Safeguarding Policy Statement

September 2025

This statement seeks to summarise the key points for schools about BMT Instrumental/Vocal teachers that enables them to fully evidence that safeguarding is robust.

1. All BMT teachers have been appointed through a rigorous process that complies with Safer Recruitment guidelines and therefore includes;

1. 1. Two independent references being obtained from relevant professional sources, including the employees most recent role. References include assurance around safeguarding, child protection and previous disciplinary record
   2. An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is completed on all employees before commencing work and renewed as appropriate
   3. Questions at interview to ensure teachers understand good safeguarding practice

2. BMT teachers are instructed to carry their DBS certificate at all times when working in schools. The certificate can be produced for inspection as requested by the school.

3. All BMT teachers receive regular Safeguarding and Child Protection training. The trust maintains a CPD log that ensures that staff renew their statutory training at the correct time. All teachers complete the Keeping Children Safe in Education training regularly. This is delivered by the Local Authority and Safeguarding Children’s Board partnership.

4. BMT teachers have time allocated in their contracts to undertake statutory CPD sessions. This now includes an annual session on new guidelines and sessions on current issues such as ‘Prevent’ delivered by the appropriate designated person from BCC/ BSCB and are certificated.

5. BMT expects that all teachers will be given a copy of the schools Child Protection Policy and accompanying Safeguarding Practice guidelines and they have been instructed to confirm that they have read and understood as required by each school. This should include clear guidance on each schools reporting process and clearly identify the DSL and other key staff.

6. All schools can request our Child Protection Policy by emailing musicservice@bucksmusic.org This has been examined and approved by the Local Authority SCB.

Our mission is to realise and inspire exciting and empowering musical opportunities for all children in Buckinghamshire and to ensure this is accessible to all children.

We firmly believe that keeping children safe and happy is central to our practice.

We work in partnership with all Bucks schools with a joint approach to achieve these goals.

Paul Guenault
Director, Buckinghamshire Music Trust