Terms and Conditions at ABC School of English

General Information

The reception is open between the hours of 10.00 and 16.30, classes run from 10.30 until 16.20 Monday to Friday, except public holidays (see price list for details of public holidays and the school’s website for the latest opening hours). Beginners’ classes start on Mondays depending on demand.

Students are advised, before paying, to confirm that classes at their level and preferred times are available. The maximum class size is 14. Each Callan Method lesson includes a 10 minute break.

The general English lesson has a 15 minute break. Students are strongly advised to organise medical and cancellation/curtailment insurance before travelling. This is especially important following the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABC School of English primarily caters for students over 18 years old. Whilst we welcome students who are under 18, they will be placed in classes with adults. Consent forms must be signed by parents/guardians for all students under 18 and all students are asked to sign in and out at reception. The minimum age is 16. Please note that students aged under 18 are supervised in lessons and on class excursions only. There is no supervision during break times.

Enrolment

To become a student of ABC School of English you must:

Complete an online booking form in full or register directly in the school.
Pay registration and all applicable fees in advance. The course fees are valid only for the person, course and dates specified in the booking form.

All students are required to present their passport, valid visas and boarding pass if applicable, when enrolling on any course. A copy will be retained by the school.

Once enrolled, students are bound by the terms and conditions of ABC School of English. It is important that all students read and understand the following terms and conditions; students experiencing difficulty in understanding should seek advice from the reception.

Registration and Tuition Fees

Payments can be made (in £ sterling) by:

Cash – we only accept cash when paid in person. Please do not send cash through the post.
Credit/debit card - we accept all major credit and debit cards (not American Express).
Bank transfers – all charges incurred when paying by this method must be met by the student. Students will be billed for any outstanding charges on the first day if necessary. Sufficient time should be allowed for receipt of payment. This can take up to two weeks.

Registration fees are non-refundable. There is no reduction in fees where there is a UK public holiday. No extensions to courses are possible by additional fee payments. Any extensions will be treated as a new course booking, no additional registration fee is payable.

The registration fee includes: a level test, all first letters, a receipt, a certificate. We reserve the right to apply a £5 charge for additional letters due to changes in information.

Registration and tuition fees do not cover the following: accommodation, text books, external examination fees, stationery/photocopies, insurance, travel costs, leisure program activities (unless advertised as free) and bank charges.

The school reserves the right to exclude students from the class if they refuse to buy a course book.

Payment of course fees must be received before any enrolment documents are issued. All letters and documents should be requested at least one working day prior to collection. Letters and certificates will not necessarily be issued to students who have not paid, or those who have not attended to the required level of 80%.

Personal information/GDPR

Upon payment, the student agrees to the keeping of personal records on the school’s secure computer system. The student will be required to provide the school with their personal information and it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their personal information is updated in the event of any changes. No personal information is ever passed to a third party without the student’s consent unless we are required to do so by law.

By registering with the school, you are agreeing to us using your picture in our social media. If you do not wish to be included, you must notify us of your decision in writing.

Students will be added to the school’s general mailing list to receive updates on the school and our programmes and the online student practice area (where applicable). Students may unsubscribe from these services at any time by contacting the reception.

If the student has enrolled via an agent, the student permits the school to release their attendance records to the agent and/or parent/carer if their attendance falls below 80%.

Students and/or parents are reminded of the need to inform the school of any important medical information about the student when the application is made and to enquire prior to enrolling whether the school and accommodation facilities are suitable for the individual’s needs.

Free trial Lessons

We offer free trial lessons; except for those booking through agencies – please see the school’s web site for full details. Trial lessons are not available in July and August.

Level test/classes/enrolments

All new students and those returning after a period of absence are required to take a level test. For full details of what to expect during your lessons please refer to your welcome letter and the student’s handbook.

Enrolments

Once a student has started their course, no change of enrolments are permitted, except in cases where there is an increase required in the number of lessons.

The school reserves the right to alter, cancel, combine classes or merge small classes when necessary and to change teacher/class allocation when appropriate. The times and duration of courses may also be altered should the need arise. The school cannot guarantee the time and/or location of a student’s course although every effort is made to satisfy the student’s requirements. Students will be placed in a class of the appropriate level as ascertained by the level test or as deemed necessary by the teachers.

