Please read the whole of this page carefully – it explains Wiltshire Music Connect’s training offer for Associates and how it can be accessed by:
- Individual Associates
- Associate Organisations
- Those applying to be Associates
Associates are required to undertake safeguarding training every three years and to do an annual top-up covering any changes to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE).
From the beginning of academic year 23-24, we are making a new online Safeguarding course available to Associates. It’s a suitable replacement for the Safeguarding Everyone training previously available through the Virtual College and which for funding reasons beyond our control is no longer available for free.
Safeguarding in Music Education is an online course contextualised for music education which should make it feel more accessible and relevant to your working practice. It’s also endorsed by our Professional Association (Music Mark) and Wiltshire’s Safeguarding Team are comfortable with our choice. Whilst it’s not’ labelled’ as Level 1 it is an equivalent.
Its online, and can be undertaken over a period of 2-3 hrs or over periods of time on a chapter by chapter basis. On completion, those who ‘pass’ are provided with a PDF certificate by email which you can use as evidence of your training.
What we cannot guarantee is that all schools or Academy Trusts will accept this course / certification as some wish to ensure that all staff and visiting providers do the same training – there is nothing we can do about that.
We’re offering individual Associates and tutors / music leaders working on behalf of Associate Organisations in Wiltshire to register for one free course for Academic Year 23-24.
This applies to Associates requiring their 3 year Child Protection Training and those requiring an annual top-up as required by most schools.
We are linking this offer to what is now an annual requirement * by no later than 30 October 2023 for all Associates to sign up to our Associate Terms & Conditions and to declare they’ve read and understood Part 1 of the updated version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).
NOTE: Whilst completing child protection training every three years and doing an annual top-up is a requirement of Associate status (and is expected by schools), you do not have to do this particular training course to meet that requirement. Some of you may choose to do the training offered (or required) by your school(s) or through a membership organisation such as Musicians Union or ISM
You do however still need to sign up to our Associate Terms & Conditions and to make the KCSiE declaration mentioned above by no later than 30 October 2023. So when you go to the registration you can also indicate you will do the training with a different provider.
Details of how to do this are outlined below.
How do I access this training offer?
- It will be available from 1 September 2023 by which time the course will have been updated to cover and relevant changes in KCSiE and you can choose to do the top up version or a full version.
- In mid/late August, we will invite (via a special bulletin) Associates to make ther annual declarations and register for one free course.
Individual Associates
In order to register for your free training, you will need to sign up to our T&Cs for Associates and make the KCSiE declaration. These are now an annual requirement for all Associates by 30th October anyway. Links to the documents will be included in the email.
- Once you’ve done those things, we will register you for the training and their online system will send you an email with details of how to access the online training.
- Once you’ve completed and ‘passed’ the course, the online system will send you your certificate.
- We will be able to monitor individuals’ completion of the course through the online system.
Associate Organisations
Your lead person / contact person will be required to sign up to T&Cs and to state they have read and understood KCSiE Part 1
- You will also need to upload an updated version of your annual letter of assurance including a list of names of Music Tutors / Leaders who will be working on your behalf in Wiltshire.
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If you want any of those music tutors / leaders to access the Safeguarding Training offer detailed above, you will also need to provide their email addresses (and to have sought their permission to do so).
- We will be able to monitor individuals’ completion of the course through the online system and Organisations may wish to check people have completed the training by asking them or viewing their certificate.
Those applying to be Associates
Will be offered access to the training once they’ve completed a surgery and are being advised that they can make an application – they will then be required to complete the course prior to interview.
