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Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

Version: 1.0
Effective from: September 2026
Review date: September 2027
Safeguarding Lead: Thomas Blown

1. Purpose

MathsTeacher.co.uk is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of every child and young person who uses its tutoring services.

The welfare and best interests of the child are paramount. All tutors working through MathsTeacher.co.uk have a responsibility to recognise, respond to and report safeguarding concerns appropriately.

This policy applies to all tutors, contractors and other individuals delivering or supporting MathsTeacher.co.uk services.

2. Our safeguarding principles

MathsTeacher.co.uk will:

  • provide a safe and professional environment for online tuition;

  • take concerns about a child's welfare seriously;

  • ensure tutors understand their safeguarding responsibilities;

  • maintain appropriate professional boundaries between tutors and pupils;

  • undertake appropriate safeguarding and DBS checks before tutors begin working with children;

  • respond promptly to disclosures, allegations and safeguarding concerns;

  • share safeguarding information where necessary and lawful to protect a child;

  • store safeguarding information securely and restrict access to those who need it.

3. Safeguarding Lead

The Safeguarding Lead for MathsTeacher.co.uk is:

Thomas Blown

The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for:

  • receiving concerns from tutors;

  • maintaining safeguarding records;

  • deciding what further safeguarding action is required;

  • making or supporting referrals to children's social care, police or other appropriate agencies;

  • responding to allegations concerning tutors;

  • ensuring tutors understand this policy;

  • reviewing safeguarding procedures and training.

The Safeguarding Lead's absence must never delay urgent action to protect a child.

Where a child is in immediate danger, or there is reason to believe a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, the tutor or other person receiving the information should contact the appropriate emergency or statutory safeguarding service directly.

Current statutory guidance states that anyone with concerns about a child's welfare should consider referral to local authority children's social care and should refer immediately where significant harm is suspected.

4. Tutor recruitment and DBS checks

Before tutoring children through MathsTeacher.co.uk, tutors must complete the company's safeguarding onboarding process.

This includes:

  • identity verification;

  • confirmation of relevant teaching qualifications;

  • an appropriate DBS check for the role;

  • safeguarding induction;

  • acceptance of this Safeguarding Policy and Tutor Code of Conduct.

MathsTeacher.co.uk will determine the appropriate level of DBS check according to the tutor's role and current DBS eligibility requirements.

Where appropriate, an existing certificate may be considered alongside a DBS Update Service status check.

Since January 2026, eligible paid self-employed tutors can obtain Enhanced and, where eligible, barred-list DBS checks through a registered Umbrella Body.

A DBS certificate does not by itself establish that someone is suitable to work with children. Recruitment, conduct and safeguarding procedures remain important.

5. Online lesson expectations

Tutors must conduct lessons professionally and maintain appropriate boundaries at all times.

Lessons should normally:

  • take place through the MathsTeacher.co.uk-approved online platform;

  • use the tutor's approved business/professional account;

  • take place at the agreed time;

  • focus on educational activity appropriate to the pupil;

  • be conducted from an appropriate environment.

Tutors must not:

  • use personal social-media accounts to communicate with pupils;

  • establish inappropriate private relationships with pupils;

  • make sexual, discriminatory, intimidating or otherwise inappropriate comments;

  • request unnecessary personal information;

  • share inappropriate material;

  • arrange private payment or off-platform tuition with a MathsTeacher.co.uk pupil;

  • meet a pupil socially or privately outside the agreed tutoring arrangement.

6. Communication with pupils

The parent or guardian should normally be the principal contact regarding bookings, payments, progress and other administrative matters.

Where direct tutor-pupil communication is necessary for legitimate educational purposes, it must remain professional, proportionate and connected to tuition.

Tutors must not use private social-media accounts or informal personal communication channels to establish ongoing private communication with children.

Any communication that causes safeguarding concern must be reported to the Safeguarding Lead.

7. Lesson recording

MathsTeacher.co.uk does not routinely record tutoring sessions.

A tutor must not independently record, photograph, screenshot or otherwise capture a pupil or tutoring session unless this has been expressly authorised by MathsTeacher.co.uk and appropriate privacy and safeguarding arrangements are in place.

This reduces unnecessary collection of children's personal information and fits the ICO's principle that organisations should collect and retain only information necessary for their purpose.

