TERMS & CONDITIONS
1. PAYMENT OF FEES AND EXPENSES
Please see your offer pack or invoice for details of how and when to pay. The annual fees are divided into three equal parts and charged termly, regardless of the length of any term. Fees payable in respect of each term fall due for payment 2 weeks before the start of the relevant term. Unless set out in the invoice or notified to you at any time, the fees include the costs we incur in the usual course of educating your child.
All of the fees and supplemental charges are exclusive of any taxes, which will be added (where applicable).
Fees and any agreed supplemental charges will not be reduced or refunded as a result of absence due to illness or otherwise, or as a result of the Student being required to study from home as a result of us providing educational services remotely for whatever reason. If the Student takes study leave at home before or during public examinations, or stays at home following those examinations, or if a term is shorter than others (or shortened), no reduction of fees will be made in respect of any periods spent at home.
Interest is charged at the rate of 3% per year on late payments. We reserve the right to suspend or cancel tuition and/ or accommodation, or to require advance payment for future terms, in cases of repeated failure to make payment by the due date. The Student may be prevented from attending lessons, and/or School references or other information may be withheld where fees remain unpaid in whole or in part.
A 3% charge will also be applied to any pre-agreed payment plan made with our Finance Team. You may also be subject to a credit check and required to pay via Standing Order.
We regret that we and/or the School cannot extend credit to students. All additional expenses (trips, examination fees, books and materials, etc) must be paid for in advance. Please note that study materials are not routinely included in our fees. The initial deposit cannot be used by the student to pay for expenses or cover shortfall in fees.
The deposit will be refunded only once all outstanding fees and expenses have been cleared. This process will take time, following the end of the Students studies with the School, and we cannot refund deposits prior to its completion. A refund form will be sent to the Signatory which must be completed, signed, and returned to us before the refund is processed. The deposit will only be returned to the original fee payer by the same payment method. All refunds will be processed in line with applicable laws and legal restrictions.
The fees do not include any additional costs. Details of charges considered ‘additional’ are available on the fees page of the School website under ‘Additional Costs’. By way of example, any extra-curricular activities (such as private music lessons, trips and visits) in which you agree in advance the Student may participate will be supplemental to items met by the fees and charged for accordingly. In addition, all public examination fees shall be charged as additional costs. Additional charges incurred by the School in providing for the special educational needs of the Student, in agreement with Parents in advance, may also be charged as supplemental to the fees.
Information on your identity and the source of funds: From time to time, we may ask you to provide us with information, that we consider to be satisfactory, so that we can verify: your identity; the Student’s identity; the Student’s right to enter, live and study in the United Kingdom; and the source of funds you are using to pay the fees.You must provide the School with the information we ask for. Allocation of payments to your fees account: Except where expressly agreed with you otherwise, we shall be entitled to allocate payments from you to your account as we see fit.
2. FEE INCREASES AND OTHER CHANGES
A reasonable increase to fees is made annually for each new academic year. Fee increases will not apply if payment has already been made in full by the time the new prices are published. Notice of the new fees will be provided in time to allow withdrawal on a full term’s notice.
The School website and prospectus describe the broad principles on which the School is presently run. However, from time to time it may be necessary to make changes to any aspects of the School, including the curriculum or the manner of providing education for students (including by providing such education remotely (whilst students remain at home, for example, where the School is required to close its premises).
The School reserves the right to withdraw a programme or a single subject at any time, giving reasonable notice wherever possible, and either provide a suitable alternative or refund any unexpired part of the course.
3. CANCELLATION (BEFORE STARTING STUDIES)
Once we have accepted a Student we have reserved them a place, and may have to turn other students away. In cases where a place is cancelled, written cancellation must therefore be given to the Principal and receipt will be acknowledged in writing. The following cancellation charges shall apply:
More than 14 days before the first day of study – deposit and registration fee
Less than 14 days before the first day of study – deposit and registration fee, plus one full term’s applicable tuition and accommodation fees
Any refund due will only be returned to the original fee payer by the original payment method. All refunds will be processed in line with applicable laws and legal restrictions.
When a student defers the start date of their studies and then subsequently cancels this will be considered as less than 14 days’ notice. Note that we will use the original date for the beginning of their studies when calculating the fees due.
4. WITHDRAWAL (AFTER STARTING STUDIES)
Once a student has commenced their studies, one full term’s notice is required for any withdrawal. Withdrawal from part of a term is not possible. If you do not provide us with this notice, we will charge both the current term’s fee and one term’s fees in lieu of notice. This clause applies to withdrawals from tuition and/or accommodation provided by the School.
If the Student wishes to change the accommodation at the School from a boarding to a day place (living in independent accommodation) or change the accommodation type (for example, from shared to single, or catered to self-catered) you must either give a term’s notice or pay us the difference between the fees in lieu of notice, at such rate as would have been charged for the final term of provision if a term’s notice had been given.
Any refund due will only be returned to the original fee payer by the original payment method and to the original bank account from where the payment was made. All refunds will be processed in line with applicable laws and legal restrictions.
If a student wishes to change their course of study, after starting their studies, the same notice provisions apply to any change in fees.
