1. Policy Statement
Ember Learning Ltd, is committed to delivering online alternative provision of the highest quality. This Policy sets out how we ensure that every student referred to us receives meaningful, well-planned, and appropriately supported education that meets their individual needs and is consistent with the DfE’s August 2025 voluntary national standards for non-school alternative provision.
This Policy applies to all teaching activity delivered by Ember Learning and must be read alongside the Service Agreement (ET-SA-001), the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy (ET-CPSP-001), and the Safer Recruitment Process (ET-SRP-001).
2. Scope
This Policy applies to all Teacher Associates delivering sessions on behalf of Ember Learning Ltd, all Company directors, and all commissioning bodies. It covers all sessions delivered via the Ember Learning platform to students referred under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 or directly commissioned by schools.
3. Curriculum Framework
3.1 Ember Learning delivers online teaching in mathematics and English to students of secondary school age who are receiving alternative provision. Our curriculum is structured around the Oak National Academy’s published curriculum resources, which provide a coherent, well-sequenced, and freely accessible framework for both subjects across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.
3.2 Oak National Academy content provides lesson plans, teaching slides, retrieval questions, and worked examples that are aligned to the national curriculum. Teacher Associates use this content as the basis for session planning, adapted to reflect each student’s assessed starting point and identified areas of need.
3.3 Literacy and numeracy are embedded across all sessions. In English, sessions focus on reading comprehension, grammar, punctuation, and writing skills. In mathematics, sessions address numeracy, reasoning, and problem-solving appropriate to each student’s working level. Provision is not restricted to examination preparation; it is designed to build foundational skills and academic confidence.
3.4 Where a student has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or other documented learning needs, the delivery is adapted within reason to reflect those needs. Commissioning bodies are responsible for communicating relevant needs at the point of referral. Ember Learning will take reasonable steps to adjust session pacing and approach accordingly.
4. Baseline Assessment and Personalised Planning
4.1 Every student referred to Ember Learning completes a baseline assessment in mathematics and English before their first substantive session. This assessment is designed to be calm and low-pressure. It is delivered natively through the platform and uses a multiple-choice format to identify the student’s working level across key curriculum areas.
4.2 The baseline assessment informs the student’s initial session plan. The Teacher Associate uses the results to identify the appropriate curriculum starting point within the Oak National Academy sequence and to prioritise the areas of greatest need.
4.3 Session plans are reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis to reflect the student’s progress, engagement, and any feedback received from the commissioning body. Where a student’s needs change significantly, the Teacher Associate will notify the Company Director and the commissioning body’s named contact.
5. Session Delivery Standards
5.1 All sessions are delivered in small groups of no more than three students, via the platform. Sessions are 50–60 minutes in duration unless otherwise agreed in the Order Form.
5.2 Each session follows a structured format: a brief mindfulness and / or shared interests activity; a possible brief content retrieval drawing on content from previous sessions; explanation of new content; guided practice; and a closing summary. This structure is consistent with evidence-based approaches to effective instruction and is designed to support knowledge retention and engagement.
5.3 Teacher Associates are required to complete a brief post-session report following every session, recording: topics covered; student engagement and participation; any areas of difficulty or notable progress; and any welfare concerns. Reports are accessible to the Company Director and to the commissioning body on a half-termly basis.
5.4 Sessions are delivered from a professional, distraction-free environment. All sessions are recorded automatically by the platform for safeguarding purposes, in accordance with the Session Recording Policy (ET-SRP-002).
6. Teacher Associate Qualifications and Suitability
6.1 All Teacher Associates are required to demonstrate suitability for the role through at least one of the following: a relevant degree or equivalent qualification in the subject area; qualified teacher status (QTS) or equivalent teaching qualification; or demonstrable prior experience delivering teaching or teaching in a relevant subject to young people of compulsory school age.
