Policies

  • This page sets out the details of Home Tuition Scotland’s privacy statement in relation to information collected about you.

    Who we are

    Home Tuition Scotland Ltd. 42 Gilberstoun Loan, Edinburgh, EH15 2RQ

    We are a limited company, registered in Scotland, and our registration number is SC572154.

    We are registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998, and our Data Protection Register number is: ZA824268.

    Any electronic communications will be made in accordance with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR)

    What information do we collect about you?

    We collect the personal data that you may volunteer as part of online enquiries, online bookings, tutor application forms, online sign-ups and client-surveys.

    Personal information we collect may include:

    your name, title, gender and date of birth;

    your postal address, email address and phone number;

    your financial details, such as bank account details.

    name, title, gender and age of your dependant children;

    name, title, course of study, age of students at your educational institution;

    current interests and activities;

    We will also collect and hold information about any contact you have with us as a client or tutor/support worker with Home Tuition Scotland, and may consist of details of:

    record of attendance;

    record of tuition;

    contact preferences;

    financial details, including bank account details;

    details of correspondence sent to you, or received from you;

    employment information and professional activities;

    PVG membership information;

    any other information provided by yourself at the request of Home Tuition Scotland.

    When we ask you to provide your personal information we will let you know why we are asking, and how we will use your data, by directing you towards this notice.

    What we do with your information

    Depending on your relationship with Home Tuition Scotland, and the preferences you have indicated, data we hold may be used by us for the following purposes:

    Send you potential employment or marketing information by post, telephone or electronic means. These types of communications can include:

    Informing you of services provided by Home Tuition Scotland Ltd., such as FE/HE student services.

    News and updates about Home Tuition Scotland Ltd., and marketing e-newsletters.

    Information about your tuition with Home Tuition Scotland Ltd..

    Other relevant communications based upon your relationship with Home Tuition Scotland Ltd.

    To send you surveys, and for market research purposes.

    Tools may be used to monitor the effectiveness of our communications with you, including email tracking, which records when an e-newsletter from us is opened and/or how many links are clicked within the message. The data from this tracking is generally used in an aggregated and anonymised form.

    You can opt out of any/all of our communications at any point simply by contacting info@hometuitionscotland.co.uk

    There are some business communications that we are required to send regardless of your contact preferences. These are essential communications, deemed necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations to you. This would include issuing invoices, remittance advice, contract proposals and querying returned mail or bounced payments with you.

    How we update your information

    We continuously review records of clients and tutors to ensure your data is as accurate as possible. We may consult alternative sources in order undertake these checks, such as:

    GTCS website

    Scottish Government website

    SCIS Directory of Independent Schools

    Reviewing employment information that you have made publicly available via social media;

    Newspaper articles, publications and company websites;

    Companies House and other company information databases;

    Seeking references from previous employers;

    Any other publicly available sources.

    Who we might share your information with

    We may disclose personal data to approved third parties or external organisations, and data processors.

    Examples of third parties would be sub-contracting qualified tutors, GTCS-registered schoolteachers, educational agencies, educational institutions such as schools, FE Colleges and Universities, or data processors carrying out work on our behalf.

    Any such parties and organisations are acting as approved data processors for Home Tuition Scotland Ltd. and will act only on our instructions.

    We may occasionally need to transfer your personal information overseas, for instance to our bulk email distributor, MailChimp. Where this is necessary, this may be to countries or territories around the world.

    We are required to ensure any transfers of data will be done securely, in accordance with best practice, and in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

    Your data will never be sold or passed to any third party for any other purpose.

    How we store your personal information

    Your information is securely stored in our online files, no hard copies of your data are held. For tutors/support workers: we keep your name, contact details, recruitment documents and all email communications for two academic years after you have ceased working for HTS. We will then hold limited information for a further four years (name, dates of employment, contact details and any pertinent information), for internal recruitment procedures and reference purposes. Further to this, we have a requirement to keep finance records in line with HMRC requirements. These records are in the form of timesheets and invoices which contain your name and financial information. After the required time frame has ended, all relevant files will be permanently deleted.

