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Tutor Code of Conduct

1. Purpose and Scope

This Tutor Code of Conduct (“Code”) sets out the professional, ethical, legal, and safeguarding standards expected of all tutors, course leaders, contributors, moderators, presenters, contractors, employees, and associated educational personnel (“Tutors”) engaged by the Footnote Education (“the Company”).

The Company provides:

  • 1:1 online private tuition; 

  • online educational enrichment courses; 

  • educational materials through an online shop; and 

  • educational blog content including written, visual, audio, and video media. 

This Code applies to all interactions with students, parents, guardians, colleagues, contractors, and members of the public, whether conducted through live online sessions, email, messaging systems, social media, learning platforms, recorded content, blogs, forums, or any other communication channel connected with the Company.

The Company’s services are generally intended for students aged 11–18, although some users may fall outside this age range. Tutors must therefore maintain standards suitable for work involving children and young people.

2. Governing Principles

Tutors must:

  • act professionally, honestly, fairly, and with integrity at all times; 

  • place student welfare, safeguarding, dignity, and educational interests first; 

  • maintain appropriate professional boundaries; 

  • comply with all applicable laws and regulations; 

  • uphold equality, diversity, and inclusion; 

  • avoid conduct that could damage the reputation of the Company or undermine trust in its services; 

  • exercise reasonable skill, care, and diligence in all educational activities. 

3. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Tutors must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including where relevant:

United Kingdom

  • the Children Act 1989 and 2004; 

  • the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006; 

  • the Equality Act 2010; 

  • the Data Protection Act 2018; 

  • the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR); 

  • the Education Act 2002; 

  • the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; 

  • the Malicious Communications Act 1988; 

  • the Online Safety Act 2023; 

  • consumer protection legislation; 

  • copyright and intellectual property laws; 

  • laws relating to defamation, discrimination, and unlawful communications. 

European Union

Where applicable to EU-based users or processing activities:

  • the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR); 

  • the Digital Services Act; 

  • consumer protection and e-commerce legislation. 

International Standards

Where applicable:

  • the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; 

  • applicable child protection and online safety laws in the jurisdiction of the student; 

  • international copyright and intellectual property obligations. 

Tutors must immediately report any suspected unlawful conduct to the Company.

4. Safeguarding and Child Protection

4.1 General Duty

Tutors have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.

Tutors must:

  • maintain a safe, respectful, and appropriate online learning environment; 

  • remain alert to indicators of abuse, neglect, exploitation, radicalisation, grooming, self-harm, or significant emotional distress; 

  • follow all safeguarding procedures issued by the Company; 

  • report safeguarding concerns immediately to the designated safeguarding lead or other authorised person; 

  • cooperate with safeguarding investigations where required. 

Tutors must never assume that another person has already reported a concern.

4.2 Prohibited Conduct

Tutors must not:

  • engage in any form of abuse, exploitation, grooming, harassment, or inappropriate behaviour; 

  • develop inappropriate emotional, romantic, or sexual relationships with students; 

  • request or share inappropriate personal information; 

  • communicate with students through unauthorised private channels; 

  • encourage secrecy between tutor and student; 

  • use discriminatory, degrading, threatening, or intimidating language; 

  • expose students to inappropriate, extremist, violent, sexually explicit, or unlawful material. 

Any breach may result in immediate suspension, termination, and referral to relevant authorities.

4.3 Online Session Standards

Where reasonably practicable:

  • sessions should take place using approved Company platforms; 

  • sessions should be capable of monitoring, recording, or audit by the Company; 

  • Tutors should use professional usernames and profile images; 

  • Tutors should conduct sessions in appropriate environments; 

  • Tutors should dress appropriately and maintain professional presentation; 

  • students should not be asked to activate cameras where doing so may compromise privacy or safety. 

Tutors must not record sessions unless expressly authorised by the Company and compliant with applicable data protection laws.

5. Professional Boundaries

Tutors must maintain clear professional boundaries at all times.

Tutors must not:

  • socialise privately with students; 

  • exchange personal gifts of material value; 

  • contact students for personal, political, ideological, or commercial purposes unrelated to authorised educational services; 

  • share personal contact details unless expressly authorised; 

  • communicate with minors through personal social media accounts or encrypted messaging services not approved by the Company. 

Where communication with parents or guardians is appropriate, Tutors should ensure such communication remains professional, relevant, and proportionate.

6. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

The Company is committed to equality of opportunity and respectful treatment for all persons.

Tutors must not discriminate unlawfully on the basis of:

  • age; 

  • disability; 

  • gender reassignment; 

  • marriage or civil partnership; 

  • pregnancy or maternity; 

  • race; 

  • religion or belief; 

  • sex; 

  • sexual orientation; or 

  • any other protected characteristic recognised by applicable law. 

Tutors must foster respectful educational environments and take reasonable steps to accommodate accessibility and learning needs where appropriate.

7. Educational Standards

Tutors must:

  • provide teaching and educational content honestly and competently; 

  • prepare appropriately for lessons and courses; 

  • deliver instruction suitable to the student’s age and ability; 

  • avoid knowingly providing false, misleading, or plagiarised material; 

  • encourage academic integrity; 

  • avoid completing assessed work dishonestly on behalf of students; 

  • provide constructive and respectful feedback. 

