Terms & Conditions – Fees, Attendance, Cancellations and Refund Policy
1. Payment
All group and private lessons must be paid for in advance. A place on a course can only be guaranteed once payment has been received or another payment arrangement has been agreed with the school.
2. Lesson Blocks
Lessons are purchased in blocks. Unless otherwise agreed, payments are made in blocks of at least 12 lessons for weekly group classes, Saturday group classes and private lessons.
3. Group Lessons
Students pay for a place on a group course, not for attendance at individual lessons. Group lessons run on consecutive weeks during the relevant term. If a student misses a lesson for any reason, including work commitments, transport disruption, illness, holidays or adverse weather, that lesson cannot be rescheduled, credited or refunded.
4. Private Lesson Cancellations
Private lessons may be cancelled or rescheduled provided the school receives at least 72 hours’ notice. Cancellations made with less than 72 hours’ notice will be charged in full.
5. Holiday Notice
Students will not be charged for lessons during planned holidays (including half-term or summer holidays) provided the school receives written notice (by email or another method accepted by the school) at least three weeks before the first lesson to be missed. If sufficient written notice is not given, the student will remain liable for all scheduled lessons during that period, as the school continues to operate throughout the year.
6. Holding a Place in a Group
We can only guarantee a student’s place in a group if payment has been made in advance. Students who intend to return after a holiday should pay for their next block of lessons before their holiday begins. Otherwise, their place may be offered to another student.
7. Refund Policy
Payments for lesson blocks are non-refundable once the course has started, except where required by law or where the school is unable to provide the course for which the student enrolled. Students who choose not to attend lessons, stop attending, or fail to use their lesson credits before the expiry date are not entitled to a refund, credit or extension unless agreed by the school in writing. Changes in a student’s personal circumstances, work schedule, travel plans or availability do not entitle the student to a refund.
8. Validity of Lesson Credits
Lesson blocks must be used within the validity period communicated to the student when the lessons are purchased. Lesson blocks are purchased for use within a specified period and are not a monetary credit held indefinitely. Any unused lessons remaining after the expiry date have no cash value and cannot be exchanged for cash, transferred to another person or used after their expiry date unless the school agrees otherwise in writing. Any extension granted is entirely at the school’s discretion and shall not create a precedent for future requests.
9. Attendance
Students are expected to attend lessons regularly in order to follow the course effectively and make satisfactory progress. Private students may cancel lessons in accordance with the 72-hour cancellation policy above. Frequent absences may negatively affect a student’s progress but do not extend the validity of lesson credits.
10. Length of Group Lessons
The duration of group lessons depends on the number of students enrolled:
- 2–3 students: 1 hour
- 4–5 students: 1.5 hours
- 6 or more students: 2 hours
11. Renewal of Lesson Blocks
Students should pay for their next block of lessons before attending their final paid lesson. Failure to do so may result in their place being offered to another student.
12. Acceptance of These Terms
By making payment for any course or lesson block, students confirm that they have read, understood and accepted these Terms & Conditions.
13. Governing Law
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
14. Translations
If you require these Terms & Conditions in another language, please let us know.
Portuguese: Por favor, informe-nos se precisar destas regras noutra língua.
Italian: Per favore, informateci se avete bisogno di una traduzione di queste condizioni.
Spanish: Por favor, infórmenos si necesita estas condiciones en otro idioma.
German: Bitte teilen Sie uns mit, wenn Sie eine Übersetzung dieser Bedingungen in eine andere Sprache benötigen.
French: Veuillez nous informer si vous souhaitez recevoir ces conditions dans une autre langue.
15. Changes to Bookings and Exceptional Circumstances
The school understands that unforeseen circumstances may occasionally arise. Any exception to these Terms & Conditions, including extensions to the validity of lesson blocks, changes to booking arrangements, refunds, credits or any other goodwill gesture, is granted solely at the school’s discretion, must be confirmed in writing and shall not create an obligation or precedent for future requests.