Terms & Conditions

 

Please find below our full Terms and Conditions. By enrolling with Curtain Call, you are hereby agreeing to the terms and conditions detailed below

 

Code of Conduct

Curtain Call aims to provide a happy and safe environment for children to learn new skills and develop in confidence whilst having fun and learning to work as a team.

Teachers and assistants will be polite, professional, punctual and courteous to all. Pupils and parents are expected to be polite and courteous to all members of staff, including, but not limited to, teachers, class assistants, volunteers and chaperones, as well as all members of classes. Any dangerous or unacceptable behaviour from students and/or parents/guardians will not be tolerated. Unacceptable behaviour by pupils may result in exclusion from current and/or further activities. Parents or family members may be banned from premises, events and/or performances. If a student is causing disruption to others’ learning they may be asked to sit out from the lesson. If this occurs the class will not be refunded. Failure to comply with the above could result in losing your child’s place in the class.

 

Payments

All payments must be made via bank transfer. Cash or cheque payments cannot be accepted. Please do not attend a class if you have not paid your fees. All payments are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another class/event.

Payments not made in advance may result in your/your child’s place being given to someone else. Places are only secured once full payment has been made.

If a class is cancelled due to teacher sickness then a replacement class will be offered where possible. If this is not possible, a credit will be applied to your account. Please retain all payment receipts. Where there is a dispute, if you cannot provide proof of payment, you must accept Curtain Call’s records.

 

General Class Information

Parents are not permitted to stay during sessions, even on trial sessions for new students. We find they settle much better without parents there and it can be a real distraction for other students in the class.

 

Curtain Call cannot be held responsible for any possessions which may be brought along to classes. We do not accept responsibility for items lost or stolen, although anything we do find will be placed in lost property.

 

It is the responsibility of the Parent or Guardian to notify Curtain Call of any illness or injury that may affect the child’s participation at class. You are responsible for ensuring that medical and emergency contact information is kept up to date by emailing or notifying the class teacher of any changes immediately.

 

Students are expected to arrive on time. Performing Arts is a physical activity that requires the voice and body to be warmed up in order to execute safely. Late students miss the proper warm-up and therefore may sustain an injury. Students who arrive late may be asked to observe the class for reasons of health and safety. If this occurs the class will not be refunded.

 

Whilst Curtain Call does not have set uniform, students are expected to be dressed appropriately for class. Hair should be tied up and out of the students face. Jewellery should be removed. Clothing and footwear should be practical and safe and allow for movement and physical activity; for example, trainers, plimsolls or jazz shoes, cycling shorts, jogging bottoms or leggings. Should the teacher deem a student’s attire unsafe, we reserve the right to prevent the student from taking part in the activity. This is done as a matter of health and safety. If this occurs the class will NOT be refunded.  If you have any questions regarding the dress code for a particular lesson, please ask the teacher or email curtaincallacademy@outlook.com.

 

It is your responsibility to ensure that your child is fit to take part in the classes/activity. If necessary please consult your GP for advice. Curtain Call cannot be held responsible for any injuries sustained during sessions unless proved negligent.

 

Child Protection & Safefguarding

Enhanced DBS checks are held by all staff leading or assisting with classes. Any adult brought in to assist or be part of a class for any reason without a DBS check would never be left unsupervised with any children.

 

It is the parents’ responsibility to inform Curtain Call if anyone different is collecting their child and also to inform us of any other security issues in regards to the safety of the child of which we should be aware. Children will not be permitted to leave the class by themselves for any reason, unless prior written permission has be given by the parent; which falls in line with the particular schools rules regarding children walking home unaccompanied. Parents are expected to collect their children promptly at the end of classes. Staff, parents and pupils must be respectful to our neighbours and arrive and leave quietly and responsibly.

 

It is the responsibility of the teacher to take due care to ensure the safety of the children at all times during classes. Curtain Call takes seriously their responsibility to ensure the health and safety of all participants, teachers, and volunteers; and takes appropriate measures to make sure the environment is safe for all. Regular risk assessments will be undertaken regarding premises hired and any concerns will be raised with the providers.

