Online Safety &
Child Safeguarding Policy

1. Purpose and scope

FrenchExam.ie is an online Higher Level Leaving Certificate French programme operated by Nicola Rowan. This policy applies to the standard FrenchExam.ie programme, website, course communications and any related online activity operated directly by FrenchExam.ie.

It explains the practical safeguards used because students may be under 18. It is designed around the current nature of the service: a solo-operated programme consisting principally of prerecorded lessons, workbooks, notes and independent study resources.

2. Nature of the standard programme

• Lessons are prerecorded and accessed through a private members area.
• The standard programme does not include private one-to-one video tuition, personal direct-message coaching or unsupervised group chat.
• Unless a separately advertised service expressly states otherwise, student homework, essays, oral recordings and other work are not submitted for individual correction.
• The programme is intended to support, rather than replace, a student's school-based education and pastoral support.

3. Enrolment and parental involvement

• A student under 18 must be enrolled by a parent or legal guardian.
• The parent or guardian must accept the Terms and authorise the student's use of the programme.
• Purchasing, account and important service communications should use the parent or guardian's contact details where the student is under 18.
• Parents and guardians are encouraged to remain aware of the student's use of the programme and to contact FrenchExam.ie with any concern.
• A person must be at least 16 to join a mailing list using their own email address. A parent or guardian should subscribe on behalf of a child under 16.

4. Safe communication

FrenchExam.ie communications must remain professional, educational and appropriate to the age of the student.

• The primary contact channel is bonjour@frenchexam.ie.
• Where a student under 18 makes a substantive account, payment, welfare or complaint enquiry, FrenchExam.ie may ask that a parent or guardian be included.
• FrenchExam.ie does not invite students to engage in private or disappearing-message conversations.
• Social-media comments or messages are not suitable channels for confidential, sensitive or safeguarding information.
• Communications may be retained where reasonably necessary for support, safeguarding, complaints or legal obligations.

5. Privacy, images and student work

• Only personal information reasonably necessary to provide and protect the service should be collected.
• FrenchExam.ie does not sell children's personal information or use it for behavioural profiling or targeted advertising.
• An identifiable image, video, audio recording, testimonial, examination result or example of work from a student under 18 will not be published without appropriate permission.
• Students should not send sensitive personal information, private images or unnecessary identifying information through course or social-media channels.
• Further information is available in the FrenchExam.ie Privacy Policy.

6. Online access and behaviour

• Course accounts are for the registered student's private educational use and should not be shared.
• Students must not attempt to contact, identify, harass or impersonate other users.
• Course content must not be copied, published or redistributed.
• Any suspected misuse, inappropriate communication or online-safety concern connected with FrenchExam.ie should be reported promptly.
• FrenchExam.ie may restrict access where reasonably necessary to protect a student, another person, the service or its users.

7. Concerns about a child's welfare

If information received through FrenchExam.ie gives rise to a concern about the safety or welfare of a child, it will be considered in accordance with Children First: National Guidance and any applicable legal or professional reporting obligations.

• FrenchExam.ie cannot promise confidentiality where sharing information is reasonably necessary to protect a child or comply with an applicable reporting obligation.
• Information will be shared only with an appropriate person or authority and only to the extent reasonably necessary.
• FrenchExam.ie is not an emergency or counselling service.

8. Live or additional services

If FrenchExam.ie introduces live workshops, mock oral examinations, individual tuition, student submissions, group discussion or services delivered by another person, the safeguarding risks and procedures for that service will be reviewed before it begins.

Depending on the activity, additional measures may include parent or guardian booking, clear communication boundaries, waiting-room controls, restrictions on recording, appropriate supervision, consent arrangements and updated privacy information.

9. Review and contact

This policy will be reviewed when the FrenchExam.ie service changes materially, after a significant safeguarding issue, or otherwise at reasonable intervals.

Questions or concerns about this policy should be sent to Nicola Rowan at bonjour@frenchexam.ie.

FrenchExam.ie is operated by Nicola Rowan trading as FrenchExam.ie, Greenbank Road, Carlow, Ireland.