Ember Learning Ltd (trading as Ember Tutors)
1. Purpose and Scope
Ember Tutors is committed to operating with integrity and to creating an environment in which concerns about wrongdoing — including safeguarding failures, illegal activity, and serious risks to children — can be raised safely, promptly, and without fear of retaliation.
This Policy applies to all Company directors, all self-employed tutors and associates engaged by Ember Learning Ltd, and any other person working in connection with Ember Tutors who becomes aware of a concern.
2. What Whistleblowing Covers
This Policy covers concerns about matters that affect others or are in the public interest — not personal employment disputes. Whistleblowing concerns include:
- A safeguarding failure or risk of harm to a child that has not been properly addressed
- Illegal activity by any person associated with Ember Tutors
- A serious breach of any Ember Tutors policy that puts children at risk
- Unsafe or dishonest conduct reasonably believed to be in the public interest to disclose
- Concealment or covering up of any of the above
A concern does not need to be proven before it is raised. This Policy is for reporting reasonable, good-faith concerns.
3. How to Raise a Concern Internally
Concerns should normally be raised with the Company Director (Jack Bradley — jack@embertutors.co.uk) or the alternative contact (Mahesh De Zoysa — mahesh@embertutors.co.uk). If the concern relates to a Company Director, it should be raised with another director or directly with an external body.
Where a concern involves a safeguarding risk to a child, it should also be raised with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or, if the concern involves the DSL, with the Deputy DSL or an external body. Concerns may be raised verbally or in writing.
4. External Reporting Channels
Where a concern cannot be raised internally, or where internal concerns have not been appropriately addressed, the following external channels are available:
- NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line — 0800 028 0285 (child safeguarding concerns)
- Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) — for allegations against adults working with children
- Ofsted — 0300 123 4666 (concerns about regulated activity with children)
- Department for Education — via online referral route (serious concerns about alternative provision)
- Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — 0303 123 1113 (data protection concerns)
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE) — 0300 003 1647
5. How Concerns Will Be Handled
All concerns raised in good faith will be taken seriously and acknowledged promptly. The Company will investigate concerns in a manner proportionate to their seriousness. The person raising the concern will be kept informed of progress and, where possible, of the outcome.
Concerns involving a safeguarding risk to a child will be referred to the relevant statutory authority without delay, in accordance with the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy (ET-CPSP-001).
6. Confidentiality
Ember Tutors will make every reasonable effort to protect the confidentiality of the person raising a concern. Concerns may be raised anonymously and will be investigated where possible. There may be circumstances in which disclosure of identity is unavoidable, such as formal legal proceedings.
7. Protection from Retaliation
Ember Learning Ltd will not subject any person to retaliation — including termination of engagement, disadvantage in session allocation, or any other detriment — as a result of raising a concern in good faith. This Policy does not protect individuals who make disclosures they know to be false.
8. Legal Protection
Self-employed contractors may have limited protection under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998). Individuals who are uncertain about their legal position are encouraged to seek independent advice, including from the whistleblowing charity Protect: 020 3117 2520.
9. Review
This Policy is reviewed annually by the Company Directors and following any whistleblowing incident, material change in legislation, or change in the nature of operations.
The full policy document is available on request. Contact hello@embertutors.co.uk.