Safeguarding and Online Safety Policy

The safety and wellbeing of all children is our highest priority. This policy sets out the commitment of Naia Loves Stories to safeguard all children who use our online tuition services. We believe that every child has the right to be protected from all forms of harm and abuse. The policy's primary aims are to:

• Prevent harm by creating a safe online culture.

• Protect children from maltreatment and harm online.

• Respond effectively to any concerns or allegations.

Roles and responsibilities

Safeguarding is a collective responsibility. This policy applies to all tutors, staff, parents/guardians, and students.

Any safeguarding concerns will be reported in line with statutory requirements.

All tutors must follow this policy and our code of conduct. They are responsible for promoting a safe online environment during sessions and reporting any concerns in line with statutory requirements immediately.

Parents and guardians are responsible for their child's safety and supervision during lessons. They are expected to be present or within earshot, especially for younger children. They must also report any concerns to us promptly.

Students are expected to adhere to our online safety rules, understand that they should not share personal information unless required for educational purposes, and know to speak with a trusted adult if anything makes them feel uncomfortable.

Vetting

We have a rigorous recruitment process to ensure the suitability of all tutors and staff working with children. This includes:

• Conducting enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks (or local equivalent) for all tutors.

• Obtaining and verifying references.

• Verifying professional qualifications and identity.

Online sessions and communication

To maintain a secure and professional learning environment, we have the following protocols:

Recorded lessons: All tuition sessions are recorded. This is to safeguard both students and tutors by providing a record of all interactions. Recordings are stored securely in accordance with data protection guidelines and are only accessed by authorized personnel for training, monitoring, or investigation purposes.

Appropriate communication: All tutor-student communication will be conducted through the monitored email or communication systems. Tutors must not engage in private or unmonitored communication with students, including through personal emails, social media, or phone numbers.

Professional conduct: Tutors must maintain professional boundaries at all times. This includes using appropriate language, dressing modestly, and ensuring their background is free of distractions or inappropriate materials.

No physical contact: As an online-only school, there should never be any in-person meetings between a tutor and a student. Any requests for such contact must be reported immediately.

Online content and platform usage

Supervision: For children aged 5–11, we require a parent or guardian to be present or nearby throughout the lesson.

Secure platforms: All lessons must take place on our designated, secure, and monitored video conferencing platform. The use of alternative, unmonitored platforms is strictly forbidden.

Appropriate content: We ensure all educational materials and shared online content are age-appropriate and filtered to protect children from unsuitable material. Tutors must check any websites or digital content before sharing them with students.

Cybersecurity: We use strong privacy settings, secure logins, and protective software to secure our platform and protect student data from cyber threats.

Code of conduct for students and parents

Respectful behavior: Students and parents must treat tutors with respect. Abusive or inappropriate language or behavior will not be tolerated and may lead to the termination of services.

Parental involvement: Parents are required to help their child understand and follow online safety rules, including protecting personal information and knowing what to do if they feel uncomfortable.

Device use: Parents are responsible for setting up parental controls and monitoring their child's internet use on their personal devices.

Responding to concerns and reporting procedures

Any concerns regarding a student or tutor must be reported in accordance to statutory procedure immediately.

For tutors: Tutors must report any inappropriate behavior, illegal activity, or concerning disclosures from a student to the DSL without delay. The tutor should not initiate any further conversation on the matter and must terminate the session if the behavior continues.

For parents and students: If a parent or child experiences or witnesses any inappropriate behavior during or outside a lesson, they must report it in accordance to statutory guidelines as soon as possible.

Policy review

This policy will be reviewed and updated annually to ensure it reflects current best practices, technological changes, and relevant legislation. All staff will receive regular training on safeguarding procedures and policy updates.