Member Agreement
Our Member Agreement applies to all members worldwide. The Agreement sets out the standards and professional conduct and practice expected by individual members of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (the Society) to sustain our charitable mission and protect the reputation of the organisation.
Members’ agree to abide to terms of membership which include; definition of membership classes, fees and subscriptions, voting rights and elections to office, as set out in the Rules and Standing Orders.
Members are required to conduct their business in line with our organisational values:
- Integrity,
- Passion,
- Quality,
- Inclusion, and
- Innovation.
Professional Competence, Ethical Standards and Integrity
Working with dedication, determination and personal responsibility to deliver excellence in all we do, Members must:
- At-all-times act with integrity; being clear of purpose and accountable for their actions to maintain and improve the reputation of the profession.
- Prevent conflicts of interest and avoid any actions or situations that are inconsistent with their professional obligations.
- Be honest and ethical. Never attempt to intimidate or otherwise influence an examiner or competition judge.
- Not engage in the private or public criticism of other members as to either their personal or professional attributes.
- Advocate for excellence in dance teaching, training and qualifications.
- Acknowledge their own professional limitations at any point in time and not agree to do work in which they are not competent.
- Maintain their continuous professional development (CPD) to uphold professional standards.
- Commit to equity, inclusion and diversity - making sure that everyone is welcome and respected, and challenge inappropriate behaviour.
- Promote and publicise their services in any way they see fit provided it does not contravene the brand guidelines of the Society or damage the reputation of the profession or that of any professional colleague or, in any event, contain any uncomplimentary references or comparisons.
- Not Share and/or reproduce Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing syllabus material including DVDs, CDs and books. This includes filming content from the syllabus material for either downloadable content or DVDs. Syllabus material should be used to support teachers training their students in the classroom - in person, or in a virtual space.
Legal and professional obligations
Members and their staff and volunteers have a duty of care towards the children (and vulnerable adults) who attend their classes. This means that by law (in England and Wales) Members must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the children (and vulnerable adults) and protect them from harm. Members must:
- Teach in a safe environment, and ensure that risks have been considered and mitigated, and comply with all statutory and legal obligations such as Health and Safety, Data Protection, copyright etc.
- Have appropriate insurances in place.
- Keep information obtained in the course of professional work confidential, unless legally obliged to disclose the information. Members must never use the information for personal advantage.
- Comply with all the published policies of the Society and protect the interest of your learners.
- Use best endeavours to ensure that all teaching staff are of an appropriate level of competence. All members should encourage constructive communication between teachers and students and foster professional attitudes to work and Dance, acknowledge physical variety and limitations in a positive manner and seek to resolve problems by effective communication with students.
This policy has been agreed by the ISTD Council of Management, is reviewed on a regular basis, and any amendments other than to contact details, have been confirmed by them.
February 2021
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
22/26 Paul Street, London EC2A 4QE
istd.org @ISTDdance
Registered charity number 250397
© Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing 2020