    How we keep your information secure

    We have implemented security procedures, rules and technical measures to protect the personal data that we have under our control from:

    unauthorised access;

    improper use or disclosure;

    unauthorised modification.

    All our employees and data processors, who have access to, and are associated with the processing of personal data, are legally obliged to respect the confidentiality of our clients’ and tutors’ personal data.

    How can I access the information about me, and correction of information?

    You can ask us if we are keeping any personal data about you and you can also request to receive a copy of that personal data – this is called a Subject Access Request.

    To make a Subject Access Request you will need to provide adequate proof of identity such as a copy of your passport, birth certificate or driving licence before your request can be processed. There may also be a fee of up to £10 depending on the volume of work required.

    Please try to be as clear as possible about the information you are seeking.

    Once we have received your Subject Access Request, the agreed fee and proof of identity, you will receive a response from us within 40 days and you will be able to get copies of any information we hold on you. However, exemptions to disclosure may apply in some circumstances.

    Subject Access Requests should be sent to:

    Data Protection Officer

    Caroline Leburn

    c/o Home Tuition Scotland Ltd. 42 Gilberstoun Loan, Edinburgh, EH15 2RQ

    Email: info@hometuitionscotland.co.uk

    At any time you may request that we delete or correct your personal information. If you wish to correct any information on you held by Home Tuition Scotland Ltd., simply contact info@hometuitionscotland.co.uk

    Cookies

    In order to make the Home Tuition Scotland Ltd. website easier to use and improve our service, we sometimes place small amounts of information on your computer. These are known as cookies and they are used by most major websites. You can find out more about Home Tuition Scotland Ltd.’s use of cookies below.

    Other websites

    Pages on the Home Tuition Scotland Ltd. website include links to other relevant content – this privacy statement only applies to HTS Ltd. websites.

    Changes to our privacy notice

    We regularly review our privacy statement, and may make changes time to time. Any changes made will be posted to this page, and will apply from the time we post them. This privacy statement was last changed on 26 February 2024

    How to contact us

    If you have any comments on our privacy notice, or information we hold about you please contact us:

    by email to info@hometuitionscotland.co.uk ;

    or write to us at Home Tuition Scotland Ltd., 42 Gilberstoun Loan, Edinburgh, EH15 2RQ.

  • The Terms and Conditions were last updated on February 26, 2024

    1. Introduction

    These Terms and conditions apply to this website and to the transactions related to our products and services. You may be bound by additional contracts related to your relationship with us or any products or services that you receive from us. If any provisions of the additional contracts conflict with any provisions of these Terms, the provisions of these additional contracts will control and prevail.

    2. Binding

    By registering with, accessing, or otherwise using this website, you hereby agree to be bound by these Terms and conditions set forth below. The mere use of this website implies the knowledge and acceptance of these Terms and conditions. In some particular cases, we can also ask you to explicitly agree.

    3. Electronic communication

    By using this website or communicating with us by electronic means, you agree and acknowledge that we may communicate with you electronically on our website or by sending an email to you, and you agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that we provide to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement, including but not limited to the requirement that such communications should be in writing.

    4. Intellectual property

    We or our licensors own and control all of the copyright and other intellectual property rights in the website and the data, information, and other resources displayed by or accessible within the website.

    4.1 All the rights are reserved

    Unless specific content dictates otherwise, you are not granted a license or any other right under Copyright, Trademark, Patent, or other Intellectual Property Rights. This means that you will not use, copy, reproduce, perform, display, distribute, embed into any electronic medium, alter, reverse engineer, decompile, transfer, download, transmit, monetize, sell, market, or commercialize any resources on this website in any form, without our prior written permission, except and only insofar as otherwise stipulated in regulations of mandatory law (such as the right to quote).

    5. Third-party property

    Our website may include hyperlinks or other references to other party’s websites. We do not monitor or review the content of other party’s websites which are linked to from this website. Products or services offered by other websites shall be subject to the applicable Terms and Conditions of those third parties. Opinions expressed or material appearing on those websites are not necessarily shared or endorsed by us.

