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Tutor Behaviour Policy

Reference: ET-TBP-001Last reviewed: April 2026

Ember Learning Ltd (trading as Ember Tutors) — Standards of Professional Conduct for tutors.

1. Purpose and Scope

Ember Learning Ltd (trading as Ember Tutors) provides online tutoring to secondary-aged students referred by commissioning Local Authorities as a form of alternative provision. Our students are often vulnerable young people with complex needs, and the manner in which tutors conduct themselves has a direct impact on student welfare, educational outcomes, and the reputation of the organisation.

This Policy sets out the standards of professional conduct expected of all tutors when delivering sessions on behalf of Ember Tutors. It applies to:

  • All tutors engaged by Ember Learning Ltd under a Tutor Associate Agreement (ET-TAA-001)
  • All tutoring activity carried out via the Vedamo online platform
  • All communications with students, Commissioners, and Ember Tutors staff in connection with tutoring services

This Policy should be read alongside the following documents, which together form the complete framework of expectations for tutors:

  • Tutor Associate Agreement (ET-TAA-001)
  • Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy (ET-CPSP-001)
  • Online Safety Policy (ET-OSP-001)
  • Session Recording Policy (ET-SRP-001)
  • Data Processing Agreement (ET-DPA-001)

2. Core Principles

Ember Tutors is committed to delivering education that is safe, inclusive, and of high quality. All tutors are expected to uphold the following principles in every aspect of their work:

  • The welfare of students is paramount. Tutors must prioritise student safety and wellbeing above all other considerations.
  • Professional relationships with students must be appropriate, boundaried, and purposeful. Tutors are not friends, mentors, or counsellors; they are educational professionals.
  • Every student deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and consistency, regardless of their behaviour, background, or ability.
  • Tutors represent Ember Tutors at all times when working in their professional capacity. Their conduct reflects directly on the organisation and its relationship with commissioning Local Authorities.
  • Transparency and honest communication with Ember Tutors staff are non-negotiable. If in doubt, report it.

3. Session Environment and Presentation

3.1 Physical Environment

Tutors must ensure their working environment is appropriate for professional online tutoring:

  • Sessions must be conducted from a quiet, private location free from interruptions and background noise.
  • The background visible on camera must be neutral, tidy, and professional. Virtual backgrounds are acceptable if they are neutral and non-distracting.
  • Tutors must not conduct sessions from public spaces such as cafes, libraries, or open-plan offices unless expressly agreed with Ember Tutors in writing.
  • No third parties should be present or visible in the background during sessions.

3.2 Dress and Appearance

Tutors must dress professionally for all sessions. Smart casual dress is expected as a minimum. Clothing should be:

  • Clean, appropriate, and professional in appearance
  • Free from offensive logos, slogans, or imagery

Tutors should present themselves in a way that reflects well on Ember Tutors and commands appropriate professional respect from students.

3.3 Camera and Microphone

  • Tutors must have their camera on for all sessions unless a technical fault makes this impossible.
  • Tutors must ensure their microphone audio is clear and free from excessive background noise before each session begins.
  • If a technical issue arises during a session that cannot be resolved quickly, the tutor must notify Ember Tutors as soon as practicable and log the session as affected.

4. Conduct During Sessions

4.1 Communication Standards

Tutors must communicate with students in a manner that is:

  • Calm, clear, and professional
  • Age-appropriate and accessible to the student's level
  • Encouraging and supportive, even when a student is disengaged or struggling
  • Free from sarcasm, dismissiveness, or language that could be perceived as belittling

Tutors must not raise their voice at a student, make negative comments about a student's abilities, or use language that could cause distress. If a tutor feels a session is not going well, they should de-escalate calmly and, if necessary, end the session in accordance with Section 6.

4.2 Punctuality and Preparation

  • Tutors must log into the Vedamo platform and be ready to begin no later than ten minutes before each scheduled session. This additional time is recommended to allow for any technical issues to be identified and resolved before the student joins.
  • Sessions must run for their full scheduled duration unless ended early in accordance with Section 6.
  • Tutors must arrive to each session with a prepared lesson plan and all necessary materials ready.
  • Persistent lateness or inadequate preparation must be reported to Ember Tutors by the tutor and will be addressed under Section 8.

4.3 Attendance and Absence

  • Tutors must notify Ember Tutors as soon as possible, and no later than two hours before the scheduled session, if they are unable to attend.
  • Repeated or unexplained absence is a serious matter and will be addressed under Section 8.
  • Where a session cannot go ahead due to tutor absence, Ember Tutors will notify the Commissioner promptly.

4.4 Use of Vedamo and Session Materials

  • Tutors must use only the Vedamo platform for delivering sessions, unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing by Ember Tutors.
  • Any resources shared with students via the platform must be appropriate, curriculum-aligned, and free from any offensive, political, or inappropriate content.
  • Tutors must not instruct students to access external websites, apps, or resources that have not been pre-approved by Ember Tutors.

5. Professional Boundaries

5.1 Contact with Students

  • All communication with students must take place exclusively within the Vedamo platform, during scheduled sessions.
  • Tutors must not contact students by any other means, including but not limited to: personal phone, text message, email, WhatsApp, social media, or any other platform.
  • Tutors must not share their personal contact details (phone number, personal email, social media handles) with students.
  • Tutors must not accept contact requests from students on social media, gaming platforms, or any other personal accounts.

5.2 Gifts and Favours

  • Tutors must not offer, accept, or exchange gifts or favours with students.
  • Tutors must not provide financial assistance to students or their families.

