Website Terms, Privacy and Acceptable Use Policy
Introduction and Scope
This policy governs your use of the National Society for Education, Mentoring and Media (NSEMM) website, online platforms, and digital services. By accessing or using our services, you agree to comply with these terms and conditions.
NSEMM is a registered charity (1209673) committed to advancing education through accessible tutoring, mentoring, and educational support services. This policy ensures our digital platforms are used safely, legally, and in accordance with our charitable mission.
These terms apply to all users of our website, NSEMM Hub platform, booking systems, and any other digital services we provide. They should be read alongside our comprehensive policy framework including our Data Protection Policy, Safeguarding Policy, and Code of Conduct.
Website Services and Platform Access
Available Services
Our website and NSEMM Hub platform provide access to booking and scheduling systems for tutoring and mentoring sessions with calendar integration and automated confirmations, educational resources including study guides, videos, and downloadable materials, secure payment processing for session fees and charitable donations, user account management for registered users, and feedback and complaint submission systems.
All services are delivered through our NSEMM Hub platform using Auth0 single sign-on authentication for secure access management. User accounts are created and managed by NSEMM staff to ensure appropriate access controls and safeguarding compliance.
Technical Requirements
To access our services effectively, users require a compatible web browser with JavaScript enabled, stable internet connection with minimum 5Mb/s download and 3Mb/s upload speeds for video sessions, and appropriate devices including laptop or desktop computer with microphone and webcam capabilities for online tutoring sessions.
Technical support resources are available through our troubleshooting guides and demonstration facilities. Users should exhaust available support resources before contacting NSEMM directly for technical assistance through our feedback page.
Service Availability and Maintenance
We strive to maintain reliable service availability but cannot guarantee uninterrupted access to our platforms. Planned maintenance notifications are posted on our service status page with advance notice where possible.
Service interruptions may occur due to technical issues, platform maintenance, third-party service failures, or circumstances beyond our reasonable control. We will make reasonable efforts to restore service promptly and reschedule any affected sessions where possible.
Force majeure events including natural disasters, governmental actions, cyber attacks, or other extraordinary circumstances may affect service delivery. In such cases, we will communicate with users and make alternative arrangements where feasible while prioritising user safety and data security.
Account Terms and Access
Account Creation and Management
User accounts are created exclusively by NSEMM staff following appropriate verification and safeguarding procedures. Users cannot self-register and must contact NSEMM through official channels to request account access.
Account access is provided through Auth0 single sign-on system ensuring secure authentication and access management. Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their login credentials and must not share account access with any other person.
Account holders must provide accurate and current information including contact details, emergency contacts where required, and any relevant information necessary for service delivery and safeguarding compliance.
Account Suspension and Termination
Accounts may be suspended or terminated immediately for misuse including harassment of staff or other users, inappropriate content upload or sharing, academic dishonesty or integrity violations, breach of our Code of Conduct, unauthorized access attempts or security violations, and use of services for non-educational or commercial purposes.
Suspension and termination decisions are made by the Designated Safeguarding Lead in consultation with trustees where appropriate. Users have the right to appeal such decisions through our complaints procedure.
Account Closure Requests
Users may request account closure at any time by contacting us through our feedback page. Personal data will be erased within 30 days unless retention is required for safeguarding purposes, legal obligations, or financial audit requirements as detailed in our Data Protection Policy.
Upon account closure, access to platform services ceases immediately, and any unused session credits are handled according to our refund policy with options for monetary refund or charitable donation conversion.
Intellectual Property and Content Usage
NSEMM Educational Content
All educational materials, resources, and content provided through our platforms are the intellectual property of NSEMM or used under appropriate licensing agreements. This includes lesson materials, study guides, videos, assessments, and any other educational content.
Educational content is provided for personal educational use only. Users may view, download, and print materials for individual learning purposes but are prohibited from redistribution, re-uploading, commercial use, modification without permission, or sharing with unauthorized third parties.
Attribution Requirements
When referencing or citing NSEMM educational content in academic work or other contexts, users must provide proper attribution including “National Society for Education, Mentoring and Media (NSEMM)”, the specific resource title and date accessed, and our website URL where the content was obtained.