    We will not be responsible for any privacy practices or content of these sites. You bear all risks associated with the use of these websites and any related third-party services. We will not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage in whatever manner, however caused, resulting from your disclosure to third parties of personal information.

    6. Responsible use

    By visiting our website, you agree to use it only for the purposes intended and as permitted by these Terms, any additional contracts with us, and applicable laws, regulations, and generally accepted online practices and industry guidelines. You must not use our website or services to use, publish or distribute any material which consists of (or is linked to) malicious computer software; use data collected from our website for any direct marketing activity, or conduct any systematic or automated data collection activities on or in relation to our website.

    Engaging in any activity that causes, or may cause, damage to the website or that interferes with the performance, availability, or accessibility of the website is strictly prohibited.

    7. Idea submission

    Do not submit any ideas, inventions, works of authorship, or other information that can be considered your own intellectual property that you would like to present to us unless we have first signed an agreement regarding the intellectual property or a non-disclosure agreement. If you disclose it to us absent such written agreement, you grant to us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, store, adapt, publish, translate and distribute your content in any existing or future media.

    8. Termination of use

    We may, in our sole discretion, at any time modify or discontinue access to, temporarily or permanently, the website or any Service thereon. You agree that we will not be liable to you or any third party for any such modification, suspension or discontinuance of your access to, or use of, the website or any content that you may have shared on the website. You will not be entitled to any compensation or other payment, even if certain features, settings, and/or any Content you have contributed or have come to rely on, are permanently lost. You must not circumvent or bypass, or attempt to circumvent or bypass, any access restriction measures on our website.

    9. Warranties and liability

    Nothing in this section will limit or exclude any warranty implied by law that it would be unlawful to limit or to exclude. This website and all content on the website are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and may include inaccuracies or typographical errors. We expressly disclaim all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, as to the availability, accuracy, or completeness of the Content. We make no warranty that:

    this website or our content will meet your requirements;

    this website will be available on an uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free basis.

    Nothing on this website constitutes or is meant to constitute, legal, financial or medical advice of any kind. If you require advice you should consult an appropriate professional.

    The following provisions of this section will apply to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and will not limit or exclude our liability in respect of any matter which it would be unlawful or illegal for us to limit or to exclude our liability. In no event will we be liable for any direct or indirect damages (including any damages for loss of profits or revenue, loss or corruption of data, software or database, or loss of or harm to property or data) incurred by you or any third party, arising from your access to, or use of, our website.

    Except to the extent any additional contract expressly states otherwise, our maximum liability to you for all damages arising out of or related to the website or any products and services marketed or sold through the website, regardless of the form of legal action that imposes liability (whether in contract, equity, negligence, intended conduct, tort or otherwise) will be limited to £5. Such limit will apply in the aggregate to all of your claims, actions and causes of action of every kind and nature.

    10. Privacy

    To access our website and/or services, you may be required to provide certain information about yourself as part of the registration process. You agree that any information you provide will always be accurate, correct, and up to date.

    We have developed a policy to address any privacy concerns you may have. For more information, please see our Privacy Statement and our Cookie Policy.

    11. Accessibility

    We are committed to making the content we provide accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability and are unable to access any portion of our website due to your disability, we ask you to give us a notice including a detailed description of the issue you encountered. If the issue is readily identifiable and resolvable in accordance with industry-standard information technology tools and techniques we will promptly resolve it.

    12. Export restrictions / Legal compliance

    Access to the website from territories or countries where the Content or purchase of the products or Services sold on the website is illegal is prohibited. You may not use this website in violation of export laws and regulations of United Kingdom.

    13. Assignment

    You may not assign, transfer or sub-contract any of your rights and/or obligations under these Terms and conditions, in whole or in part, to any third party without our prior written consent. Any purported assignment in violation of this Section will be null and void.

    14. Breaches of these Terms and conditions

    Without prejudice to our other rights under these Terms and Conditions, if you breach these Terms and Conditions in any way, we may take such action as we deem appropriate to deal with the breach, including temporarily or permanently suspending your access to the website, contacting your internet service provider to request that they block your access to the website, and/or commence legal action against you.

