Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Purpose, scope and who it applies to

The Tutoring Hub provides one-to-one and small-group tuition online to school-age students. Nothing matters more to us than their safety and wellbeing. This policy explains how we work to prevent harm, and how we recognise and respond to concerns. It applies to everyone who works with or for The Tutoring Hub, including tutors, whether employed or self-employed, and it covers every lesson and interaction between tutors, our team, students and families.

We are a tutoring business, not a school, and we are not registered with Ofsted. Even so, we choose to follow recognised safeguarding good practice, including the Department for Education's non-statutory guidance for providers of out-of-school settings, “After-school clubs, community activities, and tuition: safeguarding guidance for providers”.

Our commitment

Every child has the right to learn free from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and safeguarding is everyone's responsibility here, whatever their role. We commit to:

• putting the welfare of each child first in every decision we make
• recruiting and checking tutors carefully before they teach
• keeping clear boundaries between tutors, students and families
• taking every concern seriously, however small it may seem
• acting promptly and involving the right agencies when we need to

Safeguarding lead arrangements

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead, or DSL, leads on safeguarding and is the first point of contact for concerns about a child, or about the conduct of a tutor or team member.

You can reach the DSL through our usual business channels: email info@thetutoringhub.co.uk or call 020 4586 9139. Please mark your message “safeguarding” so it is picked up quickly.

Recognising concerns

Abuse and neglect can take many forms, including physical harm, emotional harm, sexual abuse, neglect and exploitation, and the signs are not always obvious. A concern might come from something a child says or does in a lesson, something a parent mentions, a change in behaviour, or simply a feeling that something is not right. Tutors are briefed to pass on anything that worries them rather than weighing it up alone.

Responding to disclosures

If a child tells a tutor or team member something that suggests they may be at risk, we:

• listen carefully and stay calm, without pressing for detail or asking leading questions
• reassure the child that they have done the right thing, and that it is not their fault
• never promise secrecy, because we may need to share what they say to keep them safe
• record what was said, in the child's own words, as soon as we can
• pass the concern to the Designated Safeguarding Lead straight away

Recording and escalation

Concerns are written down factually: what was seen or said, when, and what happened next. Records are stored securely and shared only with those who need them. The DSL decides the next step, which may be monitoring, speaking with the parent or carer, or referring the concern to the local authority's children's social care team using the local referral route. If a child appears to be in immediate danger, we call the police on 999 without delay.

Allegations about tutors

If an allegation is made about a tutor or team member, we do not investigate it ourselves first. In line with the Department for Education's guidance for out-of-school settings, we refer the matter to the Local Authority Designated Officer, known as the LADO, and to the police where a crime may have been committed, as soon as reasonably practicable. The tutor concerned would not teach for us while the matter is considered, and we would refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service where the legal criteria apply.

Safer recruitment

Every tutor completes an enhanced DBS check, a criminal record check at the most detailed level, before teaching any student for us. Alongside that check we verify identity, take up references and confirm each tutor's right to work in the UK. Before a tutor begins, they confirm they have read and will follow this policy and our code of conduct.

Professional boundaries and code of conduct

Tutors keep their relationship with students professional at all times: friendly, encouraging teaching, without favouritism, gifts, personal secrets or contact that drifts beyond tuition. Tutors do not arrange to meet students in person, connect with them on personal social media, or photograph them. Our Online Learning Policy sets out the detail of how these boundaries apply in lessons.

One-to-one and online tuition safeguards

Because our tuition is one-to-one or in small groups, and always online, we build in extra structure. Lessons are arranged with parents or carers, never directly with children, and lesson links are sent to the parent or carer. We ask that an adult is contactable at home during lessons, particularly for younger students. Lessons are not recorded, monitored or stored, which is why these arrangements matter.

Communication between tutors and students

All communication runs through business channels only: the lesson platform, and messages arranged or copied through The Tutoring Hub. Tutors never give students personal phone numbers, email addresses or social media accounts. Parents and carers can request an account of any communication about their child's tuition.

Working with parents and carers

Families are partners in keeping children safe. We encourage parents and carers to tell us anything that might affect how their child learns or feels, and to raise worries early. We will always listen, and we will tell you what happens next, unless doing so would put a child at greater risk.

Confidentiality and sharing information

Safeguarding information is confidential and shared only with those who need it to protect a child. Keeping a child safe can require us to share information with children's social care, the police or other agencies. Our Privacy Notice explains how safeguarding records are handled.

Whistleblowing and complaints

Anyone, including tutors, parents and students, can raise a concern about how we work without fear of it affecting their place with us. Concerns about our practice, including about the safeguarding lead arrangements themselves, can be raised directly with the local authority's children's social care team or with the NSPCC helpline. We would rather a concern reached help by any route than none. Complaints about our service more broadly can be made to info@thetutoringhub.co.uk or 020 4586 9139, and we will acknowledge and respond promptly.

External agencies and useful contacts

Help is always available:

• if a child is in immediate danger, call 999
• your local authority children's social care team handles concerns about a child's welfare in your area
• the NSPCC helpline, for adults worried about a child, is 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk
• Childline, for children and young people themselves, is 0800 1111

Positions of trust

In plain terms, the law recognises that an adult who regularly teaches or coaches a young person holds power and influence over them. Because of that, it is a criminal offence for an adult in such a position to engage in sexual activity with a young person under 18 whom they teach or supervise, even where that young person is over the age of consent. This comes from the Sexual Offences Act 2003, as extended by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 to cover roles such as tutoring.

Reviewing this policy

This policy took effect on 24 July 2026 and is reviewed at least annually, with the next review due by 24 July 2027, and sooner if legislation, official guidance or the way we work changes.

Related policies

• Online learning
• Privacy notice
• Cookie policy