Information for Parents

RELATIONSHIP & SEX EDUCATION (RSE)

Relationship Education underpins all that we do at Wave. 

To embrace the challenges of creating a happy and successful adult life, pupils need knowledge that will enable them to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships and to build their self-efficacy. Pupils can also put this knowledge into practice as they develop the capacity to make sound decisions when facing risks, challenges and complex contexts. Everyone faces difficult situations in their lives. These subjects can support young people to develop resilience, to know how and when to ask for help, and to know where to access support. High quality, evidence-based and age-appropriate teaching of these subjects can help prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. It also enables us to continue to promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, at our schools and in society. Relationships Education is compulsory for all pupils receiving primary education and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for all pupils receiving secondary education from 2020. Parents and Carers have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSE. More details are available in the policy below.

Our academies have flexibility to deliver the content in a way that is age and developmentally appropriate and sensitive to the needs and religious background of its pupils. Our teachers are attuned and experienced in adapting teaching to individual needs, and mindful of the sensitivity for pupils of content covered as part of RSE. Through Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) lessons, and in building an understanding of individual need in the initial first weeks and ongoing, teachers seek to build a picture of prior learning, as our students in the majority of our academies join at different times of the year. This enables them to adapt lessons sensitively, but also ensure equality of access to the curriculum.  In Medical Provision, PHSE/RSE delivery will be a bespoke approach in line with individual health needs and guidance from Medical professionals in terms of timetable access.  

Should you have specific concerns, or require information about your school's RSE curriculum and the way they organise delivery, or wish to withdraw your child as outlined in the policy, please contact your child's academy. 

A copy of the Trust's Relationship & Sex Education Policy can be found here.

The following leaflets are also useful for parents and give details about the statutory elements of the curriculum from 2020:

  • Understanding Relationships, Sex and Health Education at your child’s secondary school: a guide for parents.
  • Understanding Relationships and Health Education in your child’s primary school: a guide for parents.

A copy of these leaflets can be found below.

PREVENT

PREVENT is part of the of the governments counter-terrorism strategy to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

Its three key objectives are; 

  • Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it.  
  • Prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support
  • Work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalization which we need to address. 

All schools are required by law to teach a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. 

Wave Multi Academy Trust can help to protect children from extremist and violent views in the same ways that it helps  to safeguard children from drugs, alcohol and other issues. 

Wave Multi Academy Trust's main purpose is to  protect children from harm and to ensure that they are taught in a way that is consistent with the law and the country’s values.

Online Safety

CEOP  have information for Parents and Carers to help keep children safe follow this link thinkuknow , with further helpful information about the digital world found here at Parent Information

 This guidance from the DfE updated in 2021 outlines resources to help keep children safe from different risks online and where to go to get support and advice.

Keep your child safe online

It is important to have regular conversations about staying safe online and to encourage children to speak to you if they come across something worrying online.

Talk to your child about the importance of creating a safe online environment, including keeping any log-in details and passwords safe.

These resources will support you to talk to your child about a range of online safety issues, set up home filtering in a child-friendly way and set up age-appropriate parental controls on digital devices:

What harms might my child experience online?

You may have concerns about specific harms which children can experience online. There are more resources to help you understand and protect your child from these, including:

Child sexual abuse

If you are concerned call 999 or report it to the NCA-CEOP.

If your child has been a victim of child sexual abuse – online or offline – and you believe they are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. The police will continue to respond to emergency calls.

If you are concerned that your child has been a victim of online sexual abuse or you are worried about the way someone has been communicating with your child online, you can report it to NCA-CEOP.

These resources provide information and support for parents and carers on what to do if you’re worried about child sexual abuse:

  • you can contact the NSPCC helpline (0808 800 5000) for support and advice if you have concerns about your own or another child’s safety. The Together, we can tackle child abuse campaign also provides information on the signs of child abuse and neglect
  • Thinkuknow byNCA-CEOP has developed activities to support your child’s safe use of the internet
  • the Lucy Faithfull Foundation’s Parents Protect website has advice on how to help protect children from child sexual abuse including a Harmful Sexual Behaviour Prevention Toolkit
  • if you see sexual images or videos of someone under 18 online, report it anonymously to the Internet Watch Foundation who can work to remove them from the web and help to identify victims and survivors
  • you can contact Stop It Now! for information and advice if you have concerns about someone’s behaviour, including children who may be displaying concerning sexual behaviour
  • you can contact The Marie Collins Foundationhelp@mariecollinsfoundation.org.uk for support, including advice and individual counselling, for your child if they have been subjected to online sexual abuse - support is also offered to parents and carers

Criminal exploitation and county lines, violence and gangs

The Government's page of advice to parents and carers on keeping children safe from abuse and harm has information on this.

