Terms, Conditions, Policies and Protocols

All tutors are briefed and sign agreements on safeguarding, data protection regulations, professional work history, acceptable use of ICT and conduct guidance before being permitted to work with students through ESPD.

As trained, qualified and experienced teachers, we understand the centrality of safeguarding and taking steps to ensure that the relationships between our students, parents/carers and tutors are built on self actualisation, trust and the highest and best educational achievement and exam success. We are proud to have in place a sufficiently robust set of policies and protocols which are designed to ensure students, parents/carers and tutors can be safe and enjoy contributing to good progress.

Safeguarding policy

1. Presence of Parents/Guardians

A parent/carer/responsible adult must be present if students are under 18, at least at the start of the lesson. Tutors may request that the parent/carer / responsible adult remains for the entirety of the lesson.

Tutors may cancel lessons if no parent/carer/responsible adult is present during a lesson with a student who is under 18 or if they or the learner do not feel comfortable to continue with the lesson.

The parent/carer/responsible adult will ensure the student understands this safeguarding policy and will always be responsible for the welfare of the student during the tutorial.

2. Safeguarding breaches

Any student or tutor reported for a serious breach of this safeguarding policy will be immediately suspended from ESPD until the matter reported has been investigated. Outstanding lessons may be cancelled.

Any illegal activity undertaken by students or tutors that comes to the attention of ESPD through any means may lead to tutors and/or students being excluded permanently from ESPD and reported to the police or other relevant organisations. ESPD will fully co-operate with UK law enforcement agencies in sharing any evidence that may be requested of us by such agencies.

ESPD reserves the right to discretion in resolving minor breaches of the safeguarding policy.

3. Declarations

It is entirely at the student/parent/carer’s discretion to check any claims made by the tutor or by ESPD regarding the tutor’s credentials in their first tutorial with a tutor. The parent/carer will be responsible for the selection of the tutor and checking his/her relevant credentials.

Tutors of modern foreign languages (MFL) may not be qualified from universities or teaching practice centres in the UK e.g. a tutor who teaches Italian may have qualified from a university or teaching practice centre in Italy and a tutor who teaches German may have qualified from a university or teaching practice centre in Germany etc.

ESPD may take legal action against any tutor who does not honestly declare, or mis-declares the status of their background checks, credentials, qualifications and/or history.

4. Conduct and communication

All communication between students, parents/carers and tutors must be positive, respectful and free from discrimination. Once initial pleasantries are succinctly over with, all communication must be focused on improving the exam success and learning outcomes of the student.

No improper suggestions or requests should be made by either the student, parent/carer or by the tutor. Examples of such suggestions include requesting to meet in person for tutoring. We are a strictly online tutoring service and any suggestion to this effect will be considered a serious breach of this safeguarding policy.

Tutors are bound not to discuss their political or religious beliefs so should not be asked to do so.

No personal contact details are to be exchanged between tutors, parents/carers and students. This includes all and any social media contact details.

Parents/carers will report any unsolicited communication between students and tutors outside of booked tutorials.

The booking party (student or parent/carer) must fill out the booking form correctly and give the tutor enough information regarding which area of the curriculum subject the student requires support with. This communication will enable the tutor to plan and deliver the most effective tutorial.
Tutors agree to students and parents/carers being able to create events in their Google Calendar application by booking tutorials. Students and parents/carers agree to events being created in their Google Calendar application when they book tutorials with ESPD.

Tutorial Protocols

The following is to be considered in addition to the above;

6. Student background and location

It is preferable to teach students in neutral areas of the house, such as a living room, kitchen, or conservatory. However, it is understood that this may not always be the best environment for learning, especially if there are younger siblings or pets within earshot, for example. In such cases, it may be better for the student to move to a more private and quieter area, such as a bedroom. As stated above, and in the in the interests of safeguarding and promoting positive educational relationships between tutors, parents and students, we ask a parent/guardian/responsible adult to be present at least at the start of the tutorial and communicate to the tutor that they are comfortable for their son/daughter/ward to be tutored.

7. Student light, sound and camera

Students and tutors should be well lit as dark imagery is less conducive to open, positive and professional learning and teaching exchanges.

Students and tutors must be clearly visible and audible via either a suitably clear built in or external laptop/desktop camera and microphone. Tutors are not permitted to wear large over ear headphones, which are also best avoided by students.

8. Student dress code

Tutors working through ESPD are briefed and sign to adhere consistently to a professional dress code. Whilst we do not expect students to dress as formally as tutors, our commitment to personal development and cultivating and maintaining a sense of professionalism and positive personal presentation means that we will not teach students in pyjamas.

9. Cancellations

Lessons can be cancelled by emailing your tutor and/or hello@espd.school. Please tell us who your tutorial is with and what time it is due to start.

Lessons cancelled with less than 4 hours notice may incur a penalty of ten pounds before full refund. This is at the discretion of the tutor.

If more than 4 hours notice is given, the tutorial can be rescheduled to another time once. There will be no penalty to receive tuition at this rescheduled time.

Marketing

Responding to our social media advertising or booking a tutorial with us requires email submission. Your email may be included in our mailing list. You have the right to unsubscribe and be forgotten, as per our privacy policy.

Legal terms

The following is to be considered in addition to the above;
Tutors are not employees of ESPD and are solely responsible for their own actions.
When a tutorial is confirmed, the booking party (student over 18 or parent/carer) enters into a direct contract with the tutor for the provision of lessons. ESPD is not liable for the tutor’s provision of lessons.

In no event will ESPD be liable for any financial losses, impact to reputation, special, indirect or consequential losses or damage to or loss of data