Whistleblowing Policy

1. Purpose

EDU Archives Tutors is committed to honest, ethical practice. This Whistleblowing Policy enables anyone to raise serious concerns about how we operate — confidentially, in line with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) — without fear of detriment. We commit to taking disclosures seriously, investigating fairly, and protecting whistleblowers from retaliation.

2. What can be raised

Qualifying disclosures under PIDA cover information that the discloser reasonably believes shows, or tends to show, one or more of the following:

• A criminal offence has been, is being, or is likely to be committed
• Failure to comply with a legal obligation
• Miscarriage of justice
• Danger to the health and safety of any individual
• Damage to the environment
• Concealment of any of the above

3. Who is protected

PIDA protections apply to employees, agency workers, contractors, trainees and (in many cases) members of LLPs. EDU Archives Tutors extends these protections — voluntarily and unconditionally — to candidates on our register, suppliers, parents, and third parties making good-faith disclosures about our practice.

Protection means you cannot be subjected to a detriment (dismissal, demotion, removal from the register, unfavourable treatment) because you made a disclosure in good faith.

4. How to raise a disclosure — internal

We strongly encourage internal disclosure as the first step:

• Your line manager (where applicable)
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for safeguarding-related concerns
• The Director of Operations for operational, financial or conduct concerns
• Email: info@eduarchivestutor.com with WHISTLEBLOWING in the subject line

5. How to raise a disclosure — external

If internal routes are inappropriate (e.g. the concern involves the people you would normally report to) you can disclose to a prescribed person under PIDA. Prescribed persons include:

• Ofsted — concerns about education provision
• The Health and Safety Executive — health and safety risks
• The Information Commissioner's Office — data protection
• HM Revenue & Customs — tax and financial wrongdoing
• The Charity Commission — concerns about a charity
• The Disclosure and Barring Service — adults posing risk to children/vulnerable adults

6. Confidentiality and anonymity

We commit to keeping your identity confidential where possible. We accept anonymous disclosures and will investigate them where we can — but investigation is sometimes limited if we cannot follow up for clarification or evidence.

7. Investigation process

On receipt of a disclosure we acknowledge within one working day, assign an investigator independent of the concern, complete the investigation within 28 working days where possible, and provide a written outcome (anonymised if necessary). Where the concern involves a statutory body (LADO, police, ICO), parallel reporting may apply.

8. Malicious disclosures

Disclosures made maliciously or in bad faith (knowingly false) are not protected and may result in disciplinary action against the discloser. Disclosures made in good faith — even if later shown to be incorrect — are always protected.

9. Records

All disclosures are recorded in a confidential whistleblowing register. Records are retained for at least seven years after closure.