  • Victims will be reassured that they can trust who they are speaking to and they will be helped, but promises must not be made to tell no one else.

  • Records of all discussions will be kept

  • Any concerns must be reported to the administrator immediately.

Action towards the bully(ies)

  • Alleged bullies will be spoken to, help them to understand the consequences of their behaviour and an apology sought where required.

  • Parents will be informed

  • Provision of support for the victim’s teacher

  • Sanctions as necessary will be imposed

  • Encourage and support the bullies to change their behaviour

  • Meetings with parents will be scheduled to report on progress

  • Written records of all actions taken to be kept

Information to be obtained when suspicions or allegations are made:

  • Child’s personal details, name, age, date of birth (obtainable from enrolment form)

  • Child’s home address and telephone number (obtainable from enrolment form)

  • Whether or not the person making the report is expressing their own concerns or those of someone else

  • The nature of the allegation, including date, times and any special factors relevant

  • A description of any visible signs of injury.

  • Any behavioural changes.

  • Details of any witnesses to the incident.

  • The child’s account.

  • Time of parental involvement

  • Parental response

  • Full report of the alleged incident, who reported it, etc.

Declaration
We at SRSD will oversee the implementation of the Child Protection Policy and take all necessary steps to ensure it is adhered to.