Effective From: 1 January 2025
Last Reviewed: 1 June 2025

🎯 Purpose and Scope

At Science Tuition Academy, the safety and well-being of children is our highest priority. We are deeply committed to maintaining a secure and respectful environment for all learners, and we believe that every child—regardless of background, ability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion, sex, or sexual orientation—deserves equal protection from harm.

We acknowledge that abuse can take many forms and encourage all staff to adopt a mindset of “it could happen here.” Abuse may involve direct harm or neglect, and can also include emotional trauma or witnessing the mistreatment of others.

⚖️ Legal Framework

This policy aligns with the most recent UK legislation and official guidance on child protection, including:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024

• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023

• Information Sharing Guidance 2024

• Government Guidance on Remote Education

✅ Our Responsibilities

We are responsible for ensuring that all tutors operate in a safe, professional, and ethical manner. Tutors, in turn, are expected to uphold these standards and conduct themselves with care and professionalism at all times.

Tutors must be familiar with the appropriate safeguarding procedures and know what steps to take if they suspect a child is being harmed. In such cases, they must immediately contact our Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO). The DSO will gather relevant information and determine the appropriate course of action. Tutors are legally required to report any safeguarding concerns to the DSO.

Tutors working with children must adhere to the following:

• Treat every student with respect and fairness, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation.

• Use appropriate and respectful language at all times.

• Maintain professional boundaries and avoid any form of inappropriate communication.

• Provide constructive feedback and acknowledge students’ efforts.

• Conduct lessons in a suitable environment, free from inappropriate materials.

• Be considerate and inclusive when working with students who have disabilities.

Online sessions will be recorded for quality assurance and safeguarding purposes. If a concern is raised, we will review the recording and consult with the DSL.

Students must not engage in any online behaviour such as bullying, harassment, discrimination or any behaviour that could endanger others. If a student discloses online abuse from peers, the DSL will be notified and will take appropriate action.

💬 Communication Protocols

• All communication between Us and students must occur through the online platform or via the official company email.

• Sharing personal contact details or engaging in private messaging is strictly forbidden.

• Educators must not engage in personal conversations outside the scope of teaching or mentoring. Any breach of these rules may result in disciplinary action.

📩 Reporting Concerns

Staff must report any safeguarding concerns, inappropriate communication, or breaches of conduct immediately to:

📧 safeguarding.sta@gmail.com

Reports should include:

• Names of those involved

• Where the incident occurred (e.g. online lesson, email)

• Your contact details (email, phone number, address)

• A factual summary of the concern and any actions already taken

If a child discloses abuse or expresses concern for their safety, staff should offer reassurance and direct them to the DSL.

When a Child Discloses Abuse to a Staff Member

If a student confides in you about being harmed—or shares information about someone else being harmed—it’s essential to create a safe, supportive environment where the child feels heard. Children may want to speak up but fear they’ll get in trouble. Reassure them that they are doing the right thing by speaking to you.

If the child asks you to keep their disclosure a secret, you must be honest. Do not promise confidentiality, as you are obligated to report the concern. If the child chooses not to continue the conversation, respect their decision—but still report the incident to the DSL.

If you believe the child is in immediate danger—for example, if they are about to be collected by someone you suspect is harming them—call the police right away. After ensuring the child’s safety, inform the DSL as soon as possible.

When reporting to the DSL or authorities, try to use the child’s exact words. This can be crucial for professionals trained in child protection. We will document the report in accordance with GDPR and data protection regulations.

🧑‍💼 Safer Recruitment

To maintain a safe environment, we ensure that:

• All staff and volunteers undergo identity verification using two forms of photo ID or a birth certificate.

• Enhanced DBS checks are conducted for all educators.

• Additional checks include criminal history and references.

• One reference is verified by calling a publicly listed number for the organisation (not one provided by the candidate).

⚠️ Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers

We take all allegations seriously. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024, concerns are categorised as either low-level or high-level.

• All concerns must be reported to the DSL.

• The DSL will assess the severity and, if necessary, contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

• Staff are encouraged to self-report any incidents that could be misinterpreted.

• All reports are handled with strict confidentiality.

📝 Parental Consent

For users under 18, parental or legal guardian consent is required. Both the student and parent must confirm they understand and accept the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Student Code of Conduct.

🔄 Policy Review

This safeguarding policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it reflects current legislation, guidance, and best practices.