• I understand that my role as a tutor is to encourage and enable pupils to achieve their unique potential as independent learners through acknowledgement, encouragement, understanding, and personalised attention.

• I will 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 or engaging in any practice that undermines the independent learning of pupils.

• I will not engage in any form of plagiarism, such as completing pupils’ homework assignments for them.

• I will demonstrate faith in my pupils’ learning ability and provide honest, positive and constructive feedback.

• I understand the need to be flexible in my approach to tutoring to assist my pupils in discovering effective learning strategies.

• I undertake to keep up-to-date with advances in subject knowledge and pedagogy.

• I undertake to comply with the The Tutors’ Association’s Child Protection Policy.  ( see below )

• I am committed to identifying any particular challenges or difficulties my pupils might have with their learning and to assisting them in overcoming those barriers.

• I will share with my client any concerns I have about pupils’ social, emotional and behavioural difficulties that are beyond my competency to address.

• I will identify to my client any special educational needs that are beyond my experience or ability to resolve, in order that they may secure for them the right kind of specialist help.

• Any referrals I make will come with full disclosure of any personal or material interest.

• I understand that my relationship to my pupils is professional and not personal and that I have a duty of care towards them.

• I will keep information about the pupil whom I am assigned confidential, unless doing so would be to result in injury or harm being done to them.

• I will show respect for my pupils’ cultural background, personal dignity and values.

• I will maintain accurate records of tutoring sessions as expected and required.

• In situations where I am working for a tutoring company, I will respect the terms and conditions of my contract, and in particular, will not seek to provide educational services to pupils I have been introduced to in this way independently of the company.

The welfare of the child is paramount;

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;

All tutors who work with children should seek guidance and/or training in good practice and child protection procedures; they work in partnership with parents and children – which is essential for the protection of children.

All tutors provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment in which students can learn and which promotes the wellbeing of the children being taught.

  It is essential to:

a)  Speak individually with all parties concerned

b)  Write a record of all conversations

c)  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.

d)  All allegations should be dealt with expeditiously, thoroughly, fairly and with common sense and professional judgement. Any investigation should 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, 

b) substantiated in part or in whole but can be dealt with by disciplinary procedures. 

c) substantiated and requiring formal referral in the first instance to the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) or DCPO (Designated Child Protection Officer.)