6.2 The Company Director and DSL assess suitability as part of the safer recruitment process and retain discretion to determine whether an individual’s combination of qualifications and experience meets the required standard for the students they will be working with. No individual will be permitted to deliver sessions until the pre-start checklist set out in the Safer Recruitment Process (ET-SRP-001) has been completed and signed off.
6.3 All Teacher Associates complete mandatory safeguarding training before delivering any session. They are also required to complete the Company’s platform induction, which covers the platform’s features, session delivery expectations, and the post-session reporting process.
7. Student Induction and Welcome Week
7.1 Every student referred to Ember Learning participates in a structured welcome week before substantive curriculum sessions begin. The welcome week serves to orient the student to the platform and the session format, establish a relationship between the student and their Teacher Associate, complete the English and mathematics baseline assessments, and communicate expectations for conduct and engagement.
7.2 The welcome week is not assessed and is designed to be low-pressure. Its purpose is to ensure that students feel safe, understood, and prepared before curriculum delivery begins. Commissioning bodies are notified of the welcome week timetable at the point of referral.
7.3 Following the welcome week, the Teacher Associate will share an initial session plan with the Company Director and, on request, with the commissioning body’s nominated contact.
8. Pastoral Support
8.1 Ember Learning recognises that students in alternative provision often have complex pastoral needs alongside their academic needs. Teacher Associates are trained to recognise signs of distress, disengagement, or welfare concern and to respond appropriately in accordance with the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy (ET-CPSP-001).
8.2 Ember Learning does not provide clinical or therapeutic support. Where a student’s pastoral needs require professional intervention beyond the scope of teaching, the DSL will notify the commissioning body’s Designated Safeguarding Lead so that appropriate support can be arranged.
9. Attendance, Progress Monitoring and Reporting
9.1 Ember Learning maintains accurate records of student attendance at every session. The Provider’s platform generates automatic attendance alerts to the Commissioner’s nominated safeguarding contact where a student fails to attend without prior notification. Full details of the attendance notification procedure, including response timescales and escalation stages, are set out in the Service Agreement (ET-SA-001).
9.2 Written session reports are provided to commissioning bodies on a half-termly basis. Reports cover: attendance data; engagement observations; wellbeing; curriculum areas covered; any areas of difficulty or notable progress; and any concerns raised during the period. Reports are sent to the commissioning body’s nominated contact.
9.3 Where a student is not engaging with sessions or does not appear to be making reasonable progress as per the measures set out in clause 9.2, the Teacher Associate will notify the Company Director. The Company Director will review the position with the Teacher Associate and, where appropriate, contact the commissioning body to discuss whether adjustments to the provision are required.
10. Reintegration Support
10.1 Ember Learning recognises that alternative provision placements should, wherever possible, be made with a view to reintegration into mainstream or specialist education. Where a commissioning body has a reintegration plan in place for a referred student, Ember Learning will cooperate with that plan and provide relevant progress information to support the transition.
10.2 Ember Learning does not hold responsibility for managing reintegration. Responsibility for planning and supporting reintegration rests with the commissioning body. Ember Learning will provide such information and cooperation as is reasonably requested.
11. Alignment with DfE Standards
11.1 Ember Learning operates in alignment with the DfE’s August 2025 voluntary national standards for non-school alternative provision. These standards cover safeguarding and welfare, health and safety, admissions and support, and quality of education. This Policy addresses the quality of education strand of those standards. The Company’s other policies address the remaining strands.
11.2 The Company will review its alignment with the DfE standards annually and following any update to the standards or related statutory guidance. Where the standards become mandatory through legislation, the Company will ensure full compliance before the statutory deadline.
12. Policy Review
This Policy will be reviewed annually by the Company Director and following any significant change to the Company’s delivery model, curriculum approach, or relevant DfE guidance.
Adopted 1 July 2026 · Version 1.0 · Reviewed annually by the Company Director and following any significant change to the Company's delivery model, curriculum approach, or relevant DfE guidance. The full policy document is available on request — contact hello@embertutors.co.uk.