Safeguarding the children and young people who take part in our music activities and receive music tuition from our freelance music tutors is our first priority.

North Tyneside Music works closely with Education North Tyneside’s Safeguarding Team (endorsed by North Tyneside Safeguarding Children Partnership) to ensure that it is always current and responsive to local and national safeguarding priorities.

All tutors and working on behalf of North Tyneside Music in North Tyneside schools, or who deliver our out-of-school activities are also subject to stringent safeguarding checks and must be on North Tyneside Council’s Music Providers list.  All tutors on the providers list have enhanced DBS clearance, public liability insurance cover and have provided third-party referees. All volunteers who support us on a regular basis are now also required to undergo enhanced DBS checks.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for North Tyneside Music is Jenny Williams. Contact details for our DSL and other agencies and support organisations can be found in our full safeguarding policy here.

Additional Statutory Safeguarding Requirements for Freelance Music Tutors

Local safeguarding arrangements and Ofsted regulations state that all staff working in schools must be able to prove they understand safeguarding procedures. As agreed locally, those working in schools in North Tyneside must complete safeguarding training every three years as a minimum. This must be completed through a two hour face to face training session. All schools offer in-house safeguarding training every three years which self-employed staff can request to attend. Alternatively, staff can sign up to attend a child protection training session via North Tyneside Council’s education services website.

A central record of all staff who have attended a child protection course is kept, but it is the responsibility of self-employed tutors to keep a record of their most recent safeguarding training to ensure that this is kept up to date.

Each school has its own child protection and safeguarding procedures, and members of staff who lead on safeguarding matters. These are known as the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy designated safeguarding lead/s (DDSLs).

Self-employed tutors should make themselves aware of the relevant contacts for each school they work in. Tutors may also be made aware of any issues regarding specific children and young people if and when relevant, and in accordance with privacy and data protection regulations.

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