Policies

Please see below for more information on our privacy, data protection, terms & conditions, child protection & safeguarding policies.

PRIVACY & DATA PROTECTION POLICY

This Privacy Policy sets out our commitment to protecting the privacy of personal information provided to us, or otherwise collected by us, in person, or online through our website. Please read this policy carefully. By providing personal information to us, you consent to us collecting, holding, using and disclosing your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

We provide personalised 1-1 and group tutoring in Maths and English to children remotely. We also, from time to time, provide free access to resources, blog posts and articles to parents via our social media platforms.

At The Study Pod we take your privacy seriously and will only use your information to be able to deliver our services to you and your child. Under GDPR, our legal basis for processing the personal information relating to you and your child is so that we can fulfil our contract (or future contract) with you. Our lead person for data protection is Sonal Sudra (Founder of The Study Pod).

In this Privacy Policy we, us or our means The Study Pod.

What information do we collect?

1) When you contact us to arrange lessons for your child, via telephone, email or through our website service, we will usually obtain the following details from you.

· Your full name and your child’s full name

· Child’s date of birth

· Your email address

· Your telephone contact number

· What your subjects of interest are

· Information you provide to us through customer feedback

· Details of products and services we have provided to you and/or that you have enquired about, and our response to you

-We will never collect personal information from a third party; even in the event of recommendation.

-You will be able to pay directly to The Study Pod business account and set up direct debit if you wish to do so.

1) In the case of being added to our waiting list for lessons to start at a future date, we will retain your information in the meantime and will seek your verbal permission to contact you in the future to let you know of other services provided by us which may be of interest.

Why do we collect the information and how do we use it?

1) We may collect, hold, use and personal information for the following purposes:

· to contact and communicate with you;

· for internal record keeping and administrative purposes;

· for analytics, market research and business development, including to operate and improve our Site, associated applications and associated social media platforms;

· for advertising and marketing, including to send you promotional information about our services;

· to comply with our legal obligations

How do we secure your personal data?

1)All personal data processed by us is stored securely (the level of security being appropriate to the nature of the data concerned.)

2)Any passwords given to you for the purpose of lessons we deliver to you, must be kept confidential. We ask you not to share your passwords or log in details with anyone, and to use a password that is appropriate, if you need to create a log in.

3)We store the information in a variety of ways: on paper, online platform, on our database and in our secure email distribution platform. Information is also stored electronically on password protected computers.

4)Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to our website and any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use appropriate procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.

Who is the information shared with?

1) We do not share your data with any third parties, other than:

· For necessary processing on third party secure platforms (e.g Lumio by Smart) or online booking platforms. All such third parties comply with the strict data protection regulations of the GDPR.

· If we are required to by government bodies or law enforcement agencies.

· We will only ever share information with a parent about their own child;

information given by parents to us will not be passed on to third parties without permission unless there is a safeguarding issue.

2) Any tutor or staff member working for The Study Pod, will be requested too and expected to comply with the strict data protection regulations of the GDPR.

What are your rights when controlling your personal information?

1)You have the following rights in relation to personal data relating to you that we process:

· You may request access to the personal data concerned.

· You may request that incorrect personal data that we are processing be rectified.

· In certain circumstances (normally where it is no longer necessary for us to continue to process it), you may be entitled to request that we erase the personal data concerned.

· If your personal data is being processed, you may withdraw your consent at any time, after which we shall stop the processing concerned.

· To exercise any of your rights (including withdrawing relevant consents or obtaining access to your personal data), you should contact us as set out below.

2)From time to time we may send you promotional offers of interest, newsletters and lesson content. You are within your rights to unsubscribe from this at any time, by e-mailing info@thestudypod.co.uk .

What if I wish to make a complaint?

· We aim to provide a service that goes above and beyond our customer expectations, however if you wish to make a complaint, please contact us using the contact details below and provide us with full details so that we can assist you further. We will promptly investigate your complaint and respond to you, in writing, setting out the outcome of our investigation and the steps we will take to deal with your complaint.

How long do we keep your personal data for?

1)We process personal data only for so long as is necessary for the purpose(s) for which it was originally collected, after which it will be deleted or archived.

2)Once your child has completed their Study Pod tutoring lessons, we may from time to time send you an e-mail with promotional offers for younger siblings, or recommendations to other parents. If you do not wish to receive these e-mails, please e-mail us at info@thestudypod.co.uk and unsubscribe.

Links to other websites

1)Our Site may contain links to other websites. We do not have any control over those websites and we are not responsible for the protection and privacy of any personal information which you provide whilst visiting those websites. Those websites are not governed by this Privacy Policy.

Photo and video disclaimer

1)We do not normally take any photographs or video clips. However, for the purpose of any social media posts; we will always seek written parental consent before posting.

2)When online sessions take place, children will be able to see their tutor on screen as well as the other children in the group.

3)Group tutoring and 1 to 1 remote tutoring lessons will be delivered on Zoom.us and parents will be asked to sign a disclaimer consenting to their camera and microphone being enabled, so that tutor and pupil are both in view of each other as well as the rest of the class. This will be for the purpose to deliver a quality first teaching experience.

