Terms & Conditions

for online tutoring

Updated 27/11/2024

  By booking and paying for the services Little Edventures Tutoring provides, I confirm I have read, accepted and will comply with these terms and conditions in full.

By booking online tuition, I confirm I have a reliable internet connection. 

I confirm that I have the necessary hardware required in full working order and that all software required is the most up-to-date version and is installed and working. I confirm my child has the basic computer skills necessary to take part in the tuition sessions. 

The hardware required is a working personal laptop, computer or Ipad.

The software required is Zoom. 

Other materials required are a whiteboard and pen or a pencil and paper.

Cancellation policy for individual tutoring sessions

My cancellation policy is strict and I do not issue refunds. Instead, you will be offered an alternative session to make up for a maximum of 1 missed session per month.  

For more than 1 missed session a month I will, at my discretion, offer alternative sessions to make up for any sessions that are missed (for whatever reason) although I cannot guarantee to do this.

To cancel tuition sessions, please email the cancellation to sophie@littleedventurestutoring.com. You don’t need to give a reason, although please do so if you wish. 

The date and time stamp of the email will be the time the session is officially cancelled. Cancellation by email is the only accepted way to cancel. 

Phone calls or text messages or any other form of communication cannot be accepted as formal cancellation of the session. 

Any internet, power, hardware or software failures outside of anyone’s control (tutor or student family’s), including at any point while a lesson is taking place,  cannot be accepted as reasons to give credits or refunds for tuition in addition to the policy below.   

Please be aware: children will not be admitted into unpaid sessions. It is the responsibility of the booking adult to make sure sessions are paid in advance. 

If the responsible adult/parent/carer has to cancel a tutoring session

If the responsible adult/parent/carer gives less than 24 hours’ notice, or no notice at all including failure to join the session (a “no-show”) for whatever reason, the tutoring session will be charged at full price and no lesson credit or refund will be given.

If the responsible adult/parent/carer gives more than 24 hours’ notice

for whatever reason, up to 1 session per month may be cancelled, and a lesson credit will be given so one online session can be credited on the following months

If tuition does not continue to the next month, no make up session or refund will be given. 

For more than 1 session that is cancelled per month, I will, at my discretion, offer alternative sessions to make up for any sessions that are missed (for whatever reason) although I cannot guarantee to do this.

If the tutor has to cancel a tutoring session

I will try to let you know with as much notice as possible, but if something happens at very short notice resulting in me cancelling, I cannot guarantee the cancellation notice period.  If I have to cancel, I will offer you an alternative, make-up tutoring session. No refunds will be given. 

Cancelling the tutoring contract to end tutoring completely

If you as the parent or carer wish to cancel the tutoring contract,  you may cancel it at any time in the current paid period so the contract does not renew for another 4 week period. You do not need to give a reason for cancelling, although it would help if you can tell me why you are cancelling. Please send an email to this address sophie@littleedventurestutoring.com to cancel your contract. Cancellation by email is the only accepted way to cancel.  Phone calls or text messages or any other form of communication cannot be accepted as formal cancellation of the contract. If you cancel and your child is unable to join the remaining paid tutoring sessions, no make-up sessions, no lesson credits and no refunds will be given. 

If the tutoring sessions come to a natural end when your child has completed their time working with me, the contract automatically ends and you do not need to cancel. If you have set up automatic payments, it is your responsibility to cancel them. 

In the case of adverse or extreme circumstances, I as the tutor reserve the right to cancel the tutoring contract with immediate effect, without a notice period and without giving a reason. Refunds or reimbursements of any kind for outstanding tutoring sessions are not guaranteed.

Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 you have a 14-day cooling-off period with the right to change your mind and cancel this contract completely within 14 days of the start date. Please do that by emailing sophie@littleedventurestutoring.com. An email to this address is the only accepted way of cancelling.    

Lateness policy

If the student is late to the tutoring session I will wait for 5 minutes after the start time of the lesson, then send a reminder and a link to join the session. I will then wait another 10 minutes and cancel the session if the student does not arrive.  If the student arrives late, the lesson will not extend beyond the regular finish time to make up for the student’s lateness - it will be a shortened lesson. If the student is late, the tutoring session will be charged in full, and no make-up lesson will be offered and no lesson credit given.

If the tutor is late to the tutoring session

In the unlikely event that I am late, I will do my best to inform you as soon as possible and I will arrange with you to either extend the session or  offer a make-up session, whichever option you prefer. No refunds will be given. 

