Keeping You Safe

R E A DY.  R E S P EC T F U L .  S A F E

At Bolton College, we want everyone to feel welcome, respected and safe - and that starts with the little things we all do every day. That’s why we ask our learners to:

Be READY - Take pride in our surroundings and keep our spaces clean.

Be RESPECTFUL - Keep noise levels low and treat others with kindness.

Be SAFE - Help maintain a safe, clean and comfortable environment for everyone.

Start your journey in a college that puts its people first - including you.

Prevent Strategy at Bolton College

At Bolton College, we are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all our students and staff. As part of our safeguarding responsibilities, we actively support the Prevent strategy—part of the UK Government’s counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST)—which aims to stop people from becoming involved in or supporting terrorism and extremist activities.

What is Prevent?

The Prevent strategy focuses on:

• Safeguarding individuals from the risk of radicalisation.
• Promoting shared values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect.
• Encouraging open dialogue and critical thinking to challenge extremist ideologies.

Our Approach

We take a proactive and educational approach to Prevent by:

• Training staff to identify and respond to signs of radicalisation.
• Embedding British values across our curriculum and student life.
• Providing safe spaces for discussion and debate.
• Working closely with local authorities, safeguarding boards, and the police.

Support and Reporting

If you are concerned about yourself or someone else, please speak to a member of our safeguarding team. All concerns are treated sensitively and in confidence. Contact our Safeguarding Team: safeguarding@boltoncc.ac.uk Phone: 01204 482199

Bolton College is committed

Bolton College is committed to the promotion and development of equality of opportunity, and valuing and celebrating the diversity of all its staff and students.

We provide a safe and supportive environment which values individuals equally, regardless of:

•  Age
•  Sex
•  Disability
•  Race
•  Gender reassignment
•  Marriage / Civil partnership
•  Religion or belief
•  Sexual orientation or re-orientation
•  Pregnancy and maternity

The college is home to people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds with diverse beliefs, values and abilities. We aim to meet the needs of all individuals and encourage them to share their experiences and beliefs.

We welcome students with learning difficulties and disabilities and support them according to their needs. If you feel you need support with learning when you come to college, we can arrange an interview with our Student Support team. Assessment will be treated discreetly and in confidence.

We work collaboratively with a range of community organisations and other partners to tackle social exclusion, address discrimination and promote community cohesion.

Bolton College is responsive to the needs and diversity of the local community and the success of all our students are at the heart of everything we do.

We want everyone to feel comfortable and secure enough to be themselves; we do not tolerate harassment, bullying, victimisation or discrimination.

Whilst English is our principal language, we will endeavour to provide information relating to the documents we produce in other formats and languages. If you require this type of support, please contact the Customer Services Manager by telephone on 01204 482040.

Our Single Equality Scheme incorporates the goals of our college Equality and Diversity Strategy, this document is currently being updated but will be available online within our Key Policies section and is currently under review, along with the action plans, as part of the work the College is undertaking with the National Centre for Diversity.

Adoption of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism

Bolton College has a zero tolerance towards antisemitism and has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

Find more information here.

Downloads

• Equality & Diversity Report
• Single Equality Scheme
• Safety Leaflet

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass is a police and education early information-sharing partnership enabling immediate support to children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse. 

This means that the College Safeguarding Team will be notified about all police-attended incidents of domestic abuse before the start of the next college day. This allows us to offer timely support to our learners.

Staying Safe in College

At Bolton College, your safety and wellbeing are our top priorities. We are committed to creating a welcoming, respectful, and secure environment where everyone can learn, grow, and thrive.

What We Do to Keep You Safe

Safeguarding and Support Our trained safeguarding team is here to support students with any concerns—whether personal, academic, or related to safety.

Safe Learning Spaces We maintain secure buildings, monitored access points, and clear policies to ensure classrooms and communal areas are safe for all.

On-Campus Security Our security staff are present across campus and available to help with any safety concerns. CCTV is in operation for your protection. Staff and learners need to wear ID badges at all times. If you see anyone without an ID badge let a member of staff know straight away.

Respect and Inclusion We promote a culture of respect, equality, and inclusion. Bullying, harassment, and discrimination are not tolerated.

Digital Safety We provide guidance on staying safe online, protecting your data, and recognising harmful or extremist content.

