Hold Fast Online – Community Guidelines

Effective Date: September 2026
Version: 1.0

Hold Fast Online is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and supportive online learning environment for all learners, staff, and stakeholders.

These Community Guidelines set out the expected standards of behaviour when engaging with any Hold Fast Online learning environment, including live lessons, recorded sessions, feedback platforms, messaging systems, and any associated digital spaces.

These guidelines should be read alongside our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, Privacy Policy, and Terms and Conditions.

1. Our Learning Community Principles

All users of Hold Fast Online are expected to uphold the following principles:

  • Respect for others at all times

  • Safe and appropriate online behaviour

  • Engagement in learning without disruption

  • Inclusion and equality for all learners

  • Responsibility for digital conduct

  • Support for a positive and professional learning environment

2. Expected Behaviour in Live Lessons

During live sessions, learners are expected to:

  • Join sessions on time and remain appropriately engaged

  • Use respectful language when speaking or using chat functions

  • Follow instructions from teaching staff

  • Keep microphones muted unless invited to speak

  • Use cameras appropriately where required or agreed

  • Avoid disruptive behaviour or inappropriate comments

  • Respect the learning environment of others

3. Online Communication Standards

When communicating with staff or peers through approved platforms, learners must:

  • Communicate respectfully and professionally

  • Avoid abusive, offensive, or discriminatory language

  • Not share personal contact details with other learners

  • Not attempt to move communication to private or unapproved platforms

  • Use only approved educational systems for communication

4. Safeguarding and Online Safety Expectations

To maintain a safe environment:

  • Any form of bullying, harassment, or intimidation is not permitted

  • Sharing or requesting inappropriate images or content is strictly prohibited

  • Learners must not attempt to contact staff via personal accounts or social media

  • Any safeguarding concerns raised during online interaction will be recorded and acted upon in line with our Safeguarding Policy

  • Learners should report any uncomfortable or inappropriate behaviour to a trusted adult or Hold Fast Online staff member

5. Use of Technology and Platforms

Learners must:

  • Access sessions using their own authorised login or access details

  • Not attempt to disrupt or interfere with online systems or sessions

  • Not record, screenshot, or redistribute sessions without permission

  • Use appropriate devices and internet access responsibly

Hold Fast Online reserves the right to monitor engagement and participation for safeguarding, quality assurance, and educational purposes.

6. Respect, Inclusion, and Equality

Hold Fast Online promotes an inclusive learning environment.

We do not tolerate:

  • Racist, sexist, homophobic, or discriminatory language or behaviour

  • Bullying or targeting of individuals or groups

  • Deliberate exclusion or intimidation of others

  • Disruption based on protected characteristics

All learners are expected to treat others with dignity and respect at all times.

7. Recording and Monitoring

Live sessions may be:

  • Recorded for safeguarding purposes

  • Used for quality assurance and staff training

  • Reviewed where concerns are raised

Recordings are stored securely and accessed only by authorised staff.

8. Consequences of Breaching Guidelines

Where Community Guidelines are not followed, Hold Fast Online may:

  • Provide a verbal or written warning

  • Restrict access to live sessions or platforms

  • Inform parents/carers, schools, or commissioning organisations

  • Refer concerns to safeguarding leads where appropriate

  • Suspend or terminate access to services in serious cases

Serious breaches may also be escalated under safeguarding procedures or reported to external agencies where necessary.

9. Safeguarding Priority

Where there is any conflict between behaviour expectations and safeguarding concerns, safeguarding will always take priority.

Any behaviour that raises concern for a learner’s safety or wellbeing will be escalated in line with the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

10. Contact and Reporting Concerns

If you have concerns about behaviour, safety, or conduct within Hold Fast Online, please contact:

Safeguarding Email: safeguarding@holdfasteducation.co.uk
Organisation: Hold Fast Education Ltd

11. Review of Guidelines

These Community Guidelines will be reviewed annually or sooner if required due to:

  • changes in statutory guidance

  • operational changes

  • safeguarding updates

  • platform or delivery model changes