Privacy Policy
AK Studios General Data Protection Regulations.
In accordance with the GPDR Statement.
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation and replaces the previous Data Protection. It was approved by the EU Parliament in 2016 and comes into effect on 25th May 2018. GDPR states that personal data should be ‘processed fairly & lawfully’ and ‘collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes’ and that individuals data is not processed without their knowledge and are only processed with their ‘explicit’ consent. GDPR covers personal data relating to individuals. Sharon Phillips School of Dancing is committed to protecting the rights and freedoms of individuals with respect to the processing of children’s, parents, visitors and staff personal data. The Data Protection Act gives individuals the right to know what information is held about them. It provides a framework to ensure that personal information is handled properly.
What we do at AK Studios.
We do not disclose (other than to Official Examination bodies) or sell personal data to third parties.
We do not disclose personal data to other members of the School and their families.
The School uses contact numbers and emails for communication with and updates to parents, whole school and individual communication, invoices and general information.
Emergency Parent contact numbers are given to AK Studios for the use of emergency contact & for contact in respect of Dance School business only.
Personal data is stored in a locked password protected computer database.
Hard copy information is destroyed via a shredding device when the students leaves the Dancing School.
Information about individual children is used in certain documents, such as, a weekly register, medication information and examination documentation. These documents include data such as children’s names, date of birth and emergency contact numbers.
AK Studios stores personal data held visually in photographs or video clips. No names are stored with images in photo albums, displays, on the website or on AK Studios social media sites without express permission.
Access to the School Email account, Website, Personal Data, Social Media Accounts and Examination Details is password protected and is not available to members of the Public, members of the School and or it’s staff. The Principal, Annie Keating has sole access to all this data.
GDPR includes 7 rights for individuals
1) The right to be informed
AK Studios is registered with the Imperial Society of Teachers in Dance (ISTD) and as such, is required to collect and manage certain data. The School collects parent’s and or guardian’s names, addresses, emergency telephone numbers, medical information and email addresses.
As an Employer of Self Employed practitioners, AK Studios is required to hold data on its Teachers such as names, addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers and bank details. Information such as Disclosure and Barring Service checks (DBS), personal Public Liability insurance, ISTD Membership details.
2) The right of access
At any point an individual can make a request relating to their data and AK Studios will need to provide a response (within 1 month). AK Studios can refuse a request if we have a lawful obligation to retain data but we will inform the individual of the reasons for the rejection.
3) The right to erasure
You have the right to request the deletion of your data where there is no compelling reason for its continued use. However, AK Studios has a legal duty to keep student and parents details for a reasonable time*. AK Studios retain any records relating to student’s accident and injury records for 19 years (or until the child reaches 21 years), and 22 years (or until the child reaches 24 years) for Child Protection records. Self Employed Teaching records will be erased when the member of staff leaves their position. All hard copy information is destroyed via a shredding device.
* AK Studios holds personal data while the student is registered at the School. Once the student leaves data will be erased.
4) The right to restrict processing
Parents, visitors and staff can object to AK Studios processing their data. This means that records can be stored but must not be used in any way, for example School Communications, General Emails about School news and updates. In this situation, The School has no obligation to refund any classes missed or cancelled due to ‘lack of communication’. It will be the parent’s responsibility to ensure they are informed about any event’s happening at the School.
5) The right to data portability
AK Studios requires data, for example registration forms to be transferred from student, to teacher, to School Principal. The School is also required to provide data such as student DOB and exam pin number’s to be able to enter students in ISTD Exams. In this case recipients use secure file transfer systems and have their own policies and procedures in place in relation to GDPR.
6) The right to object
Parents, visitors and staff can object to their data being used for certain activities like marketing or research.
7) The right not to be subject to automated decision-making including profiling.
Automated decisions and profiling are used for marketing-based organisations. AK Studios does not use personal data for such purposes.
This Policy was issued by AK Studios Sept 2022.
Toilet Policy
AK Studios is committed to safeguarding and promoting the well-being of all students and staff/volunteers associated with us.
Our staff will support your child’s toileting needs; however, we cannot assist with intimate care.