5. TRIPS, VISITS AND MEDICAL CARE
The Parent and Student confirm consent to participation in all School trips and activities on or off School premises, and agree to the provision of first aid or urgent medical treatment as necessary. Parents and Students agree that the School may administer any non-prescription medication or first aid as is deemed appropriate and to seek medical, dental or optical treatment when required. It is important that the School is made aware of any welfare, medical conditions, mental health issues or disabilities as soon as possible so that the Student can be cared for appropriately. It is therefore a condition of the Student joining and remaining at the School that a medical questionnaire in respect of the Student is completed and submitted during the application process. This includes the requirement to provide a full vaccination history. Parents and Students also agree to notify the School of special dietary needs, allergies or other medical conditions where special arrangements have to be made. The School must be notified of any changes to health, medical or other relevant information related to the student as soon as they occur.
If a student arrives at School with an undeclared pre-existing condition, we and/or the School reserve the right to terminate this contract and withdraw the student. By exception and where possible, we and /or the School may suggest the Student attends appropriate private medical or psychological assessment and/or treatment, prior to a decision to ask the student to leave the School and/or as a precondition of the student remaining at the School. Refusal to attend appropriate assessments and/or treatment will lead to an enforced withdrawal as outlined in clause 12.6. The cost for any such assessment and/or treatment will be met by the Parent. A withdrawal will be subject to fees in lieu of notice as set out in clause 8 above. We will not be responsible for any related or ancillary costs or losses incurred. Additionally, where the School finds a Students requires, or the Student or Parent requests, additional support in the classroom, in addition to any reasonable adjustments, a charge would normally be made to cover these costs.
The cost to see a private doctor or dentist, for routine or emergency treatment, can vary and can be requested via the School’s medical centre. The student will need to pay for these costs directly. Cancellation or withdrawal for medical reasons is subject to the notice periods described above.
If the School so requires due to a health risk either presented by your child to others or presented to your child by others or by reason of a virus, pandemic, epidemic or other health risk, you may be required to keep the student at home, or for the student to remain in boarding, until such time as the health risk has passed. Where it is considered appropriate, we will try to continue providing education to the Student remotely during such period (including, for example, by sending the Student work assignments electronically or by post).
Cancellation or withdrawal for medical reasons is subject to the notice periods described in Clause 8 above. We strongly advise taking out insurance that covers cancellation for protection in these circumstances.
6. DISCIPLINARY MATTERS, EXCLUSION AND ENFORCED WITHDRAWALS
The School operates a multi stage discipline system and will ensure Parents are made aware if a Student’s conduct in the School is a concern, as we and the School believe that the inclusion of Parents is the best route to address and improve Student behavioural issues. The Student must abide by the School’s rules as set out in the Student Handbook, Student Behaviour Policy and the House Rules (available in the residences) or as may be published or announced from time to time.
The School reserves the right to exclude a Student for: serious or persistent disciplinary or behavioural matters or if, in the reasonable judgement of the Principal, this is in the best interests of the Student, their peers, staff or the School; incidents of gross misconduct as detailed in the student handbook, including use, or threats of use of violence, drug or alcohol related offences, bullying or harassment, cheating and deception; persistent failure to attend lessons; failing to meet required academic standards; the Student or Parent misleading the School as to the Student’s qualifications, medical or psychological history, learning difficulties. It is therefore essential that all details or other information notified or otherwise disclosed to the School about the Student are accurate, truthful and not misleading and that relevant details and information (or changes to it) are not withheld; or failure to pay fees after receiving a final warning in writing.
If exclusion is necessary, arrangements must be made for the Student to leave the School at the earliest possible opportunity, and any Student. The School will be required to notify the relevant authorities if Students do not leave when requested to. Any relevant expenses incurred by the School to return the Student and their personal property shall become payable by the Parent. In the event of a Student’s temporary or permanent exclusion from the School, no refund will be made of fees due (whether paid or payable) and fees in lieu of notice will be charged in accordance with clause 8 above.
The School may carry out random drug and alcohol testing in accordance with the School’s Misuse of Non- Prescribed Drugs Policy.
Appeals can be made against permanent exclusion. Please see the School Student Behaviour Policy for information regarding the appeals process.
Instead of exclusion or suspension, the Head may at his or her discretion require you to remove the Student from the School if the Head considers that: – the behaviour or conduct of any parent, agent or approved host is unreasonable; and/or adversely affects (or is likely to adversely affect) the Student and/or other student’s progress at the School, and/or the wellbeing of School staff; and/or brings (or is likely to bring) the School into disrepute (among the School community or the general public); -the Student’s attendance and/or progress at the School is unsatisfactory and/or in the reasonable opinion of the Head, the removal is in the School’s best interests and/or those of the Student and/or other students;- the Student’s conduct or behaviour (including conduct or behaviour outside School), is unsatisfactory and/or the required removal is in the School’s best interests and/or those of the Student and/or of other students;- the School is unable to meet the Student’s needs, including cases where the School cannot reasonably accommodate adjustments or reasonably provide the nature or level of support required by the Student. If the school determines that an Educational Psychologist Assessment is necessary for us to determine if and how we can best support a student, then the assessment is mandatory and the cost of it must be covered by the Parent.
The School reserves the right to insist that a student temporarily or permanently moves out of boarding if the School deems it in the best interest of the student and/or other students and therefore Parents must have adequate contingency plans in place for such an event.
In the event of a Student’s enforced withdrawal from the School, no refund will be made of fees due (whether paid or payable) and fees in lieu of notice will be charged in accordance with clause 8 above.