8. Responding to a disclosure

If a child discloses information suggesting that they or another child may be at risk, the tutor should:

  1. listen carefully and remain calm;

  2. take the child seriously;

  3. allow the child to explain in their own words;

  4. avoid asking leading or investigative questions;

  5. not promise confidentiality;

  6. explain that the information may need to be shared with someone who can help;

  7. make an accurate written record as soon as possible;

  8. report the concern promptly to the Safeguarding Lead.

Tutors must not investigate suspected abuse themselves.

Records should distinguish as clearly as possible between what the child actually said, what the tutor observed and any professional concern arising from it.

9. Reporting safeguarding concerns

Safeguarding concerns should normally be reported to the Safeguarding Lead as soon as reasonably possible.

The report should include, where known:

  • pupil's name;

  • date and time;

  • nature of the concern;

  • what was seen, heard or disclosed;

  • the child's own words where relevant;

  • action already taken;

  • name of the person making the report.

Where there is an immediate risk of serious harm, emergency services should be contacted.

Where there is concern that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, a referral should be made promptly to the relevant local authority children's social care service.

A tutor should not delay necessary safeguarding action because the Safeguarding Lead cannot immediately be contacted.

10. Confidentiality and information sharing

Safeguarding information will be treated sensitively but cannot be kept confidential where doing so could place a child at risk.

Information should be shared only where there is a legitimate safeguarding reason and only with those who need it.

Consent is not always required before sharing information for safeguarding purposes. Decisions should take account of the child's safety and best interests.

ICO guidance expressly recognises safeguarding as a compelling reason for sharing children's personal information where appropriate.

11. Safeguarding records

Safeguarding records must be:

  • factual;

  • dated;

  • attributable to the person making the record;

  • stored securely;

  • kept separately or appropriately restricted from ordinary tutoring notes;

  • accessible only to those with a legitimate safeguarding need.

Tutors should not record detailed safeguarding disclosures in ordinary lesson notes or parent progress reports.

MathsTeacher.co.uk processes children's information with particular care. Children have data-protection rights in their own right, and the ICO requires organisations to consider children's needs and best interests when designing their systems.

12. Allegations or concerns about a tutor

Any allegation that a tutor has:

  • harmed a child;

  • behaved in a way that may have harmed a child;

  • behaved inappropriately towards a child;

  • breached significant professional boundaries; or

  • otherwise presented a safeguarding risk

must be reported immediately to the Safeguarding Lead.

MathsTeacher.co.uk may suspend the tutor from accepting or delivering lessons while the concern is considered.

Where appropriate, the matter will be referred to the relevant statutory safeguarding authority, police, DBS or other organisation.

The interests and safety of the child will take priority over commercial or reputational considerations.

13. Online safety

Tutors should remain alert to safeguarding concerns that arise during online tuition, including indications of:

  • abuse or neglect;

  • exploitation or grooming;

  • bullying or cyberbullying;

  • sexual harassment or harmful sexual behaviour;

  • exposure to harmful online material;

  • coercion or controlling behaviour;

  • self-harm or serious threats to safety;

  • radicalisation or exploitation.

A tutor is not expected to diagnose or investigate these issues. Their responsibility is to recognise, record and report concerns appropriately.

14. Parents and guardians

Parents and guardians are encouraged to:

  • provide accurate contact information;

  • ensure the pupil has an appropriate environment for online tuition;

  • raise safeguarding or professional-conduct concerns promptly;

  • avoid sharing unnecessary sensitive information through ordinary booking or tutoring systems.

A parent does not normally need to remain physically present throughout an online lesson, but should know when and how tuition is taking place.

15. Data protection

Safeguarding and pupil information will be handled in accordance with applicable UK data-protection legislation and the MathsTeacher.co.uk Privacy Policy.

MathsTeacher.co.uk will seek to collect only information reasonably required to provide tuition, monitor educational progress, operate the service and safeguard pupils.

Children merit specific protection when organisations process their personal information, and privacy should be built into services from the outset.

16. Training and review

Tutors must receive appropriate safeguarding information or training before tutoring through MathsTeacher.co.uk and should keep their safeguarding knowledge current.

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where:

  • safeguarding guidance changes;

  • legislation changes;

  • MathsTeacher.co.uk materially changes how tuition is delivered; or

  • a safeguarding incident identifies a need to change procedures.​

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17. Safeguarding concerns
If you are a parent or guardian and have a safeguarding concern relating to tuition provided through MathsTeacher.co.uk, please contact us at safeguarding@mathsteacher.co.uk and mark your message “Safeguarding concern”.

If a child is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services.

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