Tutors must not guarantee specific grades, examination outcomes, admissions decisions, or academic success.

8. Use of Technology and Artificial Intelligence

Tutors using digital tools, including artificial intelligence systems, must do so responsibly and lawfully.

Tutors must:

  • verify the accuracy of AI-generated educational content before use; 

  • ensure that use of AI does not compromise safeguarding, confidentiality, or academic integrity; 

  • avoid uploading personal data into unauthorised systems; 

  • comply with copyright and licensing requirements. 

Tutors must not use AI or automated systems to impersonate students, fabricate academic work dishonestly, or generate unlawful or harmful content.

9. Data Protection and Confidentiality

Tutors must comply with all applicable data protection and privacy laws.

Tutors must:

  • process personal data only where authorised and necessary; 

  • keep personal data secure and confidential; 

  • use Company-approved systems for storing and transmitting information; 

  • report data breaches or suspected breaches immediately; 

  • respect the privacy rights of students, parents, guardians, and colleagues. 

Tutors must not:

  • share confidential information without lawful authority; 

  • retain personal data longer than necessary; 

  • use student information for personal or commercial purposes unrelated to Company services. 

Confidentiality obligations continue after engagement with the Company ends.

10. Intellectual Property and Content Standards

10.1 Intellectual Property

Tutors must respect intellectual property rights.

Tutors must not:

  • upload, distribute, or reproduce copyrighted material without permission or lawful basis; 

  • plagiarise educational content; 

  • infringe trademarks, database rights, or licensing restrictions. 

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, educational materials created for the Company in the course of engagement may belong to the Company to the fullest extent permitted by law.

10.2 Blog and Public Content

Where Tutors contribute to blogs, videos, podcasts, social media, or public educational content, they must ensure that content:

  • is accurate and responsibly sourced; 

  • is age-appropriate; 

  • does not contain unlawful, defamatory, discriminatory, hateful, extremist, or misleading material; 

  • complies with advertising and consumer protection standards; 

  • clearly distinguishes fact from opinion where appropriate. 

Tutors must not present personal political, ideological, or religious views as endorsed by the Company.

11. Communications and Online Conduct

Tutors must communicate professionally, respectfully, and appropriately at all times.

This applies to:

  • live lessons; 

  • messaging; 

  • emails; 

  • forums; 

  • social media; 

  • blogs; 

  • video and audio content; 

  • comments and community discussions. 

Tutors must not engage in:

  • bullying; 

  • harassment; 

  • trolling; 

  • abusive conduct; 

  • unlawful discrimination; 

  • intimidation; 

  • doxxing; 

  • sharing misinformation knowingly; 

  • inappropriate public disputes involving students or parents. 

Public statements capable of damaging the Company’s reputation may constitute misconduct.

12. Health, Safety, and Wellbeing

Tutors must take reasonable steps to promote safe learning environments online.

Tutors should:

  • avoid conduct likely to cause psychological harm; 

  • encourage healthy and respectful learning practices; 

  • respond appropriately to student distress; 

  • escalate serious welfare concerns through safeguarding procedures. 

Tutors must not provide medical, psychiatric, legal, or other regulated professional advice unless properly qualified and authorised.

13. Complaints, Concerns, and Whistleblowing

Tutors must cooperate fully with legitimate complaints investigations.

Tutors must:

  • report suspected misconduct; 

  • raise safeguarding concerns promptly; 

  • disclose conflicts of interest; 

  • act honestly during investigations. 

The Company shall not retaliate unlawfully against individuals who raise genuine concerns in good faith.

14. Conflicts of Interest

Tutors must avoid situations where personal interests conflict, or may reasonably appear to conflict, with the interests of the Company or its students.

Tutors must disclose:

  • personal relationships that may create conflicts; 

  • outside commercial arrangements affecting Company services; 

  • financial interests relevant to their role. 

Tutors must not solicit Company students for competing services without express written permission.

15. Background Checks and Suitability

Where required by law or Company policy, Tutors may be required to:

  • complete identity verification procedures; 

  • provide references; 

  • undergo Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks or equivalent vetting; 

  • complete safeguarding training. 

Failure to satisfy safeguarding or suitability requirements may result in suspension or termination of engagement.

16. Breach of this Code

Breaches of this Code may result in:

  • additional training; 

  • warnings; 

  • suspension; 

  • termination of engagement; 

  • removal of platform access; 

  • referral to regulators, safeguarding authorities, law enforcement, or professional bodies; 

  • legal action where appropriate. 

Serious safeguarding, unlawful, or unethical conduct may result in immediate termination.

17. Monitoring and Enforcement

The Company reserves the right, subject to applicable law, to:

  • monitor use of Company systems and platforms; 

  • review communications conducted through Company systems; 

  • audit educational content and sessions; 

  • investigate suspected breaches of this Code. 

Monitoring shall be proportionate and conducted in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection laws.

18. Amendments

The Company may amend this Code from time to time in order to reflect changes in law, regulation, safeguarding guidance, operational practice, or educational standards.

Tutors will be notified of material changes where appropriate.

19. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Code and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

Subject to any mandatory rights under applicable consumer or data protection law, the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over disputes arising in connection with this Code.

20. Acknowledgement

All Tutors must confirm that they:

  • have read and understood this Code; 

  • agree to comply with its provisions; 

  • understand that breaches may result in disciplinary or legal action.