Please read the below carefully and if your child cannot manage with this level of support, please do not leave them unattended at a class.
1. If your child is five years old or under, at their request, a staff member will accompany them to the toilet.
2. Our staff will not enter the cubicle area, they will stand in the main doorway with their foot propping the door open.
3. Our staff will encourage young children NOT to lock the cubicle door.
4. Our staff will offer verbal reassurance and instruction.
2025
Health and Safety Statements
AK Studios has a responsibility to ensure the safety of their students.
1. Parents must give us clear information of and relevant medical history when signing up to AK Studios.
2. Student emergency contact numbers will be available to access during class times, complying with GDPR regulations. Accessed on a password secure app.
3. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to notify us of any changes to their emergency contact details.
4. In case of a fire emergency, all teachers have a clear understanding of procedures to follow.
5. We will undertake regular risk assessments of our all studio premises.
6. It is our responsibility to keep a fully equipped first aid box within all used buildings. In the case of an incident, an accident report will be completed and a copy given to the parent or guardian.
7. There will always be a first aider available.
8. Students will be supervised during class time only and parents/guardians must ensure the safety of their children in the car park and grounds around the studio
2025
AK Studios Safe Guarding Policy
Safeguarding Children and Child Protection Policy
This policy must be read and understood by all members of staff at AK Studios.
We will make sure this policy is accessible to all staff, parents and students, where appropriate, and will make sure that all teachers / staff members can understand this policy by
a) having training days
b) Have up to date training.
All staff and volunteers have a strict duty never to subject a child to any form of harm or abuse. Failure to adhere to these procedures will be treated as gross misconduct.
Our Responsibility
At AK Studios we recognise we have a responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of all children and young people we work with and have an explicit duty to do so under the Children Act 1989 and 2004 and the Education Act 2002 (England). We believe that the welfare of the child is of paramount importance. That no child should be treated any less favourably than others in accessing services that meet their needs and that all children without exception have the right to protection from abuse regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs.
A ‘child’ is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age, is living independently, in further education, or working does not change his/ her entitlement to services or protection as a child. Our guidelines apply to all
children and young people until their 18th birthday.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people means:
Protecting children from maltreatment, preventing impairment of a child’s health or development, ensuring that children are growing up with the provision of safe and effective care and taking action to ensure that children have the best life chances.
We will do this by:
• Identifying and responding to concerns about a child or young person
• Providing a safe and happy dance environment
• Having a health and safety policy and risk assessments
• Thinking about equality and diversity and representation and support in your school
• Using safer recruitment strategies such as all staff having DBS check and references
before they start working at AK Studios.
At AK Studios all concerns and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously. It is the responsibility of all staff and volunteers to take steps to protect children, to keep them safe from hazards and to take appropriate action in the event of an accident. It is the responsibility of all staff and volunteers to take reasonable steps to protect children and young people from harm and abuse while in contact with our school and our staff and to report any incident of or suspicion of abuse to the Designated Safeguarding Person or in their absence directly to the appropriate statutory authority.
Designated Safeguarding Lead
At AK Studios our designated safeguarding person is Mrs Annie Keating.
Managing Injury
If a child has a physical injury and there are concerns about abuse attention should be sought for the injury first then procedures for referring to children’s social care should then be followed. Contacting the emergency services for medical treatment must not be delayed for any reason.
Managing Recruitment
All individuals working at AK Studios who have contact with children and young people are required to hold a valid, clear DBS check. All staff and volunteers will be recruited in line with safer recruitment guidance. No staff will be employed or able to volunteer if they are barred from working with children and in the event of an incident where a member of staff has to be dismissed (or chooses to leave) because they have harmed a child DBS will be notified.
Managing Allegation
If any member of staff or volunteer has concerns about the behaviour or conduct of another individual within the organisation the nature of the concern should be reported to Annie Keating. The member of staff who has a concern or to whom the allegation or concern is reported should not question the child or investigate further. Annie Keating will report the matter to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
If allegation or concern is raised about a member of staff, outside of work, this may still present a risk of harm to children for whom that member of staff is responsible and as such the general principles of this policy still apply.
2025.