Obligations of the responsible adult during tutoring sessions

For safeguarding reasons, a responsible adult must be within sight and sound of the tutoring session at all times. The tutoring session may not be privately recorded or photographed. The responsible adult who books tuition or is in charge of the child during online tutoring sessions confirms that before each online tutoring session:

• the child will be able to work in a quiet place without interruptions for the duration of the tutoring session 

• the child comes rested, settled and not hungry or thirsty to the tutoring session

• the child understands they may not drop in and out of the session and they have to stay for the whole session

• the child understands they need to behave cooperatively. If the child behaves in a way that is not conducive to learning they may, in extreme circumstances, be removed from the session  

• the child has the required equipment (pencil, paper, etc) requested by the tutor

• people other than the child will only join the tutoring session with the prior agreement of the tutor

• equipment (computer, microphone, etc.) will be prepared and working before the session starts

• the internet connection and power supply will be checked and working before the session starts

• all software will be available in its most up-to-date form

Progress updates

I will update you on your child’s progress every 8 sessions by email with a report based on the objectives of the British national curriculum (which are relevant to international settings) and I will let you know  if I feel we need to meet and discuss your child’s progress. If you need to arrange a meeting with me, please do so with at least 24 hours’ notice by contacting me here sophie@littleedventurestutoring.com. 

Safeguarding Policy

Little Edventures Tutoring makes safeguarding a top priority. 

The purpose of this policy is to confirm

• I am committed to protecting the children and young people who receive my services from harm

• I will respond to any allegations or any concerns relating to the welfare of the child or young person for whom I provide tutoring services 

• I hold a current, enhanced DBS check that is renewed annually. A copy is available upon request.

• I will never directly contact the child or young person outside of the tutoring session, and I expect all communication to be via the parent/carer, including exclusively via the parent/carer’s email address and phone number.

• I undertake certified safeguarding training with a reputable provider (I use the NSPCC training https://learning.nspcc.org.uk) at least every two years to keep up-to-date with safeguarding protocols and best practice 

If a student tells me that they or another child is being abused, I will: 

• show that I have heard what they are saying, and that I take their allegations seriously

• encourage the child to talk, without prompting them or asking them leading questions. I will not interrupt when a child is recalling significant events and will not make a child repeat their account

• reassure the child that they can tell me anything that is worrying them, but that I cannot promise not to tell anybody because some things have to be passed on in order to keep them safe

• explain what actions I must take, in a way that is appropriate to the age and understanding of the child

• record what I have been told, as soon as I can, using exact words where possible

• make a note of the date, time, place and people who were present during the disclosure. 

I will contact the relevant local safeguarding authorities. 

If I am concerned that the child is in immediate danger, I will call the police. 

It is not my responsibility to attempt to investigate the situation myself.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Little Edventures Tutoring take data protection very seriously and make it a top priority with reference to:  

• The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which went into effect on May 25, 2018 and 

• The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) which went into effect on January 1, 2021.

The information I hold will be:

• the name and address of parents/carers

• the name and date of birth of the child

• email address of parents/carers

• phone number of parents/carers

• SMS messages, direct messages, emails messages or messages on others apps or platforms we choose to use

• assessment information from the introductory session

• payment and billing information 

• documentation, for example school reports, assessments, tests, other school communication or communication from relevant professionals connected to the child that parents/carers choose to give me

For safeguarding reasons, I do not hold the contact details (phone number, email address, etc) of the child or young person I tutor, as all communication must be via the legally responsible adult (parent/carer). 

I can confirm that the data you provide Little Edventures Tutoring with is held securely. Any paper documentation is stored in a lockable cabinet. Your data will not be used for anything other than the functioning of the services we provide. We will never give or sell your data to any third parties for any reason whatsoever. The only times we will share your information are: 

(1) to disclose information in the case of a safeguarding issue, or 

(2) because you ask us and give us permission to share information with someone else, such as your child’s school. 

We hold your data until the tutoring contract finishes, when we will delete all electronic records and return any paper documentation to you. There are exceptions to this:

1. Any data related to safeguarding, accidents or incidents must be held until the child turns 21 years and 3 months of age. 

2. Contracts, consent forms, information sheets, invoices and payments must be held for 7 years. 

We may ask you if you would like to opt in to receiving communication from us once the tutoring contract is finished so we can keep in touch.   

Little Edventures Tutoring is registered with the Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner, jerseyoic.org. 

I, Sophie Hamon-Cole, am the registered Data Protection Lead..

For all data protection matters, please contact sophie@littleedventurestutoring.com

Disclaimer:

I will work to the best of my abilities with your child to ensure their progress, but I cannot guarantee that they will pass any tests, exams or checks, formal or informal, or reach any levels of achievement that have been set, either formally or informally. Be assured that if, in my professional opinion, another kind of help alongside or in place of tutoring is in the best interests of your child, I will ask for a meeting with you to advise you.     

In case you are dissatisfied with my service, please talk to me first so we can resolve the situation discreetly, professionally and to your satisfaction.