Introduction
Learn Laugh Play is committed to ensuring the highest possible standard of safeguarding. The personal safety and well-being of each student and teacher using Learn Laugh Play is of paramount importance. Learn Laugh Play has a number of key features relating to safeguarding that are applied across our sessions, including the development of and review of this safeguarding policy.
Legislation
The aim of our safeguarding policy is to ensure that everyone using Learn Laugh Play can do so safely and within child safeguarding good practice and the UK law.
Aims
The aim of this policy is to safeguard all children, teachers, and anyone else who is taking part in Learn Laugh Play lessons and other activities. It is important that all adults involved in Learn Laugh Play lessons and activities, know what is expected of them and others.
This policy contains the responsibilities of all persons using Learn Laugh Play, including our teachers, the children and parents/carers. It should be read and understood before engaging in any classes or activities with Learn Laugh Play. All responsibilities, as outlined in this policy should be adhered to at all times. Failing to do so could lead to being banned from our website and our groups/classes/activities.
The recruitment of teachers
Learn Laugh Play only recruits teachers who have an up to date/on the updating service DBS, experience working with children, safeguarding training and 2 relevant references. As well as completing a one to one thorough interview and Learn Laugh Play training before they start teaching with us.
Privacy
All contact between teachers and parents is through the messenger feature of our website. For secondary English courses, the student can also contact the teacher through his/her/their Learn Laugh Play email account but should be encouraged to CC a parent/carer in all correspondence. The teacher will always CC our main email address as well to ensure that all communication is open.
It is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that he/she/they do not share any email addresses or use them for any other purpose other than to communicate about the work being marked. All personal details about the student and parents, including contact address and phone number, will remain private and confidential.
All data held by Learn Laugh Play is in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998
Recording of lessons
All lessons will be recorded and normally available for play back to the parents and students for up to 7 days. The recordings remain the property of Learn Laugh Play and are not downloadable. The parent agrees not to share the recordings with anyone except the child that is a member of that class.
Learn Laugh Play may review any sessions where a report has been made by any person using Learn Laugh Play if necessary, in order to investigate the allegation. Learn Laugh Play will allow access to UK law enforcement of any recording where it is reported a criminal offence may have occurred in relation to a specific session.
Roles and Responsibilities of persons using Learn Laugh Play
The Teacher
The teacher will:
Ensure any contact with the student is appropriate to their role as a teacher and confined to the relevant lesson.
Ensure that their environment and behaviour and language is appropriate and that there are no inappropriate images or documentation capable of being viewed by the student or parent/responsible adult when conducting a lesson.
Treat all students fairly and without prejudice or discrimination.
Always ensure language is appropriate and not offensive or discriminatory
Not make any improper suggestions to a student.
Not send unsolicited communications to the student or parent/responsible adult.
Value and take every student’s contributions seriously.
Report any dispute with a student, parent/responsible adult, or another tutor to Learn Laugh Play.
Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity identified within a lesson by a student or third party, to Learn Laugh Play.
Be aware that the sessions are recorded, and they are available for review by a student or parent/responsible adult for a period up to 7 days.
The Student
All of our students are 16 or under and as such should be supervised by a parent or carer at all times. Students should:
Be kind and supportive to all other children in the class.
Treat the teacher and other students with respect, and not subject them to abusive behaviour or language.
Have no inappropriate communication with the teacher outside the lesson session.
Report any dispute with a tutor to a parent/carer.
Report any inappropriate behaviour within a session to their parent/carer.
Be aware that the sessions are recorded, and they are available for review for a period up to 7 days.
Parent/Carer
The parent/carer should:
Be responsible for supervising their child during usage of our website and live lessons. With older children, parents can be nearby but should still maintain an awareness of what is happening during lessons. If children need emotional support to enable them to access the lesson and feel comfortable, the parent should provide this. Parents of younger children should work with their children to maximise the child’s engagement with their learning.
Ensure their child is fully aware of the above responsibilities of the child.
Always be responsible for the physical environment of the child during the lesson ensuring it is safe and appropriate.
Ensure that their child is safe during the lesson and that the lesson is a positive experience for their child.
Ensure the child has no inappropriate communication with the teacher outside the lesson.
Report any unsolicited communications between the teacher and student if appropriate.
Report any dispute with a teacher to Learn Laugh Play.
Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a teacher to Learn Laugh Play.
Be aware all lessons will be recorded, and made available for playback for up to 7 days.
Ensure the child's Zoom account displays the same name as the child profile set up by the parent on the website.
Management of Learn Laugh Play services
The Management of Learn Laugh Play will:
Be responsible for recruiting and training teachers and ensuring ongoing professionalism in all areas and specifically relating to child protection and safeguarding.
Ensure that any dispute between persons using Learn Laugh Play is handled efficiently and fairly without discrimination.
Deal with reports of possible illegal activity promptly, ensuring the safety and well-being of the student and/or teacher.
If any incident is reported to the police relating to a specific session, make the recording available for the police to use as evidence in any proceedings if appropriate.
If appropriate, employ the services of an independent Child Protection consultant to review a report concerning the welfare of a student ensuring an appropriate course of action is taken.
Regularly review the Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Procedures to ensure they are relevant and adequate to safeguard all persons using Learn Laugh Play.
Compliance
All persons using the Learn Laugh Play services have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding Policy.
Any teacher reported for a breach of the Safeguarding Policy will be suspended until the incident has been investigated by the appropriate authority. The reporter may be informed of the resolution if appropriate.
The final decision on action taken for minor breaches of the Safeguarding Policy will be the responsibility of Learn Laugh Play.
Any person reported for illegal activity whilst using Learn Laugh Play services will be reported to police and will be barred from using our services.
Any person reported for causing harm to a student or subjecting the student to sexual abuse will be reported to police and barred from the service.
Review
The Safeguarding policy will be reviewed by Learn Laugh Play on an annual basis to ensure it is adequate and relevant to safeguarding standard. (Last reviewed August 2023)