We aim to establish and maintain an ethos where pupils feel secure, are encouraged to talk, are listened to and are safe.  We regularly evaluate our approaches to safeguarding and staff receive training every half term on both local and national issues. Our full policy is available in our Policy Bank.

The Academy has a team of staff who are all trained to the same level of Designated Safeguarding Leads, each of whom has responsibility for a cohort of students as outlined in the table below.  The named Designated Safeguarding Lead for Downham Market Academy is Lewis Swatman Senior Assistant Headteacher responsible for Behaviour, Safeguarding & Alternative Provision who has oversight of all safeguarding at the Academy.  We work closely with local partners at Children’s Services and in the police under the “Operation Encompass” system.  We are also extremely lucky to be supported by PC Funnell for some days each week as part of the “Safer Schools” initiative.

At Downham Market Academy we take every report of Peer-on-Peer Abuse seriously and considering the publication of DfE’s Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021 we have implemented a process whereby we can ensure that all incidents are acted upon alongside a zero-tolerance approach. All staff are trained to identify, react, and report any incidences of peer-on peer abuse to the DSLs in school. All incidents are dealt with as both safeguarding and behaviour concerns. 

If you would like to report any concerns you have with the welfare or safety of one of our students, please do get in touch with one of the safeguarding team directly or using the email

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