Radicalising content

If you are concerned that any family member, friend or loved one is being radicalised, you can call the police or 101 to get advice or make a Prevent referral, so that they can get safeguarding support.

Support is tailored to the individual and works in a similar way to safeguarding processes designed to protect people from gangs, drug abuse, and physical and sexual exploitation.

Receiving support through Prevent is voluntary, confidential and not a form of criminal sanction.

If you need more help, you can also contact your local authority safeguarding team.

‘Sexting’ (youth-produced sexual imagery)

If you are worried about your child sending nude images or videos (sometimes referred to as ‘youth-produced sexual imagery’ or sexting), NSPCC provides advice to help you understand the risks and support your child.

If your child has shared nude images, Thinkuknow by NCA-CEOP provides advice on talking to your child and where to get help.

So You Got Naked Online created by South West Grid for Learning, has advice for young people and parents affected by sexting, also available in a SEND (Special Educational Need and Disability) version.

Cyberbullying

If you are concerned about cyberbullying, you can find government advice and information about how you can protect your child and tackle it if it happens.

Age-inappropriate content and parental controls

If you have downloaded new apps or bought new technology to help stay connected at this time, remember to review and adjust privacy and safety settings if you or your child is signing up to a new online service.

  • Internet Matters has step-by-step guides on how to set up parental controls so that you can control what content your child can access online
  • the UK Safer Internet Centre has guidance on how to switch on family-friendly filters to prevent age-inappropriate content being accessed on devices in your home
  • the NSPCC has more information for parents or carers with concerns about their child seeking inappropriate or explicit content online

Apps to help children stay safe online

The BBC has a website and app called Own It. The website helps children navigate their online lives, and the free smartphone app comes with a special keyboard which can intervene with help and support in the moments that children need it the most. It can be downloaded for free in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

SafeToNet is an app for parents to help them protect their children from online risks like cyberbullying and sexting, while respecting their child’s rights to privacy. The SafeToNet Foundation is providing UK families with free-for-life access to SafeToNet during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Mental health

If you are worried that someone you know is suicidal, including your child, Samaritans provides advice on how you can support others.

This may help  - NHS website for parents on how they can support their child’s mental health - series of video clips delivered by celebrities

Support for children

If your child is worried or needs support, they can get advice and support from Childline (0800 1111) or download the ‘For Me’ app.

If you need help to support your child’s mental well being, this list of online education resources for home education includes mental well being resources on how to support the well being of children and young people.

General information for parents

  • Kernow Health have created a Q&A guide for information relating to vaccines for year 9 and 10 pupils, this can be found as a pdf in the documents listed at the bottom of this page.

How Wave Trust support pupils and families financially

Wave Trust are committed to ensuring that none of our pupils face inequitable access to education; this includes barriers that pupils may face due to economic disadvantage. 

Across our Alternative Provision academies pupils are provided with free uniform and all pupils are provided with breakfast and lunch free of charge.  Wave does not charge pupils to attend trips and enrichment, pupils are not required to wear a separate PE uniform and all curriculum items are provided.

Across all of our settings we assist families who are experiencing financial difficulty. This may be through no charge or applying a subsidy and can also be in the form of signposting families to financial information / support from public sector bodies and agencies.

School Uniform 

 Pupils at the Medical APAs do not wear uniform, this includes CHES, Torlands and Sowenna.

The Trust provides a limited number of polo shirts and sweatshirts for pupils attending our behaviour APAs, these are free of charge.

Wearing uniform at Glendinning Academy is optional. Pupils can wear whatever clothing they feel comfortable in and the uniform is a choice. The uniform is a grey t-shirt wand a black jumper both embroidered with the Wave logo. If pupils wish to wear uniform but do not feel comfortable without wearing their chosen material, parents can purchase iron on Wave logos. Further information on how purchase the uniform can be accessed by contacting the Glendinning Academy office.

Documents

Parental Information

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