Supporting Our Linden Families

From Mrs Woodhams, Principal of The Linden Academy.

At The Linden Academy, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do and is about far more than keeping children physically safe within the school walls. It is a commitment to nurturing, supporting and celebrating the families who make our community so special. As a school in our wonderfully diverse town of Luton, many of our families face financial pressures, language barriers or complex challenges. Yet every day, we see resilience to give children the best start in life not just in school.

Our approach to safeguarding is built on compassion and practical support. The team behind this work includes myself, Miss Humphrey, Designated Safeguarding Lead along with;

Our approach to safeguarding is built on compassion and practical support. The team behind this work includes myself, Miss Humphrey, Designated Safeguarding Lead along with;

• Mrs Summerfield- Family Inclusion Officer
• Miss Wilson-Thompson- Mental Health First Aider
• Our Senior Leadership team deputy DSL’s; Mrs Woodhams, Mr Burroughs, Mrs Karim-Samad and Mrs Basye

Together, we are committed to ensuring that every child and every family feels secure, valued and supported.

Helping Families Through Practical Support

We understand the pressures many families face, and we work closely with incredible community partners to make sure no household feels alone. Some of the key support we offer includes.

Food and Hygiene Support

• Fortnightly pantry and food parcels provided by MCKS Charitable foundation via Sainsbury’s/ASDA
• Celebration Parcels (Eid, Harvest and many more) delivered with help from Discover Islam, Green Bridge Housing and meat voucher donations.
• Food bank referrals to Luton Foodbank for families needing urgent assistance  
• Luton Smilies Christmas Eve Deliveries- food and gifts for families who need a little extra joy over the festive period
• Salvation Army Christmas Toy Appeal- for children who may otherwise receive very little or nothing
• Hygiene parcels via Luton Hygiene bank and termly from MCKS
• Daily Breakfast club- for children who may not have eaten before school helping them start the day happy, calm and ready to learn.

Promoting health and school readiness

Good health is essential for learning and we work closely with the school nursing team to keep pupils safe and well via the following;

• National flu vaccinations- delivered by the nursing team
• Year 6 height and weight checks
• Reception screenings including height, weight, hearing and vision

Supporting Parents and Removing Barriers

We understand that starting school is a big step, especially for families who are new to the education system or for whom English is an additional language. For those joining us from Reception upwards, we offer several starting school workshops including Teddy Bears Picnic, Phonics introduction and Storytelling activities to help parents feel confident and connected from the very beginning.

Throughout the year, we also host coffee mornings combined with stay and play sessions for younger siblings. These are relaxed gatherings to create a safe space for parents to meet one another, share experiences, speak to staff informally about any concerns and feel part of our school community.

We also provide guidance with Pupil Premium, Free School Meals and NRPF (No recourse to public funders) applications. For some families, the paper work can feel overwhelming, and our support often unlocks essential entitlements they didn’t realise they could access.

Parents also benefit from a variety of free courses delivered by external partners from English language classes to wellbeing workshops and parenting support. By empowering parents, we empower our children.

Lastly uniform; we know that school uniform can be a significant financial burden, particularly in large families or during periods of unexpected difficulty. Our pre-loved uniform shop is open throughout the year, offering good quality, pre loved items at a small donation. For families in urgent need, we also provide direct uniform support ensuring no child ever feels singled out for what they wear.

Working Together with Children’s Social Care

At The Linden Academy, we work closely with Children’s Social Care and we want our families to know that this partnership is built on support, not fear. Sometimes when parents hear the words “social care”, they worry that something is wrong but in reality, their role is often to help families access guidance and services they didn’t even know were available.

When we make a referral or suggest involving social care it is because we want families to have the best possible support network. We work side by side with family and social workers, always keeping communication open, clear and compassionate. Together, we can ensure that children remain safe, happy and thriving and parents feel empowered rather than overwhelmed.

Social care is part of the wider team that wraps around our community and families can trust that our aim is always help, never to criticise.

A final message

What makes The Linden Academy truly special is the sense of belonging we build together. Families know they can come to us for help without fear of judgement. Whether it’s a food parcel, health advice, emotional support or just someone to listen we are here.

Our diverse community is our strength, and we are proud to stand alongside families. Every member of our safeguarding and inclusion team is committed to ensuring that:

• Children feel safe and ready to learn
• Parents feel welcomed, informed and supported.
• No family faces difficulties alone

If you ever need support, have a worry or simply want to talk something through, please reach out to us. No concern is too small and you never have to wait until things feel too overwhelming. You can contact our safeguarding and family support team in person or via email at: TLAsafeguarding@thelindenacademy.co.uk

We are here to listen, to guide and support every family in our Linden community.