Code of Conduct

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

FOR

SCHOLAR HUB TUTORS ONLINE TUITION

INTRODUCTION

Scholar Hub Limited (“ScholarHub) requires all tutors contracted by ScholarHub, to adhere to its Code of Professional Practice. 

This document sets out your adherence to this Code of professional Practice (“the Code”) as an essential part of your continued membership criteria.

Each Tutor will be held accountable for their work and behaviour and must support the values, principles and standards upon which ScholarHub’s business reputation rests.

This Code sets out the policies in respect of a Tutor’s conduct to engender professional and ethical practice in the best interests of the ScholarHub, its members and learners and parents who make use of tutoring services.

For purposes of this document:

“Tutor”, “you”, “your” refers to every registered organisational tutoring company and individual tutor who is a registered tutor at ScholarHub and teaches pupils up to the age of 18;

“ScholarHub”, “we”, “us”, “our” refers to ScholarHub.

“Adult Educator” means a registered tutor at ScholarHub who tutors individuals older than 18 years of age”

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Code is to describe principles of professional conduct and to provide guidance in ethical decision making. As a Tutor and member of ScholarHub, you are expected to be familiar with this Code and ensure adherence to all its terms.

The Code is especially important for ScholarHub as there is a legal and moral obligation of  ScholarHub and its Members to ensure that when tutoring and interacting with children under the age of 18, they are treated with the highest possible standard of care in keeping with the provisions of the Children’s Act 1989 and 2004, and the Children & Young Persons’ Act 2008.

APPLICATION OF THE CODE

The Code applies to all Tutors who render tuition services to learners through online services.

Although the Code lays out the fundamental principles of professional, ethical and legal conduct, it cannot anticipate every ethical dilemma or situation you may encounter in performing your daily work. If at any time you are unsure about the proper course of action, please contact us to discuss your concerns at: hello@scholarhub.co.uk.

SCOPE OF CODE

Compliance with the Code is mandatory by all registered members of the ScholarHub and for the duration that you are a registered as a member. You are expected to be familiar and comply with the Code in the performance of your duties. Your breach of the Code will allow ScholarHub to cancel your membership and revoke your access to its systems in its sole discretion.

RESPONSIBILITIES TO REPORT

It is the responsibility of every Member of the ScholarHub to report any known or suspected unprofessional or unethical conduct, which includes any violation of the Code, by other Members or anyone in any way associated with the ScholarHub. The ScholarHub is committed to protecting all Members who report unethical conduct from reprisal as well as offering any necessary support to individuals who make reports. When a Member makes a report of unethical conduct they should do so in good faith.