A register of the children will be taken at the beginning of every session. In the case of a fire evacuation the register will be taken again at the assembly point to ensure everybody has safely left the building. Children should use the bathroom before class; however, if a child needs to visit the bathroom during the lesson, they must ensure that the teacher knows exactly where they are.

 

There will always be a first aider present at every class/event/rehearsal involving children. Basic first aid will be given to any children who require it. Accidents will be recorded in the accident log book and parents will be informed at the end of a session if any first aid was given. Should it be considered serious then a parent will be telephoned immediately.

 

Any teacher leading a class will be covered by the company’s Public Liability Insurance and will have extensive child safeguarding training. Should any concerns arise over the welfare of a child in a school-based setting, Curtain Call will report to the safeguarding officer within the particular school. Should any concerns arise over a child within an out of school setting, advice will be sought from appropriate authorities.

 

Safeguarding involves the actions we take and the procedures and processes we have in place to promote the welfare of our children and protect them from harm. There is NO ISSUE of greater importance to Curtain Call Academy, than the safety of our children. Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play. We recognise that all adults, including staff, temporary staff, chaperones, volunteers and assistants have a full and active part to play in protecting children from harm and that the child’s welfare is our paramount concern.

All Curtain Call Staff must hold a valid enhanced DBS certificate to ensure the safety of all children. Curtain Call takes its responsibility to safeguard children extremely seriously and we train and empower all staff to recognise and respond effectively to protect a child who may be at risk of significant harm. We will ensure all staff members at Curtain Call Academy maintain an attitude of “it could happen here” and feel able to raise concerns either about a child at risk of a member of staff or other adults whose behaviour may present a risk to a child. Curtain Call is committed to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which the children in our care are protected from abuse, harm and radicalisation. Our safeguarding policy should be followed along with the safeguarding policy of any client schools we are working with. The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) will work alongside the partner school to ensure both policies are followed correctly.

Any teacher leading a class will be covered by the company’s Public Liability Insurance and will have extensive child safeguarding training. Should any concerns arise over the welfare of a child in a school-based setting, Curtain Call will report to the safeguarding officer within the particular school. Should any concerns arise over a child within an out of school setting, advice will be sought from appropriate authorities.

Child abuse and neglect

Child abuse is any form of physical, emotional or sexual mistreatment or lack of care that leads to injury or harm. An individual may abuse or neglect a child directly, or by failing to protect them from harm. Some forms of child abuse and neglect are listed below.

• Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child so as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve making the child feel that they are worthless, unloved, or inadequate. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

• Physical abuse can involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may be also caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes, ill health to a child.

• Sexual abuse involves forcing or enforcing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. This can involve physical contact, or noncontact activities such as showing children sexual activities or encouraging them to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

• Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and emotional needs. It can involve a failure to provide adequate food, clothing and shelter, to protect a child from physical and emotional harm, to ensure adequate supervision or to allow access to medical treatment.

 

Signs of child abuse and neglect

Signs of possible abuse and neglect may include:
• significant changes in a child's behaviour
• deterioration in a child’s general well-being
• unexplained bruising or marks
• comments made by a child which give cause for concern reasons to suspect neglect or abuse
outside the setting, e.g. in the child’s home, or that a girl may have been subjected to (or is
at risk of) female genital mutilation, or that the child may have witnessed domestic abuse.
• inappropriate behaviour displayed by a member of staff, or any other person. For example,
inappropriate sexual comments, excessive one-to-one attention beyond the requirements of
their role, or inappropriate sharing of images.

 

If abuse is suspected or disclosed
When a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff, that member of staff will:
• reassure the child that they were not to blame and were right to speak out.
• listen to the child but not question them.
• give reassurance that the staff member will take action.
• record the incident as soon as possible (see Logging an incident below).
If a member of staff witnesses or suspects abuse, they will record the matter straightaway using the Logging a concern form. If a third party expresses concern that a child is being abused, we will encourage them to contact the local SPA directly. If they do not do so, we will explain that the Company is obliged to and the incident will be logged accordingly.