    15. Force majeure

    Except for obligations to pay money hereunder, no delay, failure or omission by either party to carry out or observe any of its obligations hereunder will be deemed to be a breach of these Terms and conditions if and for as long as such delay, failure or omission arises from any cause beyond the reasonable control of that party.

    16. Indemnification

    You agree to indemnify, defend and hold us harmless, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses and expenses, relating to your violation of these Terms and conditions, and applicable laws, including intellectual property rights and privacy rights. You will promptly reimburse us for our damages, losses, costs and expenses relating to or arising out of such claims.

    17. Waiver

    Failure to enforce any of the provisions set out in these Terms and Conditions and any Agreement, or failure to exercise any option to terminate, shall not be construed as waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the validity of these Terms and Conditions or of any Agreement or any part thereof, or the right thereafter to enforce each and every provision.

    18. Language

    These Terms and Conditions will be interpreted and construed exclusively in English. All notices and correspondence will be written exclusively in that language.

    19. Entire agreement

    These Terms and Conditions, together with our privacy statement and cookie policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Home Tuition Scotland Ltd. in relation to your use of this website.

    20. Updating of these Terms and conditions

    We may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. It is your obligation to periodically check these Terms and Conditions for changes or updates. The date provided at the beginning of these Terms and Conditions is the latest revision date. Changes to these Terms and Conditions will become effective upon such changes being posted to this website. Your continued use of this website following the posting of changes or updates will be considered notice of your acceptance to abide by and be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

    21. Choice of Law and Jurisdiction

    These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by the laws of United Kingdom. Any disputes relating to these Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of United Kingdom. If any part or provision of these Terms and Conditions is found by a court or other authority to be invalid and/or unenforceable under applicable law, such part or provision will be modified, deleted and/or enforced to the maximum extent permissible so as to give effect to the intent of these Terms and Conditions. The other provisions will not be affected.

    22. Contact information

    This website is owned and operated by Home Tuition Scotland Ltd.

    You may contact us regarding these Terms and Conditions through our contact page.

    23. Download

    You can also download our Terms and Conditions as a PDF.

  • The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Home Tuition Scotland Ltd. and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

    In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.

    Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of [business name]. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

    Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, Home Tuition Scotland Ltd. takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.

    UK copyright statement

    This website and its content is copyright of Home Tuition Scotland Ltd.- © Home Tuition Scotland Ltd., 2023. All rights reserved.

    Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:

    you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only

    you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material

    You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

  • Last updated 26 February 2024

    Home Tuition Scotland Ltd. (“we” or “us” or “our”) may use cookies, web beacons, tracking pixels, and other tracking technologies when you visit our website hometuitionscotland.co.uk including any other media form, media channel, mobile website, or mobile application related or connected thereto (collectively, the “Site”) to help customize the Site and improve your experience.

    We reserve the right to make changes to this Cookie Policy at any time and for any reason. We will alert you about any changes by updating the “Last Updated” date of this Cookie Policy. Any changes or modifications will be effective immediately upon posting the updated Cookie Policy on the Site, and you waive the right to receive specific notice of each such change or modification.

    You are encouraged to periodically review this Cookie Policy to stay informed of updates. You will be deemed to have been made aware of, will be subject to, and will be deemed to have accepted the changes in any revised Cookie Policy by your continued use of the Site after the date such revised Cookie Policy is posted.

    USE OF COOKIES

    A “cookie” is a string of information which assigns you a unique identifier that we store on your computer. Your browser then provides that unique identifier to use each time you submit a query to the Site. We use cookies on the Site to, among other things, keep track of services you have used, record registration information, record your user preferences, keep you logged into the Site, facilitate purchase procedures, and track the pages you visit. Cookies help us understand how the Site is being used and improve your user experience.

    TYPES OF COOKIES

    The following types of cookies may be used when you visit the Site:

    Advertising Cookies

    Advertising cookies are placed on your computer by advertisers and ad servers in order to display advertisements that are most likely to be of interest to you. These cookies allow advertisers and ad servers to gather information about your visits to the Site and other websites, alternate the ads sent to a specific computer, and track how often an ad has been viewed and by whom. These cookies are linked to a computer and do not gather any personal information about you.

