Safeguarding Policy

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to all use of the Common Ground UK platform by persons under the age of 18, including use through the Schools Programme and any other educational or youth-facing features.

2. No personal data is collected from students

Common Ground UK does not collect, store, or process any personal data from students. This includes names, email addresses, dates of birth, device identifiers, or any other information that could identify an individual student.

All votes cast through the Schools Programme are entirely anonymous. Only aggregate results are recorded, for example the number of students who selected each voting option. Individual responses cannot be identified or traced.

3. Teacher supervision

The Schools Programme is designed to be used under the direct supervision of a qualified teacher. Students do not create accounts, log in, or access the platform independently. The teacher controls the session, selects the question, and manages the classroom experience.

Schools are responsible for ensuring that appropriate supervision is in place whenever the platform is used with students.

4. Content standards

All questions published on Common Ground UK pass a four-point integrity test before going live. Questions are assessed for factual accuracy, legal accuracy, cost transparency, and the potential for misuse. Questions that could cause harm, promote extremism, or be unsuitable for educational settings are not published.

Questions selected for the Schools Programme undergo an additional review to ensure they are age-appropriate, curriculum-relevant, and suitable for classroom discussion.

5. No advertising or commercial targeting

Common Ground UK carries no advertising and does not engage in commercial targeting of any kind. Students using the platform are not exposed to advertising, sponsored content, or any attempt to collect data for commercial purposes.

6. No social features or peer interaction

The platform does not include chat functions, messaging, comment sections, or any feature that allows students to interact with other users. Students cannot communicate with each other or with adults through the platform.

7. Safeguarding contact

Any safeguarding concern relating to the use of Common Ground UK should be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead at the relevant school in the first instance.

Concerns about platform content or conduct by Common Ground UK should be directed to our safeguarding contact:

8. Policy review

This policy will be reviewed annually and updated whenever there is a material change to the platform that affects young users. Schools are encouraged to check this page before each academic year. This policy will be reviewed by a solicitor upon company registration.