In plain words: learning groups are run by independent adults — teachers, clubs, parent groups, homeschool co-ops or anyone else — not by Holden's Archive. We don't check who group leaders are. A leader only ever sees a child's first and last name and their progress on the lessons the group sets. Parents decide whether their child joins, and only parents can take them out. By leading a group, or by adding your child to one, you accept these terms, including the parts that limit our responsibility.
1. What a learning group is
A learning group is a set of Young Researchers lessons chosen by a group leader, with a join code. A parent or legal guardian can add one or more of their child profiles to the group with that code. The group leader can set lessons (with a level and a due date, for the whole group or chosen children), post short announcements to the group, and see each member's progress on the lessons the group sets.
2. Group leaders are independent
- Anyone 18 or older may set their account up as a group leader. A “group leader” may be a teacher, tutor, club, parent group or any other adult. The title does not mean the person is a qualified teacher.
- Holden's Archive does not verify, screen, background-check, vet, supervise, employ, endorse or recommend group leaders. Group leaders are not our employees, agents, contractors or representatives, and nothing they say or do is said or done on our behalf.
- We provide software tools only. We are not a school, a childcare provider or an educational institution, and we do not run, organize, or take part in any group.
3. What a group leader can and can't see
- Can see: each member's first and last name as their parent typed it, the date they joined, and — only for the lessons the group sets — their stars, how many wrong tries they made, which level they chose, which question they are on, and when they started, got stuck or finished.
- Can't see: the parent's name, email or account details; the child's notes, family tree, photos, pin board, other lessons or anything else in the account.
- Group leaders can't message children privately through Young Researchers. Announcements go to the whole group and are read by families.
4. A group leader's promises
By turning on group leading, you promise that:
- You are 18 or older and the information you give us is true.
- You will use what you see only to run your group, keep it confidential, and not copy, share, sell or publish it.
- You will not ask children for more personal information, and will not contact a child outside your group's normal activity without their parent's permission.
- You are solely responsible for your group, what you post in it, how you supervise any in-person or online sessions, and for following every law and rule that applies to you — for example child-protection and safeguarding rules, school or district policies, and student-privacy laws such as COPPA and FERPA where they apply. If your school or organization requires its own consent from parents, you are responsible for getting it.
- You will remove a child from your group when their parent asks.
5. A parent's or guardian's responsibilities
By adding a child to a group, you confirm and agree that:
- You are the child's parent or legal guardian and are 18 or older.
- You chose to join this group, you know who runs it, and you have decided for yourself that it is suitable for your child. We encourage you to join only groups run by people you know and trust.
- You consent to the group leader seeing your child's first and last name and their progress on the group's lessons, as described above.
- You remain responsible for supervising your child's use of Young Researchers and any activity connected with the group, online or in person.
- You can take your child out of a group at any time from the Family profile (with your parent PIN). Children can't leave groups on their own.
6. Disclaimers
Learning groups and all Young Researchers tools are provided “as is” and “as available”. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we make no promises or warranties of any kind about learning groups, group leaders, their conduct, their qualifications, or the accuracy, safety or suitability of any group, announcement or activity, and we disclaim all implied warranties.
7. Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Holden's Archive, its owners and administrators will not be liable for any loss, injury, claim or damage of any kind arising out of or connected with a learning group, a group leader's or any other user's acts or omissions, any in-person or online contact between users, or any use of information a group leader can see. Where liability can't be excluded by law, it is limited to the smallest amount the law allows. Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot be excluded by law.
8. Release and indemnity
To the fullest extent permitted by law: group leaders and parents release Holden's Archive, its owners and administrators from claims arising out of disputes or dealings with other users in connection with learning groups; and each group leader agrees to defend, indemnify and hold them harmless from any claim, loss or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising from that leader's group, conduct, posts or breach of these terms.
9. Reporting a concern
If you're worried about a group or a group leader, take your child out of the group straight away and contact us. If a child may be in danger, contact your local police or child-protection services first. We may remove a group or suspend an account at our discretion, but we have no duty to monitor groups.
10. Ending a group and changes
Leaders can archive or delete their groups at any time; deleting a group removes its members' links to it and its announcements. We may change these terms; if a change is significant we'll update the date above and ask leaders to accept again. These terms sit alongside the main Terms of Use, the Kids' Terms and the Kids' Privacy Notice. If a part of these terms is found unenforceable, the rest still applies.