    Analytics Cookies

    Analytics cookies monitor how users reached the Site, and how they interact with and move around once on the Site. These cookies let us know what features on the Site are working the best and what features on the Site can be improved.

    Our Cookies

    Our cookies are “first-party cookies”, and can be either permanent or temporary. These are necessary cookies, without which the Site won’t work properly or be able to provide certain features and functionalities. Some of these may be manually disabled in your browser, but may affect the functionality of the Site.

    Personalization Cookies

    Personalization cookies are used to recognize repeat visitors to the Site. We use these cookies to record your browsing history, the pages you have visited, and your settings and preferences each time you visit the Site.

    Security Cookies

    Security cookies help identify and prevent security risks. We use these cookies to authenticate users and protect user data from unauthorized parties.

    Site Management Cookies

    Site management cookies are used to maintain your identity or session on the Site so that you are not logged off unexpectedly, and any information you enter is retained from page to page. These cookies cannot be turned off individually, but you can disable all cookies in your browser.

    Third-Party Cookies

    Third-party cookies may be place on your computer when you visit the Site by companies that run certain services we offer. These cookies allow the third parties to gather and track certain information about you. These cookies can be manually disabled in your browser.

    CONTROL OF COOKIES

    Most browsers are set to accept cookies by default. However, you can remove or reject cookies in your browser’s settings. Please be aware that such action could affect the availability and functionality of the Site.

    For more information on how to control cookies, check your browser or device’s settings for how you can control or reject cookies.

    In addition, you may opt-out of some third-party cookies through the Network Advertising Initiative’s Opt-Out Tool.

    OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

    In addition to cookies, we may use web beacons, pixel tags, and other tracking technologies on the Site to help customize the Site and improve your experience. A “web beacon” or “pixel tag” is tiny object or image embedded in a web page or email. They are used to track the number of users who have visited particular pages and viewed emails, and acquire other statistical data. They collect only a limited set of data, such as a cookie number, time and date of page or email view, and a description of the page or email on which they reside. Web beacons and pixel tags cannot be declined. However, you can limit their use by controlling the cookies that interact with them.

    PRIVACY POLICY

    For more information about how we use information collected by cookies and other tracking technologies, please refer to our Privacy Policy above. This Cookie Policy is part of and is incorporated into our Privacy Policy. By using the Site, you agree to be bound by this Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy.

    CONTACT US

    If you have questions or comments about this Cookie Policy, please contact us at:

    Home Tuition Scotland Ltd.

    42 Gilberstoun Loan

    Edinburgh

    Tel: 01314630001

    Email: info@hometuitionscotland.co.uk

  • 1. HTS Ltd. is committed to sound environmental practice and to safeguarding the local environment in partnership with the whole community.

    2. By adopting these principles, we publicly affirm our belief that this charity has a direct responsibility for the environment. We will carry out our activities as responsible stewards of the environment and strive to deliver services in a manner that leaves the Earth healthy and safe.

    3. We recognise this to be a long-term commitment to updating our practices continually in light of advances in technology and new understandings in health and environmental science.

    4. The following ten principles of action will be applied to all of our services and activities:-

    5.1 Protection of our Environment

    5.1.1 We will minimise, and wherever possible, eliminate the release of any pollutant that may cause environmental damage to the air, water, earth or its inhabitants.

    5.2 Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

    5.2.1 We will sustain the use of renewable natural resources and will conserve non-renewable resources through efficient use and careful planning.

    5.3 Minimisation and Safe Disposal of Waste

    5.3.1 We will minimise the creation of waste, and wherever possible recycle materials and encourage others to do likewise. We will dispose of our waste in a safe and responsible way.

    5.4 Wise Use of Energy

    5.4.1 We will make every effort to use environmentally safe and sustainable energy sources. We will invest in and promote the benefits of improved energy efficiency in the interests of older people.

