Online Safety

Introduction

Air Maths Tuition (AMT) is committed to ensuring the highest possible standard of safeguarding. The personal safety and wellbeing of each student and tutor using AMT is paramount.

 

Our site was developed with the aim of ensuring that online Lessons take place in a safe environment. This is reflected in a number of 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 AMT services can do so safely within child safeguarding standards and UK law. These policies should be read in conjunction with the AMT Terms and Conditions and the procedures.

 

Aims

The aim of this policy is to safeguard all students and other persons using AMT system whilst they are within an Online Lesson.

 

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

 

It is important that all persons using or working on behalf of AMT are 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 AMT and the responsibilities and procedures therein adhered to. Contravention of the policy document could lead to suspension and/or barring from the services.

 

General Information

Registration of Tutors

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

• AMT only accept tutors who self-certify that they have CRB/DBS certificates and this information will be displayed on the website against each tutor’s information. Parents are also entitled to ask the tutor to verify this at any stage before lessons commence.

 

The tutor’s e-mail address is the companies address and all communications to the tutors will go via this email address.

 

AMT conducts a video interview with all tutors as part of the selection process and will request photo identification documents (such as a passport or driving licence). AMT will only transfer payment to tutors holding a verified personal bank account.

 

AMT has a process of continual ratings via our online survey and rating system which takes place after every lesson. AMT encourages students and parents to provide feedback about the tutors. This enables us a to improve our services and give prospective students and parents/responsible adults the best possible  experience. (also see Tutor Policy).

 

Privacy

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

 

Any tutor employed by AMT will not be aware of the email address of the student or parent/responsible adult and will not be able to communicate with them directly. The tutor will not be able to initiate first email contact with parents or students.

 

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 AMT is in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

 

Recording of sessions

 

All Online Lessons will be recorded and normally[1] available for play back(via our student dashboard) to the parents and students who are members. As these videos will be published on the website for members, we exclude recordings group work.  The recordings remain the property of AMT.

 

AMT may review any sessions where a report has been made by any person using AMT for the purpose of investigating the report.

 

AMT 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 AMT Terms and Conditions).

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Roles and Responsibilities of persons using Air Maths Tuition

 

The Tutor

Any tutor employed by AMT 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 AMT, 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 that the student is comfortable to continue the session; if not, they can terminate the session.

• Be aware that the sessions are recorded and they are available for review by a student or parent/responsible adult for the duration of  membership of AMT.

 

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 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 others 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.

• Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor within a session in accordance with the Section 3 of Safeguarding procedures.

• Be aware that the sessions are recorded and they are available for review for the duration of membership of AMT.

 

Parent/Responsible adult

The parent/responsible adult shall:

• Be responsible for selecting AMT’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 AMT 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 Online Lesson session.

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

• Report any dispute with a tutor to AMT 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.

• Be aware all Online Lessons will be recorded and made available for duration of membership of AMT.

 

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

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

 

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 for the student during the session to address any issues.

• Report any dispute with a tutor to AMT 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.

• Be aware that all Online Lessons will be recorded and made available for play back to the teachers and students for duration of membership of AMT.

 

If the Online Lesson session has been arranged by the school but takes place 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.

 

Director/Management of AMT Services

The Director/Management of AMT shall:

• Conduct a video interview with tutors before they are permitted to join the AMT community.

• Ensure that any dispute between persons using the AMT services is handled efficiently and fairly without discrimination in accordance with the procedures set out in this document.

• Deal with reports of possible illegal activity promptly, ensuring the safety and well being of the student and/or tutor in accordance with the procedures set out in this document (see procedures section).

• If any incident is reported to the police relating to a specific session, make the recording available for the police to use as evidence in any proceedings if appropriate.

• If appropriate, report to AMT’s safeguarding officer or employ the services of an independent Child Protection consultant to review a report concerning the welfare of a student ensuring an appropriate course of action is taken.

• Regularly review the policy and procedures to ensure they are relevant and adequate to safeguard all persons using the AMT services.

 

Compliance

All persons using the AMT 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 AMT.

 

Any person reported for illegal activity whilst using the AMT 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.

 

Review

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

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