Safeguarding Policy

In Summary

All-Star Tutors believes that all children and young people have the right to grow up in a safe and caring environment. This includes the right to protection from all types of abuse. Those of us in a position of trust have to do everything possible to foster these rights. To do this, certain protections need to be in place to protect children, as well as those who work with them. All-Star Tutors takes seriously, its responsibility towards safeguarding all children who engage with the service, with the focus being on their safety and welfare.

All-Star Tutors exists for the benefit of students in our local and wider community. We are committed to the welfare of our students and tutors, and have developed this policy document to give full meaning to our safeguarding commitments.

All-Star Tutors offer both in-person and online tutoring services which each fall within the scope of this policy.

• The welfare of each student is paramount (The Children Act 1989).
• Each student will receive their tutoring in a safe environment.
• All reasonable steps will be taken to protect every student from harm, discrimination or demeaning treatment.
• Every student is entitled to have their rights, wishes and feelings respected.
• Every tutor is entitled to be treated with respect.

We strive to:

• Take all suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse seriously.

·      Respond to them swiftly and appropriately.

• Retain a designated Safeguarding lead who will take responsibility for implementing our Safeguarding Policy.
• Ensure that all Tutors and parents/guardians are aware of the correct procedures for raising any concerns they may have.
• Ensure all Tutors are enhanced DBS check certified.
• Ensure all our Tutors work in collaboration with parents/guardians/schools and any relevant authorised party.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR legislation.

Contact details for the director of All-Star Tutors and designated safeguarding lead:

Mrs Victoria Smith

allstartutors@yahoo.com

07816 581737

1. Introduction 

1.1 All-Star Tutors is committed to ensuring the highest possible standard of safeguarding. The personal safety and wellbeing of each student and tutor working with the All-Star Tutors, is paramount.

2. Aims

2.1 This policy document contains the responsibilities of all persons using All-Star Tutors, including tutors, students, parents (responsible adults) and teachers.

2.2 The aim of this policy is to safeguard all students and other persons using All-Star Tutors, both whilst they are within a tutorial session and as a result of participating.

2.3 It is important that all persons using or working on behalf of All-Star Tutors are aware of this policy and have familiarised themselves with the detailed safeguarding procedures.

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

3. Legislative Framework/Related Policies 

3.1 These policies and procedures aim to ensure that all persons using All-Star Tutors can do so safely within child safeguarding standards and UK law.

4. General Information

Registration of Tutors 

4.1 In order to be registered with All-Star Tutors, a tutor must provide proof of identity, proof of residential address, an enhanced DBS certificate and one/two professional references that will be verified. Without this they cannot become a tutor for All-Star Tutors.

4.2 Tutors are subjected to an in-person interview and all original documents are verified.

5.Privacy

5.1 The tutor will not be aware of the email address of the student or parent/responsible adult and will neither be allowed nor able to communicate with them directly outside of the tutoring session.

5.2 All data held by All-Star Tutors is in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Roles and Responsibilities of persons using All-Star Tutors

6. The Tutor

6.1 The 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 wellbeing.
• 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 tutorial 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.
• Report any dispute with a student or parent/responsible adult to All-Star Tutors’ company director.
• Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity identified within a tutorial session by the student or third party, in accordance with the law.
• Ensure that if no parent/responsible adult is present during a tutorial session that the student is comfortable to continue the session; if not, they can terminate the session.

7. The Student

7.1 The student shall:

• Treat the tutor with respect and fairness, and not subject them to abusive behaviour or language.
• Not make any improper suggestions to the tutor.
• Have no inappropriate communication with the tutor outside the tutorial session.
• Report any dispute with a tutor to a parent/responsible adult and/or to the company director.
• Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor within a session.

8. Parent/Responsible adult

8.1 The parent/responsible adult shall:

• Ensure the student is fully aware of All-Star Tutors Safeguarding Policy.
• Always be responsible for the welfare of the student during the session.
• Always be responsible for the physical environment of the pupil 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 tutors will be treated with respect and fairness by the student and will not be subjected to abusive behaviour or language.
• Ensure that no improper suggestions are made by either the tutor or student.
• Ensure the student has no inappropriate communication with the tutor outside the tutorial session.
• Report any unsolicited communications between the tutor and student if appropriate.
• Report any dispute with a tutor to All-Star Tutors in accordance with the 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.

9. School and teachers/school representative (if session is within school hours and on/off school premises)

9.1 For the purpose of this policy document a ‘responsible adult’ includes teachers and school representatives.

9.2 The school and teachers or school representative shall:

• Be responsible for the welfare of the student during the session.
• Be responsible for the physical environment of the student during the session, ensuring that it is safe and appropriate.
• Be responsible for behaviour of the student during the session, ensuring that tutors will be treated 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 student.
• Be present or available on the phone for the student during the session to address any issues.
• Report any dispute with a tutor to All-Star Tutors in accordance with procedures set out in this document.
• Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor within a session in accordance with procedures set out in this document.

9.3 If the tutorial session has been arranged by the school but takes place inside or outside school hours and away from school premises, it is the responsibility of the school to make the appropriate parent/responsible adult aware of the Safeguarding Policy and that both parties agree their safeguarding responsibilities.

Neither the tutor/parent/carer will:

·      Seek out or add young people on any social networking site. 

·      Respond to any online communication from a young person, for example on a social networking site. 

·      Share any personal contact details with young people, or, seek out their personal contact details. 

·      Arrange to meet a young person outside of the allocated tutoring time. 

·      Act in a manner that excludes the young people you are working with. 

·      Make suggestive or derogatory remarks in front of young people. 

·      Have inappropriate physical or verbal contact with young people. 

·      Show favouritism to any individual. 

·      Be under the influence of alcohol or other substances when working on activities involving young people. 

·      Take photographs of young people unless for the purpose of sharing with parents to inform about what pupils are learning. These photographs will only be shared with the pupil’s parent and with their prior knowledge and written agreement and will delete once they have been shared.

11. Review

12.1 The Safeguarding Policy and procedures will be reviewed by All-Star Tutors on a regular basis to ensure it is adequate and relevant to safeguarding standards.

12. Compliance

12.1 All persons using All-Star Tutors’ services have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding Policy.

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

12.4 Any person reported for illegal activity whilst using All-Star Tutors’ services will be reported to 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 police and barred from the service.

This policy will be reviewed in April 2025.