TV-PS THE VIRTUAL PIANO STUDIO

In order to ensure that all children stay safe online, please follow this safeguarding procedure, which is best practice for everyone.

1. Access to the online lesson platform is only via an invitation from the tutor and/or through your parent/carer account.
    

2. Your child/young person must take part in the online lesson in a suitable communal room (not a bedroom) and be appropriately dressed (they should be fully dressed in clothing that covers the top and bottom half of the body and never in nightwear). All members of the household must be aware that the lesson is taking place and should make sure they use appropriate language and behaviour when nearby or in the background.
    

3. For younger children (primary age) I ask that you ‘drop off’ your child at the online lesson like you would if you were taking them to a physical lesson outside of the home. This lets me know that an appropriate adult is nearby if needed and gives me a chance to talk with you at the end of the lesson, to recap on any of the practice required for the next lesson.
    

4. An appropriate adult, such as a parent or carer will remain in the room with primary age pupils during online lessons to help, or join in, if required. For older children and young people (secondary age) please make sure there’s an appropriate adult nearby, in the home, so that they can ask for help with anything if they need it. Please ask secondary aged pupils to keep the door open of any room they are using whilst participating in an online lesson so that they can easily call you if needed, or if the tutor needs to talk to you.
    

5. You will be responsible for making sure your child has ‘logged off’ from the online lesson correctly and has signed out before turning off any devices.
    

6. You and your child will not try to contact your tutor using online tools or any other social media methods outside of the pre-arranged calls/lesson times. Any contact with the tutor outside of the lesson time will always be from the parent/carer only, using the tutor’s email or telephone.
    

7. If your child is of an age where they are using social media, you will make them aware that they should never send any friend requests or try to contact the tutor in any way outside of pre-arranged lessons. A tutor is never able to accept ‘friend requests’ from a tutee on any social media platform. It is a professional tutor and student relationship only. 

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• Your Tutor will not contact you, the parent/carer, outside of any pre-arranged online lesson times using online lesson tools (Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp). If a tutor needs to contact you, they will do this through the usual procedures of email or telephone. From time to time messages may need to be relayed ahead of a lesson. A mobile phone text message may be used within business hours Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm.

 

• Your Tutor will never contact a child or young person or communicate with them outside of an agreed online lesson session. Any communication from the tutor, will always be via the parent/carer through their email account or via their telephone contact number.

 

• Your Tutor will watch through and check any links or videos, to which they may direct your child. They will make sure everything they use is age appropriate. Links to practice videos will be shared via The Virtual Piano Studio YouTube channel only. These videos will show only a keyboard using an overhead camera and the hands of your Tutor playing the piano. Links will be forwarded to the parent/carer’s email account via the weekly Lesson Notes PDF.

 

• Your Tutor will use appropriate language/behaviour throughout any online lesson and maintain expected teachers’ standards.

 

• Your Tutor will ensure they are using an appropriate office space or communal living space (never a bedroom) throughout any online lesson and will advise any household members that a live online lesson is going on.

 

• Your Tutor will never accept a friend request from a tutee on any social media platform or make any direct contact with a tutee outside of agreed lesson time. Any friend requests from a tutee will be notified to the parent/carer.
   

• Your Tutor will remain professional, friendly and helpful, at all times.

 

• Your Tutor will familiarise themselves with the ‘Online Tuition: Safeguarding Procedures for Parents/Carers.’

 

With the necessary safeguarding practices in place, we wish you a safe, enjoyable, musical journey with The Virtual Piano Studio.