Online Safety

GCSE Maths Tutor

We Take Online Safety Seriously

We’re committed to ensuring the highest possible standard of safeguarding.

These include the following provisions:

  • All tutors must hold a current and active enhanced DBS certificate to join our tutor portfolio. Without this, they cannot register or conduct Online Lessons.

  • Parents are entitled to ask the tutor to verify this at any stage before lessons commence.

  • Our terms and conditions do not allow any non-work-related contact between tutors and students outside the lessons.

Policy

Introduction

HELLOTUTOR is committed to ensuring the highest possible standard of safeguarding. The personal safety and well-being of each student and tutor using HELLOTUTOR is paramount.

Our site was developed to ensure that online Lessons take place in a safe environment. This is reflected in several key built-in features and defined a set of policies and procedures for the students, parents/responsible adults and tutors who use this service.

Legislative Framework/Related Policies:

These policies and procedures aim to ensure that all persons using the HELLOTUTOR services can do so safely within child safeguarding standards and UK law. These policies should be read along with the HELLOTUTOR Terms and Conditions and the procedures.

Aims

This policy aims to safeguard all students and other persons using the HELLOTUTOR system whilst they are in an Online Lesson.

This policy document contains the responsibilities of all persons using HELLOTUTOR, including tutors, students, parents (responsible adults) and teachers.

All persons using or working on behalf of HELLOTUTOR must be aware of this policy and have familiarised themselves with the detailed safeguarding procedures.

This policy should be read and understood before engaging in any activity arranged through HELLOTUTOR and the responsibilities and procedures therein are adhered to. Contravention of the policy document could lead to suspension and/or barring from the services.

General Information

Registration of Tutors:

  • The HELLOTUTOR system has been designed so that it will only accept sign-ups and registration of tutors who hold a current and active enhanced DBS certificate to join our tutor portfolio. Without this, they cannot register or conduct Online Lessons.

  • HELLOTUTOR only accept tutors who self-certify that they have DBS certificates.

Privacy

The contents of all communications between tutors, parents and students will go via the website (live chat) or HELLOTUTOR’s email to preserve the anonymity of the student to the tutor.

All email communication between tutor and student will be copied to the parent/responsible adult (or school/school representative where appropriate).

All personal details about the student and parents, including contact address and phone number, will remain private and confidential and will not be available to the tutor.

All data held by HELLOTUTOR is in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Recording of sessions

HELLOTUTOR may review any sessions where a report has been made by any person using HELLOTUTOR to investigate the report.

HELLOTUTOR will allow access to UK law enforcement of any recording where it is reported a criminal offence may have occurred in relation to a specific session (also see HELLOTUTOR Terms and Conditions).

Roles and Responsibilities of persons using HelloTutor

The Tutor

Any HELLOTUTOR tutor shall:

  • Ensure that their environment does not display any inappropriate images or documentation capable of being viewed by the student or parent/responsible adult when conducting a session.

  • Treat students fairly and without prejudice or discrimination; students who have a disability or come from a minority ethnic or cultural group can easily become victims of discrimination and prejudice which may be harmful to the student’s well-being.

  • Always ensure language is appropriate and not offensive or discriminatory.

  • Ensure any contact with the student is appropriate to their role as a tutor and confined to the relevant Online Lesson session.

  • Not make any improper suggestions to a student.

  • Not send unsolicited communications to the student or parent/responsible adult.

  • Value and take students’ contributions seriously and ensure that students value and respect each other’s contributions.

  • Report any dispute with a student or parent/responsible adult to HELLOTUTOR, in accordance with the Safeguarding procedures document.

  • Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity identified within an Online Lesson session by the student or third party, in accordance with procedures set out in Safeguarding procedures.

  • Ensure that if no parent/responsible adult is present during an Online Lesson session the student is comfortable to continue the session; if not, they can terminate the session.

The Student

Students can register with the service but cannot start using the service until a sponsor/parent/guardian/carer over the age of 18 has formally registered and agreed to be the formal sponsor and to hold a legal relationship with the site.

The student shall:

  • Treat the tutor with respect and fairness, and not subject them to abusive behaviour or language.

  • Value and respect the contributions of other students.

  • Not make any improper suggestions to the tutor.

  • Have no inappropriate communication with the tutor outside the Online Lesson session.

  • Report any dispute with a tutor to a parent/responsible adult in accordance with Section 3 of Safeguarding procedures.

Parent/Responsible adult

The parent/responsible adult shall:

  • Be responsible for selecting HELLOTUTOR’s tutoring services and make any reasonable checks to ensure the tutor is suitable for the student (including, if required, reviewing the tutor’s CRB/DBS certification documentation).

  • Ensure the student is fully aware of the HELLOTUTOR Safeguarding Policy.

  • Always be responsible for the welfare of the student during the session.

  • Always be responsible for the physical environment of the student during the session ensuring it is safe and appropriate.

  • If they consider it appropriate, be present or available during a tutor session so any concerns encountered by the student can be reported as soon as possible and ensure the student and tutor are behaving in an appropriate manner.

  • Ensure that the student will treat tutors with respect and fairness and will not be subjected to abusive behaviour or language.

  • Ensure that no improper suggestions are made by either the tutor or the student.

  • Ensure the student has no inappropriate communication with the tutor outside the Online Lesson session.

  • Report any unsolicited communications between the tutor and student if appropriate.

  • Report any dispute with a tutor to HELLOTUTOR in accordance with procedures set out in this document.

  • Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor in accordance with procedures set out in this document.

Compliance

All persons using the HELLOTUTOR services have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding Policy.

Any tutor reported for a breach of the Safeguarding Policy will be suspended from the site until the incident has been investigated by the appropriate authority. The reporter may be informed of the resolution if appropriate.

The final decision on action taken for minor breaches of the Safeguarding Policy will be the responsibility of HELLOTUTOR.

Any person reported for illegal activity whilst using the HELLOTUTOR services will be reported to the police and will be barred from the service.

12.5 Any person reported for causing harm to a student or subjecting the student to sexual abuse will be reported to the police and barred from the service.

Review

The Safeguarding Policy and procedures will be reviewed by HELLOTUTOR on a regular basis to ensure it is adequate and relevant to safeguarding standards.

Excluding any unforeseen malfunction of the recording equipment, in which case a recording of a session may not be available.