4)All online lessons that we provide are recorded (on-screen interaction and live conversations between the child and tutor- only audio no video) and the recordings are used by us to monitor and track the child’s progress and to provide feedback on progression and performance, the quality of the teaching provided, compliance by tutors with our guidelines, and other factors relevant to the teaching.

5)We also store the recordings for archival purposes. The recordings provide us with on-going professional development for our tutors and to deliver the best possible service to all our customers as well as for security.

6)When we conduct analysis and research we will ensure all data is anonymous. No students will be directly identifiable, all names will be changed in the case of any research being conducted.

If you apply for a position with us (including as a tutor)

We may collect personal information in relation to you in connection with any application by you for a position with us. In that case, we will explain in more detail at the time how and for what purposes we intend to process the relevant personal information.

Cookies

What is a cookie?

Cookies are pieces of information that are stored in your computer as text files. They are sent from the host website to the web browser while you browse through the internet. Only we can access the cookies created by our website. You have the option to control your cookies at browser level. You can disable cookies; however, this may result in you not being able to access certain functions. Cookies are used to analyse customer behaviour, administer the website, track users’ movements and collect information about users. This is done to enhance your experience when using our website.

Amendments

We may, at any time and at our discretion, vary this Privacy Policy by publishing the amended Privacy Policy on our Site. We recommend you check our Site regularly to ensure you are aware of our current Privacy Policy.

Last updated 26th August 2022.

Please contact us for more information:

Email: info@thestudypod.co.uk

Telephone: 0116 3800 183 / 07955 794 064

Terms and conditions

1:1 & GROUP ONLINE TUITION

· Lessons will be taught in limited group sizes. Children will be of the same or similar age and will also be of similar academic ability in order for the classes to run as smoothy as possible.

· All payments should be made prior to the start of the lesson.

. An invoices will be sent to your preferred e-mail address before each block session begins with payment, dates and timings.

. All payment must be made before the start of a new block to gain access to the online classes.

. All lessons must be paid in full in either 4 week or 8 week blocks (dependent upon your allocated choice)

. 4 or 8 week block bookings are consecutive. If a school holiday break appears in between your block, the remaining sessions will continue after this date.

Notice to leave:

1. In the unfortunate event of you deciding to terminate your contract with The Study Pod, you will be required to give 2 weeks notice before the end of your payment block.

2. If you would like to leave before the end of your pre-paid block, any credit remaining on the account will unfortunately not be refunded.

Cancellations:

1. If your child is unable to join an online lesson, it would be highly appreciated if you could give as much notice as possible, so that credit can be transferred to the next payment block.

2. If a lesson is to be cancelled by a teacher, you will also be given as much notice as possible and any credit will also be transferred to the next block payment.

3. Although we try our best to remind you of any upcoming lessons where possible, any lessons missed without notice given will not be transferred in credit and automatically charged at the full lesson rate.

Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy

Introduction

1) The Study Pod is a solely traded educational business run by:

Sonal Sudra (Founder)

2) The Study Pod is based at:

Unit 3 Queniborough Ind estate

Queniborough

Leicester, LE7 3FP

3) The Study Pod is committed to developing good practice and safe procedures. We aim to ensure that any child protection concerns are handled with sensitivity, appropriate and professional care, so as to cater and protect all children in our care.

4) This safeguarding policy aims to provide clear direction to all staff involved and expects every adult working or helping at The Study Pod to support and comply with the expected codes of practice and behaviour in dealing with child protection matters.

Policy

1) All staff at The Study Pod are committed to ensuring that:

(a) the welfare of the child is paramount;

(b) 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;

(c) all reasonable steps are taken to protect children from harm, discrimination and demeaning treatment and to respect their rights, wishes and feelings;

(d) all suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse will be taken seriously and responded to appropriately;

(e) all members who work with children will be recruited with regard to their suitability for that responsibility, and will seek guidance and/or training in good practice and child protection procedures;

(f) they work in partnership with parents and children – which is essential for the protection of children.

2) This policy should be read and signed before engaging in any educational activity arranged by The Study Pod. All staff and parents need to read this document and ensure this policy is adhered to. Please see compliance section for any body who does not adhere to the policy.

Statement of intent

The Study Pod will:

• Ensure that team members are alert to the signs of abuse, and understand their responsibilities to refer their concerns to the senior designated person (Sonal Sudra)

• Ensure that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the organisation and team members for child protection.

• Keep written records of concern about pupils, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately.

• Ensure all records are kept securely.

• Develop and follow procedures where an allegation is made against a member of the team.

• Ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed.

• Ensure that the Child Protection Policy is updated and reviewed on an annual basis.

• Ensure that appropriate safety checks are carried out on staff from other agencies who are present in the classrooms.

Safeguarding children during educational support:

1)We offer educational support services to:

· children aged between 6-11 (Primary school age) in group tutoring sessions online. We also offer mindfulness and yoga practices online, in group settings.

