Communication Channels
- Version
- 1.0
DAIS-POL-028
Communication Channels Policy
How the centre communicates internally, with learners, and with NCFE
Data and AI School of London | Account No. 11001657 | Version 1.0 | 28 August 2026
| Policy Owner | Head of Centre (Ali Fraz Khan FHEA) |
| Approved By | Head of Centre |
| Date Effective | 28 August 2026 |
| Review Cycle | Annual, on the same cycle as the other 27 policies |
| Next Review | 28 August 2027 |
| Related Documents | DAIS-GP-002 Good Practice Online Safeguarding, DAIS-SD-002 Staff Induction Checklist, DAIS-IQA-001 Standardisation Schedule, DAIS-SD-007 Standardisation Meeting Record, DAIS-GOV-002 Governance Calendar, DAIS-POL-002 Provider Contingency Policy, DAIS-ORG-001 Roles and Responsibilities |
Why this document exists. The NCFE centre approval report of 16 July 2026 records at criterion 2.5 that a detailed Communication Channels Policy is in place. This policy gathers commitments already made across five separate documents into one place; it does not create any new commitment.
1. Purpose
This policy sets out how the centre communicates: with learners, between staff internally, and with NCFE as the awarding organisation.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all staff, associate tutors and learners of The Data and AI School of London.
3. Communication with Learners
All staff-to-learner communication takes place through the school's official platform only. Staff must not use personal email, WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn messages, or any non-institutional channel to communicate with a learner. If a learner makes contact through a personal channel, staff do not respond on that channel; they inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead and redirect the learner to the official channel. This rule protects both learners and staff. (Source: DAIS-GP-002 Good Practice Online Safeguarding, section 2.3, Communication Channel Rules.)
Every member of staff confirms at induction that their institutional email and communication channels are set up, and confirms the personal communication boundary above, before working with a learner. (Source: DAIS-SD-002 Staff Induction Checklist.)
4. Communication Between Staff
The team holds a weekly check-in on blockers, decisions and delegation, led by the Head of Centre, every Friday. The check-in produces a dated meeting note. (Source: DAIS-GOV-002 Governance Calendar, routine R07.)
A full-team standardisation meeting is held at least once per term, three times a year at minimum, led by the Lead Internal Quality Assurer, and produces a Standardisation Meeting Record. IQA sampling with each assessor runs to the same minimum frequency. In the six to eight weeks before any known EQA visit, sampling and standardisation intensify. (Source: DAIS-IQA-001 Standardisation Schedule and DAIS-SD-007 Standardisation Meeting Record.)
5. Communication with NCFE
The Head of Centre is accountable for responding to all NCFE quality and compliance communications, and for notifying NCFE of any material change to the centre's operation, staffing or delivery model. This is a Head of Centre responsibility that is not delegated. (Source: DAIS-ORG-001 Roles and Responsibilities, section 1.1.)
6. Communication During a Disruption
The centre's contingency arrangements name backup communication channels for use if the primary platform is unavailable, and set out when learners and NCFE must be notified. The detail sits in the Provider Contingency Policy and is not repeated here to avoid two documents drifting apart. (Source: DAIS-POL-002 Provider Contingency Policy.)
7. Communication of this Policy
This policy is made available to all staff at induction (DAIS-SD-002) and is published in the policy section of the DAIS website and the Moodle VLE.
8. Monitoring and Review
This policy is reviewed annually by the Head of Centre, on the same cycle as the other 27 policies, and immediately if any of the five source documents it draws from changes in a way that would make a clause here inaccurate.