THE SCHOLARHUB CODE OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

• TUTORS WILL:
• Always conduct their business in such a way as to bring credit to the tutoring profession and to the ScholarHub;
• take no action that deliberately injures the business, reputation, or interest of fellow tutors, other than activities accepted as normal competitive business practice;
• at all times, act honestly in their professional dealings with learners (actual and potential), other tutors, Members and employees;
• ensure that they are suitably qualified for the assignment allocated to them;
• ensure that where the Tutor is tutoring children under the age of 18 that the Tutor holds a current DBS certificate and/or a Shufti Pro enhanced verification accreditation. Current is defined as not more than three years old;
• ensure that there is proper and appropriate feedback procedures between the Learner and Tutor;
• report any Learner behaviour deemed unreasonable or simply discourteous, malicious or discriminatory to ScholarHub;
• not, knowingly or recklessly, disseminate any false or misleading information, either directly or on behalf of anyone else;
• keep up to date with developments in tutoring pedagogy and practice, curriculum and qualifications in order that they might diligently support the professional practice of tutoring;
• understand their role as a Tutor is to encourage and enable learners to achieve their unique potential as independent learners through acknowledgement, encouragement, understanding, and personalised attention, whether in a one-to-one or group tutoring environment;
• be careful to avoid creating any unhealthy dependencies by suggesting a need for tutoring where no such need exists; reporting in a manner that explicitly or implicitly suggests a need for further on-going tutoring; engaging in any practice that undermines the independent learning of learners;
• not engage in any form of plagiarism, such as completing learner’s homework assignments for them;
• demonstrate faith in their learner’s learning ability and provide honest, positive and constructive feedback in a manner that will be beneficial to their overall learning;
• understand the need to be flexible in their approach to tutoring and commit to assisting learner’s in discovering effective learning strategies that will help them develop the skills they need to achieve the right educational outcomes;
• comply with the ScholarHub’s Child Protection Policy;
• identify any particular challenges or difficulties learners might have with their learning and to assisting them in overcoming those barriers;
• share with learners any concerns a Tutor has about any social, emotional and behavioural difficulties which a learner may be experiencing that are beyond the Tutor’s competency to address;
• refer back to ScholarHub any learner the Tutor considers to have special educational needs that are beyond the Tutor’s professional experience or ability to resolve, in order that he/she may take steps to securing for them the right kind of specialist help;
• Ensure any referrals made by the Tutor come with full disclosure of any personal or material interest of the Tutor;
• ensure their relationship with learners is professional and not personal and acknowledge they have a duty of care towards them;
• ensure they keep information about the learner whom they are assigned, confidential unless doing so would be to result in injury or harm being done to them;
• respect the learner’s personal dignity at all times, avoiding, for example, making remarks about learner’s personal appearance or clothing;
• show respect for learner’s cultural background and values;
• maintain accurate records of tutoring sessions as expected and required;
• ensure they will not seek to provide any educational services for any learner referred by ScholarHub directly to th learner by attempting to circumvent the ScholarHub processes and procedures;
• respect the confidentiality of all business information which comes into their possession, except from those persons entitled to receive it and unless it is illegal to do so;
• giving learners a clear understanding of the workings of any assessment tools used;
• not claim ScholarHub’s endorsement in connection with any activity unless it has its prior written approval to do so;
• have regard for, and comply with, all the relevant laws of the country in which they are operating;
• observe this Code as it may be expanded and annotated and published from time to time and brought to their attention in ScholarHub communications by the Ethics Committee;
• be subject to the Complaints Procedure and the authority of the ScholarHub’s Disciplinary Committee;

 

• TUTOR’S WHO DELIVER ON-LINE TUITION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Online tutoring is defined as synchronous / live one tutor to one / many learners, provided by a human tutor over the internet. This Code will apply to:

1. Tutors who are members of the ScholarHub and render online tutoring services in the United Kingdom (irrespective of where they reside);

 

• TUTORS WHO CONDUCT ONLINE TUTORING SERVICES WILL:
• maintain professional standards and ensure confidentiality;
• maintain the highest degree of integrity in all their dealings with potential, current and past learner’s and tutors, and the protection of all personal information received while providing online tutoring.
• conduct their services honestly and honourably and will take proper account of ethical considerations, together with the protection and enhancement of the moral position of learners and tutors.
• Ensure that as online tutoring will involve minors being in direct contact with adult tutors, over the internet, by video and / or audio, all online Tutors will:
• Follow the ScholarHub Professional Practice in respect of Child Protection as set out in this policy;
• If any child to whom they render tutoring services is under the age of 18, the Tutor must either have a valid DBS and/or Shufti Pro enhanced digital verification. Tutors who do not tutor children under the age of 18 may be required by ScholarHub to have a valid DBS and/or Shufti Pro enhanced digital verification.
• clearly inform learners how their online tutoring is delivered, and the nature of the technology used;
• Preferably record all lessons (if and once this functionality is available);
• have the tutoring pricing options clearly published on their website;
• adhere to on-line and distance selling regulations and offer money-back guarantees in line with all legislation within the United Kingdom;
• CODE OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN RESPECT OF CHILD PROTECTION

 

• Introduction

Tutors contracted by ScholarHub will ensure that their learners are given tuition in a congenial and safe environment. Each Tutor has a moral and legal obligation to ensure that, when given responsibility for young people, they are treated with the highest possible standard of care. A child/young person is defined as a person under the age of 18 (The Children’s Act 1989 and 2004, and the Children & Young Persons’ Act 2008)

• Policy Statement

Tutors undertake to ensure that:

• when tutoring a child under the age of 18 they have a valid DBS and/or Shufti Pro enhanced digital verification;
• the welfare of any child is of paramount importance;
• all children, whatever their age, culture, ability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity are able to receive the benefit of tutoring in a safe environment;
• all reasonable steps are taken to protect children from harm, discrimination and demeaning treatment and to respect their rights, wishes and feelings;
• all suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately by ScholarHub;
• all Tutors who work with children should seek guidance and/or training in good practice and child protection procedures and that they work in partnership with parents and children, which is essential for the protection of children;
• they provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment in which children can learn and which promotes the wellbeing of the children being taught.
• ScholarHub Role
• ScholarHub offers guidelines and will give advice on how to deal with a Child Protection incident or concern, but ScholarHub does not act as a Designated Child Protection Officer (“DCPO”) or Local Authority Designated Officer (“LADO”). Any Tutor  who requires  help and support on a Child Protection issue should in the first instance report the incident to ScholarHub and then refer the case to the LADO or DCPO.
• This policy shall be reviewed every 3 years or whenever there is a major change at ScholarHub or when there are relevant changes to legislation. Each review will be dated.
• Safer Recruitment Policy - Guidance for Tutoring Organisations
• ScholarHub subscribes to the Safer Recruitment guidelines as published by the government, to ensure that all Tutors are qualified and suitable as far as can be reasonably ascertained;
• Tutors may be asked to account for any gaps in employment history;
• ScholarHub Applicant Vetting
• ScholarHub registered Tutors are required to have a DBS less than three years old (excluding Adult Educators). ScholarHub offer a service whereby the tutor can apply for a disclosure through the TTA (who uses Capita Recruitment Vetting Services). ScholarHub cross reference ID and proof of address documents which accompany applications Tutors can also apply for enhanced disclosures through many other agencies/companies.
• 4.5.2.Safeguarding Compliance for Tutoring Organisations

• Tutors should provide a Photo Id when applying for membership. A photocopy should be taken and retained and stored safely;
• All information on Tutors will be deleted once verification has been completed, other than information that may be required to be stored by law;;
• All Tutors must have an up-to-date Enhanced DBS Disclosure. A Disclosure is only valid for three years, after which a Tutor should be re-checked, unless they have bought into the DBS Up-Date scheme;
• Tutors should read the ScholarHub Child Protection Guidance document, and adhere to their policy;
• Tutors will comply will all anti cyber- bullying policies published by ScholarHub;
• If a parent is not able to be present, then there should always be another adult in the home when a child is being tutored, for the protection of the Tutor as well as the child.
• It is illegal for a teacher/tutor to enter into a sexual relationship with a student, even if the student is over the age of consent (i.e. over 16). Tutors, like schoolteachers, are operating in a similar position of trust and thus must also abide by this law.

• 3.Allegations

• Allegations against a Tutor who may have behaved in a way that has or may have harmed a child, or committed a criminal office either against or related to a child, or behaved towards a child in a way that suggests he or she is unsuitable to work with children, will be reported immediately to the LADO or DCPO  in the local authority where the incident is alleged to have taken place;
• Advice on how to deal with an allegation will be sought from the Local Authority Education Welfare Service or Child Protection Unit.

1. 4.Child Protection Incidents
2. 5.A Child Protection incident usually includes some of the following scenarios, but this list is not intended to be a formal and all-inclusive definition. A typical Child Protection incident is when:-

• a Tutor receives some information about a child or young person either from the child directly or from another source, which could potentially cause serious harm to the child, either physically or psychologically;
• a Tutor observes a situation (e.g. risk in a child’s environment which could potentially cause serious physical or psychological harm);
• ScholarHub /agency and/or parent receives information about a tutor either from the child directly or from another source, that could potentially cause serious harm to the child, either physically or psychologically.

• 6.Record a Child Protection Incident
• 7.All Child Protection incidents must be recorded. It is essential to:

• Speak individually with all parties concerned;
• Write a record of all conversations;
• Write up all telephone conversations with a written report to send to LADO/ Child Protection Unit (at the local authority where the incident took place) who will deal with the allegation.

• 8.All allegations will be dealt with expeditiously, thoroughly, fairly and with common sense and professional judgement. Any investigation will be carried out as quickly as possible and a decision reached as to whether the allegation is borne out or not supported. Dependent on this, the outcome of the investigation could have one of three outcomes: a) unsubstantiated; or b) substantiated in part or in whole but can be dealt with by internal disciplinary procedures of ScholarHub; or c) substantiated and requiring formal referral in the first instance to the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) or DCPO (Designated Child Protection Officer.)