Failure to provide appropriate attribution may constitute academic misconduct and could result in account suspension or termination depending on the circumstances and severity of misuse.
User-Generated Content
Users may upload content including optional profile photos, assignment submissions or educational work for tutor review, and voluntary testimonials or feedback about services received.
By uploading content, users grant NSEMM a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to store, display, and process that content solely for the purpose of providing educational services. Content will never be sold or redistributed externally without explicit user consent.
Users retain ownership of their uploaded content but must ensure they have appropriate rights to upload any materials and that content complies with our acceptable use requirements and does not infringe third-party intellectual property rights.
Copyright Complaints
Copyright complaints and DMCA takedown notices should be submitted through our complaints procedure with appropriate documentation and evidence of intellectual property rights. We will investigate all valid copyright complaints promptly and take appropriate action where infringement is confirmed.
Privacy and Data Protection
Information Collection and Use
We collect and process personal information in accordance with UK GDPR and our comprehensive Data Protection Policy. Information collected includes contact details for account management and service delivery, educational progress data for tutoring effectiveness, payment information for transaction processing, and technical data for platform operation and security.
All personal data is processed lawfully under appropriate legal bases including consent for optional services, contract for service delivery, legal obligation for safeguarding requirements, and legitimate interests for fraud prevention and service improvement.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses essential cookies for platform functionality and security. The following cookies are used:
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| wordpress_[hash] | Admin area authentication | Session | Strictly Necessary |
| wordpress_logged_in_[hash] | User login status | Session | Strictly Necessary |
| wordpress_test_cookie | Browser cookie support check | Session | Strictly Necessary |
| wp_lang | Language preference storage | Session | Functional |
| wp-settings-1 | Dashboard preferences | 1 year | Functional |
| wp-settings-time-1 | Preference timestamp | 1 year | Functional |
Session cookies for the NSEMM Hub manage login authentication via Auth0 and maintain user state during booking processes. These cookies are essential for platform operation and expire when sessions end.
Future implementation of preference cookies for accessibility features or language settings will be strictly opt-in with clear consent mechanisms. We do not use tracking cookies for advertising or non-essential analytics.
Analytics and Website Statistics
Website analytics are collected using Umami Analytics, which provides completely anonymized usage statistics without tracking individual users or storing personal data. This privacy-first approach complies with GDPR and PECR requirements without requiring cookie consent.
Analytics data includes page views, session duration, and general usage patterns to help improve website functionality and user experience while maintaining complete user privacy.
Data Sharing and Third Parties
Personal data may be shared with trusted service providers operating under comprehensive Data Processing Agreements including educational platform providers, payment processors, and technical service providers as detailed in our Data Protection Policy.
We do not sell, rent, or otherwise commercially distribute personal data to third parties. Data sharing occurs only when necessary for service delivery, legal compliance, or safeguarding requirements under strict confidentiality and security arrangements.
Acceptable Use Requirements
Permitted Activities
Our platforms may be used for legitimate educational purposes including accessing tutoring and mentoring services, downloading and using educational resources for personal learning, participating in educational sessions and activities, submitting feedback and testimonials about services, and communicating with NSEMM staff through appropriate channels.
Educational use includes support for formal education through supplementary tutoring, skill development and confidence building, university admission preparation, and examination preparation and revision support.
Prohibited Activities
The following activities are strictly prohibited and may result in immediate account suspension or termination:
Security and Access Violations: Unauthorized access attempts or hacking, sharing login credentials with other persons, circumventing security measures or access controls, automated access or scraping of platform content, and uploading malicious software or harmful code.
Content and Communication Misuse: Uploading inappropriate, offensive, or harmful content, harassment or bullying of staff or other users, spam or unsolicited communications, impersonation of other persons or organizations, and distribution of false or misleading information.
Commercial and Unauthorized Use: Using services for commercial purposes without authorization, reselling or redistributing NSEMM resources or services, operating competing tutoring businesses using NSEMM resources, generating income from access to NSEMM platforms, and using platform access to recruit clients for external services.
Academic and Professional Misconduct: Academic dishonesty including cheating or plagiarism, requesting tutors to complete coursework or assignments, submitting work completed by others as your own, and unauthorized collaboration on assessed work.