2)Children under 16 who attend The Study Pod premises must be dropped off by an adult over the age of 18 who not only brings the child but also takes the child home again afterwards. Children under 16 who attend online teaching/tutoring support can be in the presence of an adult over 18 years of age.

The risks to children

We believe children who attend or use any services at The Study Pod are cared for and grow up in a safe and happy environment and it is important not to exaggerate or overestimate dangers. However, it is of utmost importance to us that all children are protected and so we have to be aware of the different types of abuse that unfortunately can occur:

o Sexual abuse

o Grooming

o Physical and emotional abuse and neglect

o Domestic violence

o Inappropriate supervision by staff or volunteers

o Bullying, cyber bullying, acts of violence and aggression within our schools and campuses

o Victimisation

o Self-harm

o Unsafe environments and activities

o Crime

o Exploitation

Recognising abuse

1) To ensure that our pupils are protected from harm, we need to understand what types of behaviour constitute abuse or neglect. Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment. There are four categories of abuse: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect.

2) All teachers are trained to recognise these forms of abuse. It is the responsibility of teachers to report concerns. It is not a teacher’s responsibility to investigate or decide whether a child has been abused.

Action taken

Teachers will fill out a concern form if they are worried about a child and this should then be passed onto the founder of The Study Pod (Sonal Sudra)

Photo and video disclaimer

1)We do not normally take any photographs or video clips. However, for the purpose of any social media posts; we will always seek written parental consent before posting.

2)When online sessions take place, children will be able to see their tutor on screen as well as the other children in the group.

6)When we conduct analysis and research we will ensure all data is anonymous. No students will be directly identifiable, all names will be changed in the case of any research being conducted.

Teacher registration

1) The Study Pod ensures that all teachers are fully registered and disclosed prior to working with children in online or in person tuition sessions.

2) Parental and student personal details will be kept private and under the terms of the privacy policy by all teachers tutoring at The Study Pod.

Disclosure and Barring

1) Our policy requires all adult teachers to undergo an Enhanced DBS and/or police checks under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. No teacher working for The Study Pod has any criminal records and all teacher tutors have signed a declaration form to indicate so.

2) The Study Pod 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 lesson.

Roles and Responsibilities of all teachers/ tutors at The Study Pod

1) Ensure the teaching environment does not display any inappropriate images.

2) Disable cameras from any pupils screens when teaching online lessons (unless parental consent has been given.)

3) Ensure that all teaching material is safe and prohibits any inappropriate content and images, treating all clients in a professional, safe and fairly, without prejudice or discrimination manner.

4) Ensure language is appropriate and not offensive or discriminatory when in contact with the student.

5) Not make any improper suggestions to a student/s.

6) Not send unsolicited communications to the student or parent/responsible adult.

7) Report any dispute with a student or parent/responsible adult to the founder (Sonal Sudra), in accordance with the Safeguarding procedures.

8) Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity identified by a student or third party.

Students must:

1) Always treat the teacher and any staff members with respect.

2) Not make any improper suggestions to the teacher, or use inappropriate or abusive language.

3) Have no communication with the teacher outside the educational support session.

4) Report any dispute with a teacher to a parent/responsible adult in accordance with the Safeguarding procedures.

5) Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a teacher within a session in accordance with the Safeguarding procedures.

Parents/Carers must:

1) Be available to contact during any learning session, where the child needs support remotely.

2) Make the tutor aware of any learning difficulties/medical needs to ensure that the environment for the child is appropriate and meets their needs.

3) Ensure that teachers are treated with respect and fairness by their child.

4) Ensure the student has no inappropriate communication with the teacher.

5) Report any dispute with a tutor to the founder at The Study Pod in accordance with procedures set out in this document.

6) Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a teacher in accordance with procedures set out in this document.

Policy on the prevention of bullying

Under no circumstances, will The Study Pod tolerate the bullying of children either by adults or by other children. If any incident of child-on-child bullying should arise at any Study Pod service, those involved will be separated immediately and the parents of the children involved will be asked to deal with the matter. The Study Pod will review all incidents of child-on-child bullying and assess the likely future risk to children. If appropriate, The Study Pod will consider banning a child from future support services, depending on the level of severity.

If peer-on-peer abuse is suspected or disclosed We will follow the same procedures as set out above for responding to child abuse.

Compliance

1)All persons including staff and parents who use any services delivered by The Study Pod, have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding Policy.

2)Any staff member working for The Study Pod will be suspended from providing any further services, if there has been a reported breach of the Safeguarding Policy. Until the incident has been investigated by the appropriate authority, it is expected that the staff member will not teach for The Study Pod.

3)The final decision on action taken for minor breaches of the Safeguarding Policy will be the responsibility of the Director of The Study Pod.

4)Any person reported for illegal activity whilst using The Study Pod services will be reported to police and will be barred from the service.

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 The Study Pod every year to ensure it is adequate and relevant to national safeguarding standards.

Last updated September 2nd 2022.

Keeping children safe is paramount

0116 3800 183