How You Can Stay Safe

• Be aware of your surroundings and report anything suspicious.
• Keep your belongings secure and don’t leave valuables unattended.
• Know who to contact in an emergency—save key numbers in your phone.
• Treat others with kindness and respect.
• Speak up if something doesn’t feel right—your voice matters.

Need Help or Want to Report a Concern? Safeguarding Team: safeguarding@boltoncc.ac.uk Phone: 01204 482199

Staying Safe Online at Bolton College

In today’s digital world, being online is a part of everyday life—from studying and socialising to managing finances and accessing services. At Bolton College, we are committed to helping our students and staff stay safe, informed, and confident online.

Why Online Safety Matters

The internet offers incredible opportunities, but it also comes with risks such as:

• Cyberbullying and online harassment
• Scams, phishing, and identity theft
• Exposure to harmful or extremist content
• Invasion of privacy and data misuse

Top Tips for Staying Safe Online

Protect Your Personal Information Never share passwords or sensitive details. Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication where possible.

Be Aware of Scams Watch out for suspicious emails, messages, or links. If something feels off, don’t click—report it.

Think Before You Share What you post online can last forever. Be mindful of what you share and who can see it.

Use Secure Networks Avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions. Use a VPN if needed.

Check Your Privacy Settings Regularly review the privacy settings on your social media and apps to control who sees your information.

Report Harmful Content If you see something online that makes you uncomfortable or seems dangerous, report it to a trusted adult or our safeguarding team.

Need Help or Advice?

Our Safeguarding Team are here to support you.

Contact: safeguarding@boltoncc.ac.uk Phone: 01204 482 199

Bolton College offers free, confidential one-to-one counselling for any enrolled student. Support is available in a way that works best for you – whether that’s face-to-face, by telephone, or online.

Our trained counsellors can help with a wide range of issues, including:

• Anxiety

• Depression or low mood

• Bereavement, grief & loss

• Self-harm or anger

• Abuse or trauma

• Relationship or family difficulties

• Self-esteem issues
  …and more.

If something’s affecting your wellbeing, you don’t need to deal with it alone – support is here.

To get started, you can:

• Email us at counsellingservice.email@boltoncc.ac.uk

• Scan the QR code on the counselling poster around College

• Or access the service directly by completing this form:
  https://forms.office.com/e/mcR8ta8KVE

All sessions are confidential, and the service is here to help you get the most out of your time at college – both personally and academically.

Every nursery has statutory requirements to follow. For further information, please click here.

SAFEGUARDING

Child Protection and Safeguarding Children (0-18) Policy and Procedure

• Bolton College will strive to ensure that all students and their children remain safe and free from harm and the College is committed to playing a full and active part in the multi-agency approach to child protection concerns.
• Through their day-to-day contact with students and direct work with families, staff who work in the College have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect.

If you have any concerns about a child, please contact one of the Safeguarding Officers within the nursery:

Audrey West, Leanne Langley and Tamara Blake

The College's Approach to Safeguarding

There can be no issue of greater importance to parents and carers, or to the College, than the safety of our students.

Bolton College treats the safeguarding of our students as an essential part of the fabric of the College; we pay attention to the meticulous and systematic implementation of policies and routines; we involve every member of the College community in some way; and we have a sharp eye on the particular circumstances and needs of all students, especially the most vulnerable.

There is recognition that everyone in the College – governors, staff and students – has an important role to play in safeguarding the welfare of children/young people (people under the age of eighteen) and vulnerable adults and preventing their bullying, harassment and abuse.

We ask that all learners, staff and visitors wear their Security ID Pass at all times when on College premises. 

As such the College will:

• Raise awareness of child and adult protection issues and
  
• Ensure that staff and students follow appropriate procedures should abuse be suspected.

Our commitment and duty

We have a statutory duty to report allegations of abuse and to assist the local authority with child protection/vulnerable adult issues. Our policies are in line with current national and local policies on the protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We pride ourselves in having the safety and wellbeing of our students at the heart of what we do.

Safeguarding Statement

Bolton College are committed to ensuring that learners have a right to feel safe wherever they learn, in the classroom on or online. If you have any personal safety or other worries, for example, feeling bullied; being made to feel uncomfortable or experiencing an inappropriate situation when you are attending college, please speak to your tutor, someone in the Learning Centre reception or contact the College Safeguarding Team on 01204 482 199