Our Safeguarding Commitment at a Glance
The Academus treats the safety and wellbeing of every student as our highest priority. As an academy working directly with minors in a 1-on-1 online setting, we apply strict standards for tutor vetting, session conduct, parental involvement, and incident reporting — and we hold every member of our team to them without exception.
1 Introduction & Scope
This Safeguarding Policy applies to all students, parents, legal guardians, tutors, and staff engaging with The Academus ("we," "our," "us") through our website (theacademus.com) or tutoring services. It works alongside our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, and should be read together with those documents where session recording, data handling, and conduct standards overlap.
This policy applies to every curriculum and program we offer, including Cambridge International, Edexcel, AQA, IGCSE, Junior Classes (Grades 5–8), and Quran & Tajweed.
2 Parental Consent & Responsibility
No student under the age of 18 may register or attend sessions without the explicit consent of a parent or legal guardian.
- Registration: All enrolment and lesson agreements for minor students must be completed and authorized by a parent or legal guardian.
- Ongoing Consent: Parents may withdraw consent or pause enrolment at any time by contacting our admissions office.
- Emergency Contact: Parents must provide accurate, up-to-date contact information so we can reach them immediately if a safeguarding concern arises during a session.
3 Tutor Vetting & Suitability
Every tutor joining The Academus goes through a structured vetting process before working with any student:
- Identity Verification: Confirmation of identity and right-to-work documentation.
- Academic Credential Checks: Verification of qualifications and subject-matter expertise relevant to the curricula they teach.
- Background Screening: Background and reference checks appropriate to working with minors, completed before a tutor is assigned any student.
- Ongoing Standards: Tutors are expected to maintain professional conduct at all times and are subject to review if a concern is raised.
4 Session Conduct Standards
To keep every learning environment safe and appropriate:
- Professional Boundaries: All communication between tutors and students must remain focused on academic matters and take place only through The Academus's approved channels (scheduled video sessions, and official communication with parents via WhatsApp/email).
- No Private Contact: Tutors are not permitted to contact students directly through personal phone numbers, personal social media, or any channel outside official Academus communication with the parent/guardian.
- Appropriate Environment: Students and tutors are expected to attend sessions from an appropriate, appropriately lit setting, in suitable attire, with respectful conduct throughout.
- Zero-Tolerance Policy: The Academus enforces a zero-tolerance policy against harassment, discrimination, inappropriate communication, or abusive behavior of any kind. Any violation results in immediate suspension pending investigation, and may result in permanent removal without refund.
5 Session Recording & Supervision
1-on-1 or group sessions may be recorded by The Academus for academic review, quality assurance, and safeguarding purposes. Where a recording exists:
- Access Controls: Access is limited to the student, their parent/guardian, the assigned tutor, and authorized Academus admin/compliance staff.
- Internal Quality Audits: Recordings may also be reviewed internally for tutor quality audits, training, and — where relevant — to support a safeguarding investigation.
- Secure Retention & Deletion: Recordings may be retained until the end of the student's term or course, after which they are securely deleted.
- Strict External Prohibition: Recording or distribution of sessions by any party outside The Academus is strictly prohibited without written consent from both the parent and academy administration.
For full detail on data handling, see our Privacy Policy.
6 Parental Observation Rights
Parents and legal guardians have an unconditional right to observe any live session from the background, at any time, without needing to request permission in advance. We encourage parents to remain reachable and, where possible, nearby during sessions with younger students.
7 Reporting a Concern
If a parent, student, or tutor has any concern about a student's safety or wellbeing — during a session or otherwise — we want to hear about it immediately.
How to Report
Contact our safeguarding team directly via email or WhatsApp (details below). Concerns can also be raised through your assigned tutor or admissions contact, who will escalate immediately.
What Happens Next
All safeguarding concerns are treated as urgent. We will acknowledge receipt promptly, review the concern, and take appropriate action — which may include suspending a tutor pending investigation, involving the student's family directly, or, where required by law, contacting the relevant authorities.
Confidentiality
Reports are handled discreetly and shared only with those who need to know in order to address the concern.
8 Contacting Our Safeguarding Team
If you have a safeguarding concern or question about this policy, please contact us directly:
