Terms & Conditions (PAIRED 2:1 sessions)

MRS BC’S TUTOR ROOM: TERMS & CONDITIONS

NB: These T&Cs will be deemed to have been accepted upon commencement of the in-person/online lesson dated XXXXX

Lessons and consultations (online or in-person at the tutee's home)

A parent/carer is required to be in the immediate vicinity for all sessions, whether online or in-person at your home. No tutoring will take place if it is clear that the child is alone or unattended. Please note: this does not mean that the adult must stay in the same room, just that they are available as a ‘chaperone’ if necessary.

Online lesson extensions will not be accommodated if a lesson is delayed due to the student's late arrival.
If I (Lynn Barnes-Cooper) am late to a session, you are entitled to the full 30mins/1hr (or timings agreed between us)

Lessons and consultations at Mrs BC's Tutor Room's business premises

For safeguarding purposes (both tutor and tutee) sessions at the business premises will be video recorded (see the Safeguarding Policy). These recordings are not for general viewing, do not make up part of the lesson packages and are only in place as a protective measure. They will not be used as part of any promotional materials or published in any way.
A parent/carer is not required to stay for the tutoring session:
IF STAYING you agree to:
- Allow the session to continue without interruption;
- Keep noise to a minimum; use earbuds/earphones if necessary;
- Not to make or take phone calls in the Tutor Room.
- Not to bring siblings of the tutee with you - only 1 parent/guardian to accompany the tutee.
IF LEAVING THE TUTEE AT THE BUSINESS PREMISES you agree to:
- Keep your phone turned on and at a clearly audible level in case I need to contact you in an emergency;
- Arrive back at the premises in good time to pick up your child. Although I can accommodate occasional lateness, persistent occasions will be charged in 15 minute increments of the full hourly cost.
- Take siblings of the tutee with you - they cannot be accommodated on the premises.
If attending Saturday Tutor Room, sessions will continue for the first Saturday of each state school break/holiday (half-termly or termly). Subsequent Saturday sessions of that break would not be scheduled, or can be rescheduled according to mutual availability.
Some parents choose to stay in their cars during the session. Please do not leave your engine running or play loud music as the area is a quiet, residential one.

Online only

All online sessions take place via Zoom. Please check that your hardware and software meet basic minimum requirements before booking lessons or inform Mrs BC’s Tutor Room if there are technical problems.
Students and their parents will receive a short, emailed report after each lesson, containing a summary of the material covered, progress update and homework set ahead of the following lesson.
All online sessions will be recorded for safeguarding of both tutee and tutor (aside from where any unforeseen malfunction of the recording equipment occurs) and store these recordings for a minimum of 28 days and a maximum of 1 year. These recordings remain the property of Mrs BC’s Tutor Room. These recordings will not be made available to the tutee as a part of the tuition service.
Mrs BC’s Tutor Room may review any Online Lessons at any time for the purposes of improving service or where a Complaint or Safeguarding Report has been made.
In most cases, students will be set a homework task relevant to their level. To make the most of lesson time, it is essential that students are encouraged to complete homework in a timely manner.
Test papers can be included in the following ways: a) to be administered as part of homework and marked before the next session; b) to be administered during the paid session with each question examined as part of test-technique learning. Marking of test papers is to identify gaps in learning only and is included in a 1-hour session INSTEAD OF homework marking. Extensive marking of test papers is not included.

Materials and equipment

For both online and in person sessions, students will be expected to have writing materials with them when they attend lessons (pen and paper or other means of recording information).
If specialist books or set texts are required for a student's particular course, I will make the student and their parents aware of this as soon as possible. I will be able to recommend where books should be purchased from, and, wherever possible, efforts will be made to source online versions of the necessary texts.
COURSE MATERIALS WILL BE PROVIDED IF AGREED.
Worksheets/test papers will be provided for in person, online and homework purposes.
Concrete materials (eg. Numicon, Dienes, Base 10 blocks for mathematics) will be provided, as required, by the tutor for both online and in person teaching.

Prices and payment

For paired 2:1 tuition sessions, a price will be agreed between Mrs BC's Tutor Room and the client prior to the first paid session (and noted in the header of these Ts&Cs) .
One parent/guardian must pay for tuition sessions on behalf of both tutees 48 hours BEFORE each individual lesson or, if they would like to make a block payment, at the beginning of each block. LESSONS WILL NOT COMMENCE UNLESS PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE. (please also see 'cancellations')
Split payments are not accepted (please also see 'cancellations')
There is no difference between prices of online or in-person sessions: the cost of an in-person session includes fuel/travel costs; the cost of an online session includes the increased time for the extra lesson resource preparation necessary to facilitate online learning along with any associated hosting costs.
For clients requesting consultation packages, an estimated fee will be given at the beginning of the process. If the eventual fee will differ from this, the client will be informed in good time. Clients will receive an invoice for consultation packages after their final consultation session. Payment should be made within fourteen days of receipt of the invoice, or before the start of the first session, whichever is soonest.
I accept payment in GBP via online BACS transfer or Standing Order.
All fees are subject to revision from time to time; reasonable notice will be given to clients at the time of any such revision.

Missed lessons and cancellations (normal circumstances)

If one student misses a session due to illness, the other student must take the hourly session at its normal hourly rate (or increments of if sessions are longer or shorter) for the service being provided. This rate will have been stipulated upon commencement of tuition.
If both students miss a session for any reason, then the missed session will be charged IN FULL at its normal hourly rate for both students (known thereafter as 'at 2:1 rate') or increments of if sessions are longer or shorter, for the service being provided. Further sessions will not continue without this payment.
If a lesson is missed and I have not been informed, the client forfeits the lesson fee for both students IN FULL (at 2:1 rate) - it is fully chargeable and no refunds are given.
Clients will be informed in good time of any expected holiday dates or times of unavailability (these will generally be in line with Birmingham Authority holiday dates).
Clients wishing to cancel a block of lessons after they have paid will not receive a refund.
Please note that there is a *2-cancellation limit per **term for sickness absence where the other student would be liable for the individual fee. Sessions will be payable IN FULL (at 2:1 rate) for both students from the third missed sickness absence session onwards for Student 1 and, separately, for Student 2.
Cancellations for anything other than illness must be paid for IN FULL (at 2:1 rate). Unpaid missed sessions will result in a suspension of services until payment has been made. Sessions will be terminated if payment for missed sessions is not received within 5 working days of the missed session.
If your child needs to re-arrange their lesson due to school or extra-curricular commitment, family commitment or for any other reason, payment for their session (at 2:1 rate) will still be required 48 hours before the session is due to take place.
Additional holiday sessions are for sessions IN ADDITION to term-time sessions. They cannot be booked in lieu of missed term-time sessions.
School events or other arrangements such as holidays are not considered ‘unavoidable’.

*In the event of more than 2 cancellations per term, fees will not be returned or carried over unless the lesson is re-scheduled.

**Term Dates: For these purposes, term dates are the dates stipulated by Birmingham Authority. Independent School tutees will follow these dates for the purpose of tuition at Mrs BC’s Tutor Room. These dates are loosely defined as: Term 1: September 1st – Christmas; Term 2: 1st January – Easter break; Term 3: End of Easter holidays – Summer break. Lessons during school holidays are negotiable; ‘no-notice’ cancellation fees apply once booked.

Missed lessons and cancellations (Covid-19 related)

Mrs BC's Tutor Room will not tutor either at the tutee's home or at Mrs BC's Tutor Room's business premises if the either the tutee, any member of the tutee's household , or the tutor has Covid.

Lessons can move online if the tutee/tutor is well enough.
Lessons can be cancelled if the tutee/tutor is not well enough to attend an online session. Rescheduling will be offered if at all possible. Fees may still be payable if cancellations have previously been excessive.

School Holidays:

• Please note that Mrs BC’s Tutor Room will be closed during Christmas breaks (after the first Saturday of that break).

• If you arrange to continue lessons during the holidays and then change your mind, cancelled lessons will be charged unless reasonable notice (2 weeks) is provided. Holiday sessions booked under the appointment system (where only a limited number of appointments are available) are non-refundable.

• If you take a term-time family holiday, please give as much notice as possible – no less than 2 weeks.

My commitment: Cancellations will only happen when absolutely necessary. Should I need to cancel a session then the session will not be charged and your session fee (if already paid) will be carried over to the following session.

Thank you in advance for your support in this matter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask for clarification.

Termination of Services

Should the client or tutor wish to terminate services, it is preferable that as much notice be given as possible. For the purposes of the agreement, a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice must be given; unless:
Termination of Services can begin immediately if there is mutual agreement between tutor and client.

Professional guidance

Students/Parents should specify their level and/or desired examination board (if required) prior to their first lesson.
I will use the free 20-minute consultation to talk through the needs and expectations of the student prior to the first paid tuition session. If the first tuition session, after the free consultation, is required to further assess the tutee, this will be charged at full price.
Initial testing can be done as homework but it will not be marked until at least one lesson has been booked and paid for.
All advice and information given is based on my professional research, knowledge and experience. I remain informed of the latest updates regarding education best practice and use the most recent information available to guide my clients.
Every effort is made to work with the student and their parents to achieve their desired goal. However, I am unable to guarantee that a student will meet a particular grade, pass entrance examinations or receive an offer from any particular grammar school. If, in the case of 7+ and 11+ tuition, a student is consistently underperforming or I think that entrance into 7+ or 11+ examinations is unrealistic, I will do my best to manage expectations and keep the student and their parents informed of my professional opinion.
I have an Enhanced DBS Certificate on an update service which can be viewed by clients on request.

Privacy and data protection

The information stored by Mrs BC's Tutor Room is in accordance with the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR (2018).
I only collect information that I need.
I keep this information secure and confidential.
I ensure that all information is relevant and up to date.
Mrs BC’s Tutor Room reviews retention periods for personal information on a regular basis. I currently hold information for a period of 6 months (180 days) after tuition ceases, deleting all files and data at the passing of the 180th day. IF YOU CHOOSE TO REQUEST A SERVICE AT A LATER DATE, I WILL NEED TO RE-RECORD YOUR DETAILS.
You can see the information that I hold about you on request.
Any Zoom video taken according to Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Safeguarding Policy and Terms & Conditions is currently kept for between 28 days and 1 year.
Photographs of any work that the tutee has produced may be used on my website (www.mrsbctutoring.com) or on my Facebook page (mrsbc1/Mrs BC’s Tutor Room). Any details/images of the tutee will not be included unless previously agreed.
I may take a screenshot from any of the online sessions to use on my website, Mrs BC’s Tutor Room, or the associated Facebook business account. Any faces/identifying features in the tutee's room will not be visible unless you give specific permission. Participants will not be named. unless permission is given.
Should YOU wish to take a screenshot to use publicly, you should also make sure that no faces or identifying features of pupils from other families - or of myself, Lynn Barnes-Cooper - are included. It has become apparent that some people have used images of teachers in a manner that is harmful and even illegal. I do not give permission for my face, body, any image of my person or for any recording or clip of my voice to be used on social media, or in any other digital media or printed material. This extends to, but is not limited to, using any image of mine to be taken wholly or partially and inserted into another video/meme/background. I will seek legal advice if any of this is not adhered to, no matter how long after the initial event. Please understand that this is to protect my own reputation as well as insisting upon the highest levels of safeguarding for the children I am tutoring.

I will not willfully pass any information about you to third parties for the purposes of personal gain.

Instances when personal data may be shared

Third party businesses who process payments on our behalf.
Third party businesses who help us develop our business, inform our marketing strategy, and maintain our website with relevant services (eg. Wix, Facebook)
Third party businesses who provide cloud storage services (eg. Zoom, Microsoft).
Third party businesses who provide communication software we use to contact you in accordance with this Privacy Policy (eg. Google).
Another organisation if we sell or buy (or negotiate to sell or buy) any business or assets.
Mrs BC’s Tutor Room will disclose your information if required to by law. We may disclose your information to enforcement authorities if they ask us to, or to a third party in the context of actual or threatened legal proceedings, provided we can do so without breaching data protection laws.

Many thanks

Mrs BC’s Tutor Room

Lynn Barnes-Cooper (January 2024)