 

Child on Child abuse
Children are vulnerable to abuse by their peers. child-on-child abuse is taken seriously by staff and will be subject to the same child protection procedures as other forms of abuse. Staff are aware of the potential uses of information technology for bullying and abusive behaviour between young people. Staff will not dismiss abusive behaviour as normal between young people. The presence of one or more of the following in relationships between children should always trigger concern about the possibility of child on child abuse:
• Sexual activity (in primary school-aged children) of any kind, including sexting.
• One of the children is significantly more dominant than the other (e.g. much older)
• One of the children is significantly more vulnerable than the other (e.g. in terms of disability,
confidence, physical strength)
• There has been some use of threats, bribes or coercion to ensure compliance or secrecy.
If child on child abuse is suspected or disclosed we will follow the same procedures as set out above for responding to child abuse.

 

Extremism and radicalisation
All childcare settings have a legal duty to protect children from the risk of radicalisation and being drawn into extremism. There are many reasons why a child might be vulnerable to radicalisation, e.g.:
• feeling alienated or alone
seeking a sense of identity or individuality
• suffering from mental health issues such as depression
• desire for adventure or wanting to be part of a larger cause.
• associating with others who hold extremist beliefs.

 

Signs of radicalisation
Signs that a child might be at risk of radicalisation include:
changes in behaviour, for example becoming withdrawn or aggressive.
• claiming that terrorist attacks and violence are justified.
• viewing violent extremist material online
• possessing or sharing violent extremist material
If a member of staff suspects that a child is at risk of becoming radicalised, they will record any relevant information or observations on a Logging a concern form and refer the matter to the DSL.

 

Logging a concern
All information about the suspected abuse or disclosure, or concern about radicalisation, will be recorded on the Logging a concern form as soon as possible after the event. The record should include:
• date of the disclosure, or the incident, or the observation causing concern
• date and time at which the record was made.
• name and date of birth of the child involved.
• a factual report of what happened. If recording a disclosure, you must use the child’s own words.
• name, signature and job title of the person making the record. The record will be given to the company’s DSL who will decide on the appropriate course of action.

For concerns about child abuse, the DSL will contact The Integrated Front Door (IFD) for West Sussex Children Services. The DSL will follow up all referrals to the IFD in writing within 48 hours. If a member of staff thinks that the incident has not been dealt with properly, they may contact the IFD directly. For minor concerns regarding radicalisation, the DSL will contact the IFD. For more serious concerns the DSL will contact the Police on the non-emergency number (101), or the antiterrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. For urgent concerns the DSL will contact the Police using 999.

 

Allegations against staff
If anyone makes an allegation of child abuse against a member of staff:
• The allegation will be recorded on an Incident record form. Any witnesses to the incident
should sign and date the entry to confirm it.
• The allegation must be reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
The LADO will advise if other agencies (e.g. police) should be informed, and will act upon their advice. Any telephone reports to the LADO will be followed up in writing within 48 hours.
• Following advice from the LADO, it may be necessary to suspend the member of staff
pending full investigation of the allegation. If appropriate, the Company will make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

 

Promoting awareness among staff
The Company promotes awareness of child abuse and the risk of radicalising through its staff
training. The Company ensures that:
• The designated DSL has relevant experience and receives appropriate training in safeguarding and is up to date with the company’s safeguarding policies and procedures. The designated person training is refreshed every two years.
• Safe recruitment practices are followed for all new staff – every staff member will hold an enhanced DBS, full safeguarding and first aid training.
• All staff have a copy of this Safeguarding policy, understand its contents and are vigilant to
signs of abuse, neglect or radicalisation.
• All staff are aware of their statutory duties with regard to the disclosure or discovery of child
abuse, and concerns about radicalisation.
• All staff receive basic safeguarding training, and safeguarding is a permanent agenda item at all staff meetings.
• The Company’s procedures are in line with the guidance and legislation in England. (The Children Act 1989, the Children Act 2004 and the Children and Social Work Act 2017)

 

Important Contact Information

- Charley Ann Moyce is Curtain Call’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and all concerns should be reported directly to her. All concerns will be taken seriously and reported. You can call Charley directly on 07852411301. Charley will respond promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns regarding the safety of a child that may occur. The company’s child protection procedures comply with all relevant legislation and with guidance issued by the local authorities in which we operate. Charley will coordinate child protection issues and liaise with external agencies. Safeguarding concerns will be documented and reported to the relevant parties so that an investigation can take place in order to safeguard the child involved.

