At Broadoak we want every student to feel safe in school, at home, in the community and online. The Broadoak staff are here to help all students who might need it.
If you believe a person is on site and not authorised to be so, please escort them to the main reception or contact a member of SLT immediately. Broadoak Academy staff should wear their lanyard and photo ID at all times.
At Broadoak we recognise and embrace our role in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE September 2025) makes it clear that all staff have a safeguarding responsibility. As an Academy, we work proactively with social care, the police, health services and other services to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding includes child protection, medical health care plans, health and safety, site security, safety on school trips, anti-bullying work and so much more.
The Designated Academy Councillor for Child Protection is Mrs B Frise.
In order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, Broadoak acts in accordance with the following legislation and guidance:
If you are concerned about the safety or wellbeing of a child at Broadoak Academy please contact our safeguarding team at: safeguarding@ba.clf.uk
Your tutor should be the person you go to in school if you are having any problems. You can see them at tutor time and arrange a further time to talk if you need to.
Mental Health
At Broadoak Academy, we are committed to fostering and sustaining the positive mental health and wellbeing of both our students and staff. We understand that mental health is just as vital as physical health, and we work diligently to cultivate a supportive environment that offers high-quality care, understanding, and timely intervention. Our goal is to ensure that every student is equipped to maintain and develop healthy mental wellbeing.
If you believe your child would benefit from mental health support during the school day, please encourage them to speak with one of the following members of staff:
- Their tutor or key worker
- Their Head of House or Assistant Head of House
- A member of the safeguarding team
Off The Record
OTR is a mental health support service for all students. Drop in and speak to a member of the team and find out more about the services they offer.
Off the Record
Kooth
Kooth is an online confidential service giving help and advice about emotional health.
Kooth
Young Minds
Young Minds Parents
Wellspring counselling
Vine counselling
The Substance Advice Service
BEAT Eating Disorders
Childline
PAPYRUS
Chat Health
Finding counselling and parent support – North Somerset
Careers, Work or College advice
Drop in and see a range of post-16 providers for advice and guidance about applying for life after Broadoak. This can include:
Winterstoke Hundred Academy
Weston College
Bridgwater College
And many others
Careers Advisor is found in the Atrium (near E-wing) every break and lunch Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Careers
Young Carers
At Broadoak Academy, we have a dedicated member of staff who provides support for our young carers, Mrs Hardwidge. She is available to offer guidance and assistance to students and families who may need advice or support in this area.
If you would like to discuss any matters relating to young carers, please contact the school reception on 01934 422000 and ask to speak with Mrs Hardwidge. She will be pleased to help.
If you feel that your child may be a young carer and is not currently receiving support, please inform us so that we can ensure appropriate assistance is put in place.
Additional information and external support for young carers can be found via North Somerset Council’s website:
Support for Young Carers – North Somerset Council website
PREVENT
The “Prevent” Programme
Since July 2015 the government’s Prevent strategy has placed a legal duty on schools to report any signs of radicalisation. As a college we actively promote British values across the curriculum and through assemblies, PSHCE and extracurricular activities. The website below has recently been launched to provide parents/carers with advice and information about how to prevent children and young people becoming radicalised.
Educate Against Hate website
E Safety
E Safety Information
The Internet is very much a part of life, it is available anywhere there is a wireless or wired connection, including TV’s, mobile phones, games consoles as well as computers, and laptops. As an educational establishment we recognise the importance of the internet in our students lives, not just in our primary focus of education, but also in our students social interaction, leisure pursuits and creative expression.
The Internet enhances our students’ education too, with access to the internet students have a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips, this together with a carefully planned lesson can enhance a students’ knowledge of the subject matter at hand.
Whilst we recognise these benefits and the importance of the internet, we also recognise that there are drawbacks and potential dangers to anyone who uses it, for example
- Access to inappropriate materials. such as pornography and violence.
- email scams.
- Viruses.
- Easier access to personal information.
- Communication with strangers.
These issues and more are addressed in the college’s new PSHCE curriculum e-safety lessons. Our teachers are trained to ensure our students do use the internet in their lessons in a productive and informative way, for example when asked to research a subject, students are asked to make sure their information is coming from a credible source and that they check all the facts they find to avoid misinformation. They also discuss how to recognise rsik taking and how to behave responsibly online.
Parents and e-safety
Parents, we feel you should know how we are tackling the problem of e-safety at the college and we also wish to offer you a one stop area of the website where you can find out lots of information about e-safety so you can understand the issues and keep up with the technology yourselves. The key to being safe on the internet is education and discussion so please in you own time look through the e-safety section of our website, find out the advantages and dangers of using the internet so you can begin to feel confident that you and your family are using the internet safely and securely.
e-safety weblinks
One of the huge benefits to the internet is that there is now a wealth of information out there, we have gathered together a handful of websites that contain excellent resources to help you learn and keep informed about the internet and new technologies.
National Online Safety
National Online Safety Guides
Thinkuknow
This website is managed by CEOP, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection government agency, this•site has lots of up to date•information on the new technologies available for use and explains the•risks of using these technologies in and easily digestible format. `
www.thinkuknow.co.uk
UK Safer Internet Centre
The Safer Internet Centre, holds e-safety tips, advice and resources to help children and young people stay safe on the internet
www.saferinternet.org.uk
Childnet International
Childnet International’s mission is to work in partnership with others around the world to help make the Internet a great and safe place for children
www.childnet.com
Know IT All
Award winning resources for teachers and parents.
www.childnet.com/resources/kia
Kidsmart
A Website where you and your children can learn more about the internet and being a SMART surfer.
www.kidsmart.org.uk
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Honour based violence (HBV)
Female Genital Mutilation
Female genital mutilation is the mutilation of the external female genetalia for non-medical reasons. It is often referred to as female circumcision, ‘cutting’ or ‘sunna’.
Government Statement opposing FGM
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is child abuse and an extremely harmful practice with devastating health consequences for girls and women. Some girls die from blood loss or infection as a direct result of the procedure. Some women who have undergone FGM are also likely to find it difficult to give birth and many also suffer from long-term psychological trauma.
UK Law
Female genital Mutilation is a crime in the United Kingdom. Even if a girl is taken abroad to undergo FGM, it is still a crime in the UK if the mutilation is done by a UK national or a UK resident.
It is also a crime if a UK national or resident assists or gets a non-UK national or resident to carry out FGM overseas on a UK national or resident.
If FGM is committed against a girl under the age of 16, each person who is responsible for the girl at the relevant time is guilty of an offence.
Criminal Penalties
Anyone found guilty of an FGM offence – or of helping somebody commit one – faces up to 14 years in prison, a fine, or both. Anyone found guilty of failing to protect a girl from risk of FGM faces up to 7 years in prison, a fine, or both.
Support
If you are worried that this might happen to you or someone you know, you can speak to a member of the safeguarding team in school. They will be able to help and support you. Alternatively, you can report this abuse by contacting one of the following:If there’s immediate danger or if you or someone you know is in immediate danger of FGM, contact the police.
Call 999 to report emergencies or 101 for non-emergencies. You should also contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office if you know a British national who’s already been taken abroad.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Telephone: 020 7008 1500
If you or someone you know is at risk
Contact the NSPCC anonymously if you’re worried that a girl or young woman is at risk or is a victim of FGM.
NSPCC FGM
Helpline Email: fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk
Telephone: 0800 028 3550
From overseas: +44 (0)800 028 3550
UK organisations
You can get help and advice in the UK from:
Female Genital Mutilation help advice
Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development (FORWARD)
Daughters of Eve
In England you can find NHS specialist clinics for FGM