    5.5 Risk Reduction

    5.5.1 We will minimise the risk of environmental damage by employing safe technologies and operating procedures.

    5.6 Delivery and Purchase of Safe Services

    5.6.1 We will deliver services that minimise adverse environmental impacts. We will include environmental standards in all contracts and service level agreements. Within the terms of the law, we will make provision to ensure that contractors working on the company’s behalf apply environmental standards equivalent to the company’s own.

    5.7 Disclosure

    5.7.1 We will disclose to our employees and to the public, incidents relating to our operations that cause environmental harm.

    5.8 Environmental Responsibility

    5.8.1 We will commit the management and resources necessary to implement these principles.

    5.9 Staff Training

    5.9.1 We will ensure that all staff and members are aware of their environmental responsibilities in terms of these principles.

    5.10 Assessment and Annual Audit

    5.10.1 We will conduct and make public a periodic self-evaluation of our progress in implementing these principles and in complying with applicable laws and regulations.

  • Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms such as slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person's liberty by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain. We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and we are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships and to implement and enforce effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business or our supply chain.

    We are also committed to ensuring there is transparency in our own business and in our approach to tackling modern slavery throughout our supply chain. We expect the same high standards from all of our contractors, suppliers and other business partners. As part of our contracting processes, we include specific prohibitions against the use of forced, compulsory or trafficked labour, or anyone held in slavery or servitude and we expect that our suppliers will hold their own suppliers to the same high standards.

    This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf in any capacity, including employees at all levels, directors, officers, agency workers, seconded workers, volunteers, agents, contractors, external consultants, third-party representatives and business partners.

    This policy does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment and we may amend it at any time.

    RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE POLICY

    The Director has overall responsibility for ensuring this policy complies with our legal and ethical obligations, and that all those under our control comply with it

    The General Manager has primary and day-to-day responsibility for implementing this policy, monitoring its use and effectiveness, dealing with any queries about it, and auditing internal control systems and procedures to ensure they are effective in countering modern slavery.

    Management at all levels are responsible for ensuring those reporting to them understand and comply with this policy and are given any required training.

    COMPLIANCE WITH THE POLICY

    HTS staff must ensure that they read, understand and comply with this policy.

    The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery in any part of our business or supply chain is the responsibility of all those working for us or under our control. You are required to avoid any activity that might lead to, or suggest, a breach of this policy.

    You must notify your manager OR the Procurement Department as soon as possible if you believe or suspect that a conflict with this policy has occurred, or may occur in the future.

    You are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue of suspicion of modern slavery in any parts of our business or the supply chains of any supplier tier at the earliest possible stage.

    If you believe or suspect a breach of this policy has occurred or that it may occur you must notify your manager or report it in accordance with our Whistleblowing Policy as soon as possible.

    If you are unsure about whether a particular act, the treatment of workers more generally, or their working conditions within any tier of our supply chain constitutes any of the various forms of modern slavery, raise it with your manager or the Procurement Department.

    We aim to encourage openness and will support anyone who raises genuine concerns in good faith under this policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken. We are committed to ensuring no one suffers any detrimental treatment as a result of reporting in good faith their suspicion that modern slavery of whatever form is or may be taking place in any part of our own business or in any part of our supply chain. If you believe that you have suffered any such treatment, you should inform your manager immediately.

    COMMUNICATION AND AWARENESS OF POLICY

    Training on this policy, and on the risk our business faces from modern slavery in its supply chain will be given where needed.

    Our zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery must be communicated to all suppliers, contractors and business partners at the outset of our business relationship with them and reinforced as appropriate thereafter.

    BREACHES OF THIS POLICY

    Any employee who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for misconduct or gross misconduct.

    We may terminate our relationship with other individuals and organisations working on our behalf if they breach this policy.

  • Last Updated 26 February 2024

    POLICY STATEMENT

    1. Home Tuition Scotland recognises that discrimination and victimisation is unacceptable and that it is in the interests of the Company and its employees to utilise the skills of the total workforce. It is the aim of the Company to ensure that no employee or job applicant receives less favourable facilities or treatment (either directly or indirectly) in recruitment or employment on grounds of age, disability, gender / gender reassignment, marriage / civil partnership, pregnancy / maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation (the protected characteristics outlined in the Equality Act 2010).