The school reserves the right to transfer students from one class or course to another, including transferring to online lessons, or from one time of study to another.

One-to-One lessons

All fees must be paid in full in advance. The school reserves the right to appoint and rotate teachers. Cancellation is as follows:

Cancellation up to 14 working days before start date: course fees will be refundable.
Cancellation fewer than 14 working days before start date: course fees are non – refundable.
Cancellation on or after start date: course fees are non-refundable.

The registration fee is non-refundable. All lessons are subject to availability of teaching staff and may be cancelled or postponed at short notice. Teachers may also be substituted at short notice. Students are expected to arrive on time as the school will not extend the teaching time due to late arrival.

Attendance

All students are expected to attend all of their classes. Any absences should only be for authorised holidays. Courses will not be extended due to illness, unless certified by a UK GP and at the discretion of the school. Students who fail to attend their lessons for five consecutive days, without prior authorisation, will automatically be removed from the class register. There is no guarantee that they will go back to their original class upon their return. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the school of any absence. All lessons missed due to unauthorised absence will be lost.

Students who do not attend for three consecutive days may receive an email from the school asking about the absence.

Punctuality/attendance

Students are encouraged to arrive for their lessons on time. Late arrival in the classroom is disruptive to the entire class. Students are reminded that they might not receive an attendance for the class if they arrive late or leave early. Students who are more than 10 minutes late may not be permitted to enter the classroom, they may be asked to wait in the reception for their next lesson or a break. No refunds or credit will be given in such cases. If a student is persistently late to classes, the student may be excluded from the course and no refund of tuition fees will be made as a result. For full details please refer to student handbook.

Visa students will be deemed to have abandoned a course if their attendance is unsatisfactory (below 80%). Poor attendance may affect holiday entitlements and refunds may not be considered in cases of visa refusal due to unacceptably low levels of attendance. For full details, please see student’s handbook

Examinations

All examination fees are in addition to school fees and examination classes are subject to a supplement payment. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that exam fees are paid on time. Examination fees are non-refundable. For the latest fees, students are advised to check the school’s website.

Holidays

All holidays must be arranged at least one week in advance with reception and must be for a minimum of five working days. The holiday must start on Monday and finish on Friday in order for credit to be given to the student. The school cannot guarantee that returning students will be placed in the same classes that they were in prior to their holiday, although every effort will be made to do so.

The holiday allowance for all students is two weeks for every twelve weeks of paid lessons (for full details, please see the school’s price list). Students are not entitled to take a holiday until they have studied for a minimum of six weeks. For full details of holiday entitlement see the school’s price list. School holidays are included in the students’ holidays. The school reserves the right to refuse or cancel any holidays for students whose attendance falls below 80%

Accommodation

The school uses accommodation agencies to provide accommodation. Students are required to complete a booking form in order for the school to arrange accommodation. Students are advised to arrange their accommodation well in advance, especially during the busy summer period, namely July and August. Bookings are only confirmed upon receipt of full payment.

There is a £50 non-refundable finding fee on each booking. The school offers homestays, apartments and house shares as well as halls of residence.

The cancellation policy for accommodation differs depending on the residence selected. You will be informed of the applicable cancellation policy when your residential option is confirmed.

Complaints – all complaints are dealt with quickly and efficiently, and if necessary, students will be offered alternative accommodation. For full details please see relevant accommodation information.

Refunds and cancellations (non-applicable to visa students/agencies’ bookings)

If you decide to cancel your course before you arrive, the following fees will be payable:

Cancellation up to 14 working days before start date: course fees will be refundable.
Cancellation fewer than 14 working days before start date: course fees are non- refundable.
Cancellation on or after start date: course fees are non-refundable.

Registration and accommodation finding fees are non-refundable.

Accommodation: two or four weeks of accommodation cancellation fees are payable depending on the type of accommodation booked. Students are advised to read the terms and conditions of their chosen accommodation option as the cancellation conditions might vary.

