Tutoring in our tuition centres typically means working within Westcountry Practice and the purpose designed tutoring rooms.

The rooms are furnished and are full of tutoring resources. All employed tutors will have full use of any resources in the tutoring rooms. A list of resources is available in the resources section. Tutors are welcome to submit a request for any additional resources they need. The request should be submitted to [email protected]

Mixed services

Westcountry Practice has mixed services using the building. This means that any parent that uses the waiting room will not know if a professional is a tutor, a child therapist or another childcare professional and at all times you should strive to be professional and maintain absolute confidentially in the corridors, kitchen areas and any breakout rooms

Noise

Whilst you are inside the tutoring rooms, you are not asked to be quiet or overly mindful regarding noise. Children’s activities should not be silent or low noise. Rooms have sound proofing and noise dampening added when noise problems arise.

However, you must strive to keep noise levels to a very minimum in the corridors and encourage your students to keep quiet in the corridors. This is so corridor noises do not come through the doors, and any chid in therapy feels in a safe and confidential space to talk about any issues or feelings they have.  For younger children, you many need to support them to learn how to be quiet in corridors, perhaps turn it into a game for them to remain quiet on entry and exit of the rooms. You must be mindful when you close doors not to let them bang or to let your students close them, please try and keep entry and exits from rooms as quiet as possible at all times. Even if it’s just you in the building, build good habits in the corridors.

Perfumes, aftershave and strong smelling deodorant

Westcountry Practice has a mix of children coming into the building. Children who are anxious or have sensory difficulties can easily be triggered by strong smells. Please do not wear perfume, aftershave or very strong smelling deodorant to work. Even if the child you are working with doesn’t have sensory difficulties, you do not know about the children who come for therapy.

Receptionist

Westcountry Practice has a receptionist during busy periods which aims to reduce any chaos caused by multiple children and families entering and leaving the building at the same time. Receptionists let children and families into the building as long as they are in the building and working.  Occasionally, tutors will need to let children into the building through the door entry system. If your child does not turn up within 5 minutes, let the receptionist know and they will phone the parent for you. Students not turning up and what you should do will be covered in detail in another chapter.

Accident book

In case of any accident there is an accident book in the kitchen. There should always be a first aider on side. Follow first aid procedures at all times and note the correct time and details in the accident book.

Entry and Exit in more detail

You will be given the entry and exit codes to the two main doors within Westcountry Practice, some tutors will also be key holders. These are normally the tutors that work later in the night or come in earlier in the morning.

The main goal that everyone needs to work towards, in regard to the entry and exit of the building is to keep the corridors and doorways clear and not congested with people. Many areas of Westcountry Practice are narrower and the pathway to the reception area is not a place for multiple people to congregate in.

Most students are used to busy noisy corridors from their school, so they won’t mind people passing and congregating. However, some children will be coming for therapy, have high anxiety or be very scared to be in the building. We also have some children with Autism and Asperger’s attending sessions, who may benefit from the space being predictable and calm.

The main thing to avoid at all costs is waiting by the front door when you think a student is entering the building. You will be in their personal space as they enter.

If you hear the buzzer and it’s your student, just standing outside of your door will be enough for them to see you and come into your room. If your child is early, they can go and sit in the waiting room, where they will be under the care of the receptionist.

If for any reason the receptionist is not working, you will need to use the buzzer system to answer the door. The  goal is to be warm, friendly and professional. The easiest way you can achieve this when you pick up the door entry phone is to physically smile when you pick up the phone.

‘Hello, Westcountry Practice’

Let the client speak

‘Ok, I’ll open the door (please wait in the reception area) ‘

Hold down the button on the phone until you hear the client pull the door. The client needs a few seconds from standing at the buzzer to move to the door.

End of Lessons.

At the end of the lesson, if your child’s parent is waiting in the waiting room, you should return the child back to their parent, mindful that you should not engage in a postmortem of the lesson in a public space, you can let them know the child did well, and you will write it up in their report they can have later.

You must never escort a child out of the Practice suite and down the stairs. Clients sign a form to say they are happy for their child to leave the suite unescorted, and this is dealt with at the time of assessment. If you are unsure where your child needs to go at the end of the lesson, ask your Client Manager.

Please never engage parents in conversations by talking at the top of the stairs or standing in the Practice doorway. It is very unprofessional and you do not know who is round the corner or if the office below has their door open. Please be mindful of confidentiality at all times.