    2. Our aim is that our workforce will be truly representative of all sections of society and each employee feels respected and able to give of their best.

    3. We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination or victimisation. To that end the purpose of this policy is to provide equality and fairness for all in our employment.

    4. All employees, whether part-time, full-time or temporary, will be treated fairly and with respect. Selection for employment, promotion, training or any other benefit will be on the basis of aptitude and ability. All employees will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential and the talents and resources of the workforce will be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.

    5. Our staff will not discriminate directly or indirectly, or harass customers or clients because of any protected characteristic outlined in the Equality Act 2010 in the provision of the Company’s goods and services.

    6. This policy and the associated arrangements shall operate in accordance with statutory requirements. In addition, full account will be taken of any guidance or Codes of Practice issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, any Government Departments, and any other statutory bodies.

    OUR COMMITMENT

    • To create an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of all our staff are recognised and valued

    • Every employee is entitled to a working environment that promotes dignity and respect to all. No form of intimidation, bullying or harassment will be tolerated

    • Training, development and progression opportunities are available to all staff

    • To promote equality in the workplace which we believe is good management practice and makes sound business sense

    • We will review all our employment practices and procedures to ensure fairness

    • Breaches of our equality policy will be regarded as misconduct and could lead to disciplinary proceedings

    • This policy is fully supported by senior management

    • The policy will be monitored and reviewed regularly

    RESPONSIBILITES OF MANAGEMENT

    7. Responsibility for ensuring the effective implementation and operation of the arrangements will rest with the Chief Executive / Business Owner. Directors / Managers will ensure that they and their staff operate within this policy and arrangements, and that all reasonable and practical steps are taken to avoid discrimination. Each manager will ensure that:

    • all their staff are aware of the policy and the arrangements, and the reasons for the policy;

    • grievances concerning discrimination are dealt with properly, fairly and as quickly as possible;

    • proper records are maintained.

    8. Head Office will be responsible for monitoring the operation of the policy in respect of employees and job applicants, including periodic departmental audits.

    RESPONSIBILITIES OF STAFF

    9. Responsibility for ensuring that there is no unlawful discrimination rests with all staff and the attitudes of staff are crucial to the successful operation of fair employment practices. In particular, all members of staff should:

    10.

    • comply with the policy and arrangements;

    • not discriminate in their day to day activities or induce others to do so;

    • not victimise, harass or intimidate other staff or groups who have, or are perceived to have one of the protected characteristics

    • ensure no individual is discriminated against or harassed because of their association with another individual who has a protected characteristic

    • inform their manager if they become aware of any discriminatory practice

    THIRD PARTIES

    11. Third-party harassment occurs where a Home Tuition Scotland employee is harassed, and the harassment is related to a protected characteristic, by third parties such as clients or customers. Home Tuition Scotland will not tolerate such actions against it’s staff, and the employee concerned should inform their manager / supervisor at once that this has occurred. The Company will fully investigate and take all reasonable steps to ensure such harassment does not happen again.

    RELATED POLICIES AND ARRANGEMENTS

    12. All employment policies and arrangements have a bearing on equality of opportunity. The Company policies will be reviewed regularly and any identified discriminatory elements removed.

    RIGHTS OF DISABLED PEOPLE

    13. The Company attaches particular importance to the needs of disabled people.

    14. Under the terms of this policy, managers are required to:

    • make reasonable adjustment to maintain the services of an employee who becomes disabled, for example, training, provision of special equipment, reduced working hours. (NB: managers are expected to seek advice and guidance from external agencies where appropriate to maintain disabled people in employment);

    • include disabled people in training/development programmes;

    • give full and proper consideration to disabled people who apply for jobs, having regard to making reasonable adjustments for their particular aptitudes and abilities to allow them to be able to do the job.

    EQUALITY TRAINING

    15. A series of regular briefing sessions will be held for staff on equality issues. These will be repeated as necessary. Equality information is also included in induction programmes.

    16. Training will be provided for managers on this policy and the associated arrangements. All managers who have an involvement in the recruitment and selection process will receive training.