Communication Requirements
All communication with NSEMM staff and volunteers must occur exclusively through official NSEMM channels including the NSEMM Hub messaging system, official email addresses provided by NSEMM, and scheduled video sessions on approved platforms.
Contact with NSEMM staff and volunteers outside official channels is strictly prohibited and may result in immediate account termination and safeguarding reporting. This policy protects all parties and ensures appropriate professional boundaries are maintained at all times.
Violation of communication requirements may result in staff disciplinary action and creates safeguarding concerns that require immediate investigation and potential external reporting to relevant authorities.
Commercial Use Restrictions
NSEMM’s platform, resources, tutoring services, and educational materials are provided solely for non-commercial, educational purposes. Users must not use NSEMM’s services or resources to operate tutoring businesses, resell or distribute materials including session recordings and worksheets, pass off services or branding as their own, generate income or paid content using NSEMM resources, or collect clients for external tutoring or marketing purposes.
NSEMM is a registered not-for-profit organization providing services to support equitable access to education. Misuse of platforms for personal or commercial gain constitutes breach of trust and may result in account termination, legal action, and reporting to relevant authorities.
Session Recording and Monitoring
Recording Policies
All tutoring and mentoring sessions are recorded by NSEMM for quality assurance and safeguarding purposes using secure platforms with appropriate data protection measures. Session recordings are stored securely and accessed only by authorized safeguarding leads and managers.
Recording of sessions by users is strictly prohibited under all circumstances. This includes video recording, audio recording, screenshots, or any other form of session capture. NSEMM can detect unauthorized recording attempts through platform monitoring.
Unauthorized recording attempts will result in immediate session termination, account suspension pending investigation, and potential permanent account termination depending on circumstances and intent.
Monitoring and Detection
Platform monitoring systems detect unauthorized activities including recording attempts, screenshot capture, inappropriate content sharing, and security violations. Tutors may pause or terminate sessions immediately upon detection of prohibited activities.
Monitoring data is used solely for safeguarding and security purposes in accordance with our Data Protection Policy and is not used for commercial purposes or shared with unauthorized third parties.
Access to Recordings
Parents and guardians may request access to their child’s session recordings through our standard procedures to support transparency and family engagement with educational progress. Access requests are processed securely with appropriate identity verification.
Recordings are retained according to our data retention schedule and may be used for quality assurance, safeguarding investigations, and staff training purposes under strict confidentiality and security arrangements.
Academic Integrity and Educational Standards
Educational Support Philosophy
NSEMM provides educational support to help students understand concepts and develop learning skills. Our tutors are trained to provide guidance and explanation while ensuring students complete their own work and develop independent learning abilities.
Educational support includes concept explanation and clarification, study technique guidance, practice question support, and examination preparation assistance. This support complements rather than replaces formal education and maintains appropriate academic integrity standards.
Homework and Assessment Boundaries
NSEMM tutors help students understand homework topics and concepts but do not complete homework tasks on students’ behalf. Students may ask for help understanding homework questions, receive support with revision and practice, and get feedback on their ideas or working approaches.
Students cannot ask tutors to provide direct answers, copy from materials tutors write during sessions, or use NSEMM sessions to complete work being assessed for formal qualifications.
Coursework and Assessment Rules
Coursework including projects, essays, portfolios, and Non-Examined Assessments requires strict adherence to academic integrity principles. Tutors may help break down task requirements, provide general planning and structure advice, and explain marking criteria and expectations.
Tutors cannot suggest specific content to write, edit or improve student drafts, provide answers or model responses, or offer direct input that would constitute unauthorized assistance under examination board guidelines.
Requesting prohibited assistance may constitute academic misconduct with potential consequences including session termination, school notification, and formal academic integrity investigation.
Use of AI Tools
Students may discuss AI tools like ChatGPT during sessions with tutors providing guidance on responsible and ethical use for practice questions, concept exploration, and brainstorming activities. Students must not submit AI-generated content as their own work in any assignment or examination.
NSEMM promotes transparent and responsible AI use while maintaining academic integrity standards and helping students understand appropriate boundaries and ethical considerations.