- For clubs that are held in schools, Safeguarding concerns can also be reported directly to the school themselves and their designated safeguarding leads. Charley will always liaise with the school directly, regarding reports she receives, however, if you feel you would like to report to them directly, you can do so.

- If you wish to report a safeguarding concern to an authority external to Curtain Call Academy – The Integrated Front Door (IFD) for West Sussex Children Services receive safeguarding enquiries and referrals for children's social care and early help services, including those with disabilities. The IFD receive enquiries and direct them to the right service for support, ensuring children receive a service in line with their needs as quickly as possible. Their contact number is 01403 229900, or if calling out of hours you can speak with their Emergency Duty Team on 033 022 26664, or 07711 769657 to speak with the duty Social Worker.

- The Officer LADO is responsible for managing allegations against adults who work with children. The West Sussex Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) can be contacted by phone at 0330 222 6450 or by email at LADO@westsussex.gov.uk. The LADO is responsible for managing allegations against adults who work or volunteer with children.

- To report concerns regarding Radicalisation; you can phone the Anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321.

- You can also contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. Their child protection specialists will talk through your concerns with you and give you expert advice.

- If you think a child is at immediate risk of harm ALWAYS call 999.

 

 

Data Protection Policy

All information provided to us by you will be stored on file purely for the purposes of running the classes. Your information will not be shared with any third parties.

You will only receive information via email or text from Curtain Call about anything relevant to you/your child’s classes and any other opportunities available to you.

 

Filming/Photography

Photos/Videos – Videos or photos may be taken of the children during class/performances by the teacher for use on the Curtain Call website, social media platforms and other forms of advertising e.g. posters/flyers. These will only be taken of children whose parents have given consent upon registration. If you have not given consent then your child’s picture will not be used. When working towards a show/performance it may occasionally be necessary for teachers to film choreography/take a picture of spacing including all students. This is purely for the purpose of recording spacing/ timings or to show the group how it is looking. This will not be shared and will be deleted once used for the purpose it was required.

Any photos or videos taken by parents at a watching week performance MUST NOT be shared online or on any form of social media.

 

COVID Policy & Government Guidelines

Government Covid policies are ever changing. However, Curtain Call ask that you please do NOT attend class if you have tested positive for COVID. Self-isolating is important because you could pass the infection on to others, even if you do not have symptoms. You must self-isolate for the full amount of time you are told to, because this is the period when the virus is most likely to be passed on to others.

Risk assessments have been carried out for each venue by their management and for each class by Curtain Call. These will be updated as guidance changes.

Curtain will endeavour to follow all government guidelines relating to in-person classes. Class members are expected to follow the guidelines set out to ensure safety of all staff and students. Failure to do so may result in you/your child being asked to leave the class.

If in-person classes have to be suspended due to isolation of the teacher or a change in government guidance that does not allow us to continue in-person classes, replacement classes online via Zoom, keeping to the same timetable, will be offered. Refunds will not be given. Refunds will not be given for classes missed by students due to sickness or isolation.

 

 

These terms and conditions, and any enrolment forms you have signed, constitute an agreement between you and us in connection to classes or any services superseding any prior agreement. Payment and attendance at class is deemed to be acceptance of the current Terms and Conditions. In the event that we consider you to be in breach of these terms and conditions we reserve the right to exclude your child from any activity. Curtain Call reserves the right to change these terms and conditions at any time for the benefit of the business, staff or participants.

 

Last Updated: 06/09/2024