5.3 Personal Information

  • Tutors must not share personal information about themselves (home address, personal relationships, finances, health) with students.
  • Tutors must not encourage students to share personal information beyond what is relevant to the tutoring relationship.

5.4 Physical Contact

Sessions are delivered online. There is no circumstance in which physical contact between a tutor and a student is appropriate or necessary. Tutors must not arrange to meet students in person without the prior written consent of Ember Tutors and the relevant Commissioner.

6. Managing Student Behaviour During Sessions

Ember Tutors recognises that students in alternative provision may present with challenging behaviour, and that tutors may face difficult situations. The following framework sets out how tutors should respond.

6.1 Low-Level Disruption

Examples: inattention, minor rudeness, off-task behaviour.

Tutors should respond calmly, avoid escalating the situation, and redirect the student positively. A brief, factual log of the behaviour should be included in the post-session report.

6.2 Concerning Behaviour

Examples: persistent refusal to engage, verbal aggression, distressing disclosures, visible distress or signs of harm.

Tutors should:

  • Remain calm and avoid reacting with anger or frustration
  • Attempt to de-escalate using a quiet, measured tone
  • Not attempt to counsel, interrogate, or resolve the underlying issue themselves
  • End the session calmly if the situation is not improving (see 6.4)
  • Report the incident to Ember Tutors within one hour of the session ending

If the concerning behaviour includes a potential safeguarding disclosure, tutors must follow the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy (ET-CPSP-001) immediately.

6.3 Serious Incidents

Examples: a student disclosing abuse or immediate risk of harm, a student exhibiting behaviour that suggests they are in crisis, illegal activity observed on screen.

Tutors must:

  • End the session calmly and without alarming the student
  • Call or message the Ember Tutors Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately
  • Complete a full written incident report within one hour
  • Not discuss the incident with anyone other than Ember Tutors staff or statutory agencies

6.4 Ending a Session Early

A tutor may end a session before its scheduled end time only in the following circumstances:

  • A student's behaviour poses a safeguarding risk
  • A student's behaviour is so severely disruptive that the session cannot continue despite de-escalation attempts
  • A serious technical failure makes delivery impossible
  • A personal emergency arises that poses an immediate risk to the tutor's own family or household

In all cases, the tutor must:

  • Inform the student calmly that the session is ending
  • Notify Ember Tutors immediately after ending the session
  • Submit a written report explaining the reason for early termination

Tutors must not end sessions early for personal convenience or frustration with student behaviour without following the above process.

7. Confidentiality and Data

  • All information about students, their families, and their circumstances is strictly confidential.
  • Tutors must not discuss student details with anyone other than Ember Tutors staff, and only on a need-to-know basis.
  • Tutors must not post on social media or discuss in any public forum information that could identify a student, a Commissioner, or any details of a session.
  • Tutors must handle all personal data in accordance with the Data Processing Agreement (ET-DPA-001) and must not store student data on personal devices or in personal cloud storage.
  • Any data breach or suspected breach (including loss of a device containing session notes) must be reported to Ember Tutors immediately.

8. Conduct Outside Sessions

Although tutors are engaged as self-employed associates, their conduct outside of sessions can affect their suitability to work with children and young people on behalf of Ember Tutors. Tutors must:

  • Inform Ember Tutors immediately if they are subject to any criminal investigation, arrest, charge, or conviction, including for driving offences
  • Inform Ember Tutors immediately if they are subject to any allegation of harm to a child or vulnerable person, or any disciplinary or regulatory investigation in a role involving children
  • Maintain a valid DBS certificate on the Update Service and allow Ember Tutors to conduct status checks as required
  • Not engage in activity on social media or in public that would bring Ember Tutors into disrepute or undermine trust in the organisation's suitability to deliver services to children

9. Reporting and Recording

Accurate and timely reporting is a professional obligation. Tutors must:

  • Complete a brief post-session report for every session, noting attendance, topics covered, student engagement, and any behavioural or welfare concerns
  • Report any behavioural or welfare concerns to Ember Tutors promptly — never wait until the next scheduled session to raise a concern
  • Report any breach or suspected breach of this Policy to Ember Tutors without delay

All incident reports are confidential and held securely by Ember Tutors. Reports may be shared with commissioning Local Authorities and, where required by law, with statutory agencies.

10. Breaches of This Policy

Ember Learning Ltd takes breaches of this Policy seriously. Where a tutor is found to have breached this Policy, the response will be proportionate to the nature and severity of the breach and may include:

  • A formal discussion and requirement to complete additional training
  • A formal written warning
  • Suspension from sessions pending investigation
  • Termination of the Tutor Associate Agreement
  • Referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) where required by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
  • Referral to statutory agencies, including the Police or Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), where the breach involves a safeguarding concern

Tutors who are subject to an allegation or investigation will be treated fairly and the process will be conducted with appropriate confidentiality. Ember Tutors will follow its obligations under the Tutor Associate Agreement (ET-TAA-001) throughout any such process.

11. Review

This Policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if there is a significant change in legislation, guidance, or the operational context of Ember Tutors. The responsibility for maintaining and reviewing this Policy sits with the Company Director.

Version history and review dates will be maintained as part of the document control record.

12. Declaration

All tutors are required to confirm that they have read, understood, and agree to comply with this Policy before commencing any tutoring sessions on behalf of Ember Tutors. This confirmation forms part of the onboarding process and is recorded by Ember Tutors.

By accepting an engagement to deliver sessions on behalf of Ember Learning Ltd (trading as Ember Tutors), the tutor confirms that they have read and understood this Policy and agree to be bound by its terms.