Proprietor: Rupert Horne

Last updated: August 2026

1. Policy Statement

Guitar Clubs is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of every child who receives tuition through our service. The welfare, safety and best interests of children are central to the way we operate.

This policy applies to Rupert Horne trading as Guitar Clubs and to tutors and other persons providing tuition or working with children on behalf of Guitar Clubs.

2. Purpose of This Policy

The purpose of this policy is to:

  • Protect children receiving tuition.
  • Provide clear safeguarding expectations for tutors.
  • Establish how concerns should be handled.
  • Ensure appropriate cooperation with participating schools.
  • Promote safe professional relationships.
  • Demonstrate Guitar Clubs’ commitment to safeguarding.

3. Safeguarding Principles

  • The welfare of the child is paramount.
  • Every child has an equal right to protection from harm.
  • Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
  • Concerns must be taken seriously and reported promptly rather than independently investigated by tutors.
  • Children should be listened to and treated with respect.
  • Information should be shared appropriately where necessary to safeguard a child.
  • Tutors must maintain clear professional boundaries.

4. Relevant Guidance

Guitar Clubs will have regard, where applicable, to the Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children, Keeping Children Safe in Education, relevant safer-working guidance and the safeguarding policies of each school in which Guitar Clubs operates.

School-specific requirements must be followed while working at that school.

5. Responsibility for Safeguarding

Overall responsibility for safeguarding within Guitar Clubs rests with Rupert Horne, Proprietor.

Every tutor also has a duty to act appropriately if they see, hear, receive or otherwise become aware of information that raises a concern about a child’s welfare.

6. School Designated Safeguarding Lead

Because tuition normally takes place within schools, the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) will ordinarily be the primary safeguarding contact for concerns arising during school-based tuition.

Tutors should know who the DSL or deputy is, how to contact them and how to report concerns. Concerns should be reported without unnecessary delay.

7. Recognising Safeguarding Concerns

Tutors are not expected to diagnose or investigate abuse, but should remain alert to signs or information indicating risk.

Concerns may include:

  • Physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
  • Neglect.
  • Child-on-child abuse.
  • Bullying or online abuse.
  • Exploitation or grooming.
  • Domestic abuse affecting a child.
  • Inappropriate adult behaviour.
  • Self-harm or significant welfare concerns.
  • Radicalisation.
  • Discriminatory abuse.
  • Any other risk of harm.

8. If a Child Makes a Disclosure

If a child makes a disclosure, the tutor should:

  • Remain calm and listen carefully.
  • Take the child seriously.
  • Let them speak in their own words.
  • Avoid shock, disbelief, leading questions or unnecessary questioning.
  • Reassure them that they did the right thing by speaking.
  • Not promise confidentiality.
  • Explain that information may need to be shared to keep them safe.
  • Make an accurate record as soon as practicable.
  • Report the disclosure promptly under the school procedure.

Do not investigate the allegation yourself.

9. Recording a Concern

A factual record should be made as soon as reasonably possible and include, where relevant:

  • The pupil’s name.
  • The date, time and location.
  • What was observed or disclosed.
  • The child’s own words where possible.
  • Any action taken.
  • Who the concern was reported to and when.

Records should distinguish fact, observation and opinion and be handled confidentially and securely.

10. Immediate Danger

If a tutor reasonably believes that a child is in immediate danger or at immediate risk of serious harm, appropriate action must be taken without delay.

This may include immediately contacting the school DSL or senior leadership, children’s social care, the police or emergency services, or another appropriate safeguarding authority.

11. Concerns About a Tutor or Other Adult

Any allegation or safeguarding concern involving a Guitar Clubs tutor, Rupert Horne, school staff or another adult working with children must be treated seriously.

The school procedure for allegations against adults must be followed, and appropriate referrals may be required. A tutor must not investigate an allegation against themselves or another adult.

12. Safer Recruitment and Tutors

Guitar Clubs takes reasonable steps to ensure tutors are suitable, which may include:

  • Identity checks.
  • References.
  • Consideration of qualifications and experience.
  • Right-to-work checks where applicable.
  • Clear safeguarding expectations.
  • Enhanced DBS checks, including relevant barred-list checks where required.

Tutors must promptly disclose any matter that could reasonably affect their suitability to work with children.

13. Safeguarding Training

Tutors are expected to maintain an appropriate understanding of safeguarding and child protection, familiarise themselves with each school’s procedures, and complete or refresh safeguarding training when reasonably required by Guitar Clubs or a participating school.

14. Professional Boundaries

Tutors must maintain appropriate professional boundaries. They must not:

  • Form inappropriate personal relationships.
  • Use sexualised, humiliating, degrading or intimidating language.
  • Communicate privately with pupils through personal social media.
  • Exchange inappropriate personal messages.
  • Give inappropriate gifts.
  • Encourage secrecy.
  • Behave in a way that could reasonably be interpreted as grooming or abuse of trust.

15. Physical Contact

Any physical contact used to demonstrate posture, hand position or another aspect of guitar playing must be necessary, minimal, relevant, appropriately explained, sensitive to the pupil’s comfort and consistent with school policy.

Where an effective demonstration can reasonably be given without contact, that should normally be preferred.

16. One-to-One Tuition

Individual tuition must be conducted in accordance with school safeguarding arrangements.

Where reasonably practicable, lessons should take place in an appropriate visible teaching space, school staff should know where tuition is occurring, and unnecessary isolation with a child should be avoided.

17. Communication, Phones and Social Media

Tutors should not normally communicate privately with primary-school-aged pupils by personal text, WhatsApp, private social media or other inappropriate personal channels.

Necessary communications should normally be with the parent, guardian or school. Tutors must not take photographs or recordings on personal devices unless specifically authorised with appropriate permissions.

18. Photography and Video

Photographs, audio or video recordings of pupils must not be taken or used for Guitar Clubs publicity without appropriate permission.

Any recording within a school must comply with the school’s policies and must never compromise a pupil’s dignity, privacy or safety.

19. Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Information relating to children should normally be treated confidentially, but confidentiality must never prevent appropriate safeguarding action.

Information may be shared with appropriate people where necessary to protect a child and should not be discussed casually with those who do not need to know.

20. Behaviour and Discipline

Tutors should promote positive behaviour using calm, respectful and age-appropriate methods.

Corporal punishment, threatening behaviour, humiliating or degrading treatment, inappropriate physical restraint and discriminatory or abusive language are prohibited. Behavioural concerns should be managed in accordance with school policy.

21. Equality and Respect

Every child should be treated with dignity and respect. Guitar Clubs does not tolerate bullying, harassment, discrimination or abusive behaviour.

Tutors should promote an inclusive teaching environment and be sensitive to differing backgrounds, abilities, needs and circumstances.

22. Online Safety

Tutors should remain alert to online safeguarding concerns that become apparent during their work, including bullying, grooming, inappropriate contact, sexual content, exploitation and harmful content, and follow the normal safeguarding reporting procedure.

23. Working With Schools

Tutors must cooperate with reasonable safeguarding requirements imposed by each school.

Where uncertain about how to respond to a safeguarding matter, the tutor should seek guidance from the school DSL without unnecessary delay.

24. Breaches of This Policy

A breach may result in guidance or training, removal from a school, suspension from teaching, termination of engagement and/or referral to appropriate safeguarding or statutory authorities.

The safety and welfare of children will take priority.

25. Review of This Policy

This policy will be reviewed periodically and whenever safeguarding guidance materially changes, working arrangements change, an incident identifies a need for review, or legislation or school requirements make an update appropriate.