Home Tuition Policy

1. Purpose

This policy sets out how EDU Archives Tutors delivers home tuition — one-to-one tutoring that takes place in the family home rather than online or in a school. Home tuition is a privileged form of access to children in their own environment and requires specific safeguards beyond those needed for classroom-based work.

2. Tutor vetting

Every tutor delivering home tuition meets the same vetting standards as a teacher placed in a school, plus additional in-home checks:

• Enhanced DBS certificate (current — registered on the Update Service where possible)
• Verified identity, qualifications and right-to-work
• Two written references, with the most recent reference covering safeguarding suitability
• KCSiE 2024 Part One training, refreshed annually
• Home Tuition Code of Conduct signed before any in-home work
• Online safeguarding training
• Lone-working training and risk briefing
• Public liability insurance (held by EDU Archives Tutors and covering tutors during in-home work)

3. Session arrangements

All home tuition sessions follow these arrangements as a minimum:

• A parent or appropriate adult must be present in the home throughout the session
• Sessions take place in shared spaces such as a kitchen, dining room or study — never in a closed bedroom
• The tutor carries photo ID and an EDU Archives Tutors lanyard, both worn visibly
• Sessions have a clear start and end time agreed in advance — no informal overruns
• Tutors do not give children lifts in their car, share personal contact details, or contact children outside the agreed channels
• Any change of session time, location or tutor is arranged through EDU Archives Tutors and confirmed in writing

4. Communication with families

All communication between tutor and family takes place through EDU Archives Tutors-arranged channels, or via a parent-mediated route the family has agreed in writing. Tutors must not use personal social media, personal WhatsApp, or other private channels to contact the family.

After each session the tutor produces a short written progress note shared with parents — visible to EDU Archives Tutors as the agency holding overall safeguarding responsibility.

5. Risk assessment & lone working

Home tuition is treated as a lone-working scenario. Before the first session the tutor and EDU Archives Tutors complete a brief risk assessment. The tutor follows our Lone Working Policy: agreed start and end check-in with a named EDU Archives colleague, a working mobile phone, knowledge of the address and travel route, and a documented escalation route if a check-in is missed.

Where the assessment identifies higher risk — for example a child with significant behavioural needs, or a family environment that raises safeguarding concerns — we may decline the placement, deliver online instead, or require additional safeguards.

6. Concerns and complaints

Any safeguarding concern arising during a home tuition session is reported to the EDU Archives Tutors Designated Safeguarding Lead the same day, and to statutory bodies where the threshold is met.

Families with a concern about a tutor or about EDU Archives Tutors more generally can raise it under our Complaints Policy. We commit to acknowledging complaints within one working day and resolving them within 10 working days.

7. Insurance & professional indemnity

EDU Archives Tutors holds professional indemnity and public liability insurance covering all home tuition activity. Cover details are available on request from families and schools commissioning in-home tutoring.

8. Review

This policy is reviewed annually and after any significant incident or change in statutory guidance.