    MONITORING

    17. The Company deems it appropriate to state its intention not to discriminate and assumes that this will be translated into practice consistently across the organisation as a whole. Accordingly, a monitoring system will be introduced to measure the effectiveness of the policy and arrangements.

    18. The system will involve the routine collection and analysis of information on employees by gender, marital status, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion / beliefs, grade and length of service in current grade. Information regarding the number of staff who declare themselves as disabled will also be maintained.

    19. There will also be regular assessments to measure the extent to which recruitment to first appointment, internal promotion and access to training/development opportunities affect equal opportunities for all groups.

    20. We will maintain information on staff who have been involved in certain key policies: Disciplinary, Grievance and Bullying & Harassment.

    21. Where appropriate equality impact assessments will be carried out on the results of monitoring to ascertain the effect of the Company policies and our services / products may have on those who experience them.

    22. The information collected for monitoring purposes will be treated as confidential and it will not be used for any other purpose.

    23. If monitoring shows that the Company, or areas within it, are not representative, or that sections of our workforce are not progressing properly within the Company, then an action plan will be developed to address these issues. This will include a review of recruitment and selection procedures, Company policies and practices as well as consideration of taking legal Positive Action.

    GRIEVANCES/DISCIPLINE

    24. Employees have a right to pursue a complaint concerning discrimination or victimisation via the Company Grievance or Harassment Procedures.

    25. Discrimination and victimisation will be treated as disciplinary offences and they will be dealt with under the Company Disciplinary Procedure.

    REVIEW

    26. The effectiveness of this policy and associated arrangements will be reviewed annually under the direct supervision of the Chief Executive / Business Owner.

  • Home Tuition Scotland is committed to providing high quality student support services, effective project management and outstanding customer service.

    Our disabled student support services meet and where appropriate exceed professional specifications. This includes ensuring that we meet and exceed the requirements set out in, for example, the EC Framework document, 2023/25.

    Home Tuition Scotland operates a quality management system (QMS) to ensure that we deliver consistent high quality. Details of our quality management processes and procedures are available to relevant parties on request. Roderick McNulty, Director of HTS, will take responsibility for ensuring effective quality management on this project.

    Health, Safety and Security

    Home Tuition Scotland recognises the importance of health, safety and security - both during the project and afterwards.

    The company's health and safety policy sets out our commitment and outlines our approach to effective health and safety management. Our processes and procedures are designed not simply to meet legal requirements but to effectively deliver a healthy, safe and secure working environment for our employees and everyone else who might be affected by our work. Our services are designed to meet relevant safety and security standards.

    A copy of our health and safety policy is available to relevant parties on request.

    Liability and Insurance

    Home Tuition Scotland has employer's liability of £10 million and public liability insurance of £5 million and professional indemnity insurance of £2 million; a copy of the insurance documentation is available to relevant parties on request.

    Equality

    We recognise the contribution our employees make to the success of what we do. We are committed to offering our employees fair terms and conditions, ensuring they have the skills and qualifications required.

    Home Tuition Scotland is an equal opportunities employer. A copy of our equality and diversity policy is available on above or on request. As part of our broader commitment to equal opportunities, we ensure that our services are accessible and meet industry standards on accessibility.

    Sustainability

    Home Tuition Scotland understands the importance of sustainability - in design, delivery and in continuing operation. For example, this is reflected in how we:

    • Source sustainable materials and look for ethical suppliers

    • Work with the local community where appropriate

    • Adhere to energy-efficient working while minimising waste.

    Details of our environmental management policy, processes and procedures are available on our website and to relevant parties on request.

    Key Personnel Experience

    Home Tuition Scotland projects will be managed by Caroline Leburn, General Manager. Caroline joined HTS in 2022 and has worked within Tertiary Education for 17 years and is responsible for all day-to-day operations, staffing and Data Protection.

    Home Tuition Scotland has worked on a number of similar projects in the past, including being No.1-ranked provider for Lots 1 and 3 in the 2019-2021 EC Tender, which the College took up the opportunity to extend to 20/21 and 21/22. We have provided disabled/ASN student support services to 17 Scottish FE/HE institutions since 2014.