Academic Misconduct Consequences
Academic misconduct including cheating, copying, plagiarism, or requesting inappropriate assistance results in immediate intervention including session pausing, concern reporting to safeguarding or academic integrity teams, and potential evidence sharing with schools or institutions where necessary.
Repeated or serious academic integrity breaches may result in formal warnings, temporary service suspension, or permanent account termination depending on severity and circumstances.
Liability and Disclaimers
Educational Content Disclaimers
All educational content provided through NSEMM platforms is intended for supportive, supplementary learning only and is not a substitute for formal education, professional qualifications, or accredited learning programs.
Educational content is provided for general guidance and may not reflect the most current curriculum requirements or examination specifications. Students should verify information with their formal education providers and current official sources.
NSEMM does not guarantee specific educational outcomes, examination results, or academic achievement through use of our services. Educational progress depends on multiple factors including student engagement, formal education quality, and individual circumstances.
Technical Issue Limitations
NSEMM is not liable for service interruptions due to internet connectivity issues, technical problems with third-party platforms including Lessonspace and Airtable, scheduled maintenance or platform updates, user device or software incompatibilities, or circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
We will make reasonable efforts to reschedule sessions affected by technical issues and provide alternative arrangements where possible. However, we cannot guarantee uninterrupted service delivery or compensate for losses resulting from technical difficulties.
Limitation of Liability
NSEMM’s liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by law. We exclude liability for indirect, consequential, or special damages including loss of profits, business interruption, or reputational damage.
Our maximum liability for any claim arising from use of our services is limited to the amount paid by the user for the specific service in question during the preceding 12 months.
These limitations do not affect our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or other matters where liability cannot be legally excluded.
Force Majeure
NSEMM is not liable for failure to perform obligations due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control including natural disasters, government actions, cyber attacks, pandemics, infrastructure failures, or other extraordinary events.
During force majeure events, we will communicate with users promptly and make reasonable efforts to provide alternative arrangements or resume normal service delivery as soon as circumstances permit.
Complaints and Dispute Resolution
Complaint Procedures
Complaints about website functionality, platform access, content quality, or service delivery should be submitted through our comprehensive complaints procedure which provides structured investigation and resolution processes.
Technical issues should first be addressed using available troubleshooting resources and support materials before submitting formal complaints. This ensures efficient resolution and appropriate use of complaint procedures.
Dispute Resolution
Disputes regarding terms of service, content usage, or account decisions are resolved through discussion and mediation where appropriate. NSEMM prioritizes fair resolution while maintaining service standards and safeguarding requirements.
Complex disputes may require external mediation or legal advice to ensure appropriate resolution. All dispute resolution processes maintain focus on user welfare and educational effectiveness while protecting organizational interests.
External Review Options
Users who remain dissatisfied after exhausting internal complaint procedures may seek external review through relevant regulatory bodies including the Charity Commission for governance matters and the Information Commissioner’s Office for data protection concerns.
Independent ombudsman services may provide alternative dispute resolution for unresolved complaints while maintaining focus on fair outcomes and continued service improvement.
Governing Law and Updates
Legal Framework
These terms are governed by English law and subject to the jurisdiction of English courts. Users agree to resolve disputes through English legal processes while maintaining rights to alternative dispute resolution where appropriate.
Compliance with relevant legislation includes UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, Consumer Rights Act 2015, Charities Act 2011, and other applicable legal requirements affecting charitable service provision.
Policy Updates
These terms may be updated periodically to reflect changes in legal requirements, service development, or operational improvements. Significant changes will be communicated to users with reasonable notice and opportunity to review updated terms.
Continued use of services following policy updates constitutes acceptance of revised terms. Users who do not agree to updated terms may request account closure through our standard procedures.
Contact Information
For questions about these terms, technical support, or general service enquiries, please visit our feedback page. For urgent safeguarding concerns, contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead through our established safeguarding procedures.
For governance complaints about trustees or organizational matters, contact the Chair of Trustees at [email protected].
This policy is reviewed annually and updated to reflect changes in legal requirements, technological developments, and operational experience. All updates maintain focus on user protection, service quality, and regulatory compliance while supporting our charitable mission of advancing education through accessible, high-quality services.