Even in the case of cancellation caused by ill health of the student, family member or travelling companions the above is applicable. Students are, therefore, strongly advised to take out insurance against such occurrences. Students are also advised that their belongings are not automatically insured against theft, loss or damage and should therefore take out personal/travel insurance.

If applicable, the school requires written notice in the event of the student having to cancel accommodation/course, prior to arrival in the UK. This can be done by email. If the school has not been notified in writing, no refund will be considered.

Visa students’ refunds

Fees for visa students are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to other students, except where a student’s visa has been refused and written evidence from the British Immigration Authorities is produced.

Students/agents (representing students) will not receive a refund if they simply change their minds, withdraw their application, provide false documentation or information either to the school or when applying for their visas, apply for the wrong visa or where documentation shown to the school is not consistent with that used to apply for the visa. No refunds will be made in the event of any fraudulent activity.

The school must be informed of any visa refusal before the starting date of the course. If the school is not informed, the student will lose all lessons up until the time we are informed of the visa refusal.

Students must apply for the refund, up to a maximum of one month from the date of the visa refusal to be eligible for any refund. The school reserves the right to request original enrolment letters before any refunds can be made, if deemed necessary.

No refunds will be given if a student is granted a visa/entry to the UK and then decides not to attend the school, or if the school suspends the student from the course due to non- attendance, poor attendance or unsatisfactory behaviour. No refunds will be given if a student has given false or misleading information, has not complied fully with the police register requirements or has tried to use ABC School to enter the UK illegally.

Once the start date has been agreed and an enrolment letter issued, the course date will not be moved forward, but may be postponed in the case of a visa refusal or Embassy delays. Visa students who are enrolled on Callan Method courses may be moved to traditional method classes, and vice versa, if we feel this would be beneficial for them. Charges will apply.

ABC School accepts no responsibility for visa refusals, and no compensation will be given. All refunds for visa students are subject to a £150 administration fee. If a student with leave to remain in the UK travels out of the country during their course and is refused re-entry, they will not qualify for a refund under our visa refusal policy.

No refunds are given to agency students, except in the case of visa refusal – see above, or if the agency or student has been involved in any fraudulent activity.

All refunds will be made via the original method of payment and can take up to one month from receipt of the documentation to process. Any bank charges incurred for a refund are paid by the student.

If a student is dismissed for unacceptable behaviour or poor attendance, no refund will be considered.

Where lesson fees are paid by a third party, a refund or course transfer can only be made with the written consent of both parties who must present themselves at the school with the appropriate identification. Fees will only be refunded to the payer.

We do not refund or exchange books unless they are faulty. Examination fees are non- refundable.

In extenuating circumstances, there may be occasions where we will offer credit to a student. Credit can be used for any available courses to the same value and must be used within one year of the issue date.

Government imposed restrictions

In the unlikely event of any further government imposed lockdowns/restrictions, denying access to the premises, all courses will move online.

Students under 18

According to British Law everybody under 18 years of age is considered a child. ABC School of English primarily caters for students over 18 years old and whilst we welcome students who are under 18, it should be understood that we do not provide 24 hour supervision. We do not accept students under the age of 16 on any group courses. Students under the age of 18 will study in multilingual classes with adults. Students under 16, but not younger than 12, are only accepted as closed groups. All staff are DBS checked (Disclosure and Barring Services).

The school provides accommodation for students under 18, and for welfare reasons, these students must be placed with homestay families. Students placed in homestay accommodation will be subject to designated times to return to their homestay in the evening. The school does not provide accommodation for individual students under the age of 16. The school will liaise with all adults who might be in contact with under 18’s, including admin staff, teachers, homestay hosts and group leaders, if applicable. Parents, legal guardians or their nominated representatives will be asked to be in touch with the school and provide a 24 hour contact number and full address in London.

If alternative accommodation is arranged privately, the school will require full contact details and consent to travel.

The school will provide a 24 hour emergency number and the host’s full details. A consent form for independent travel must also be signed. If alternative accommodation is arranged privately by parents/guardians, the school will also require full contact details and consent to travel.

The school’s social programme is not specifically designed for students under 18. Certain activities however, may be suitable and students will be advised if there are any social events for under 18s during their stay. It should be noted that students attending any social events are expected to arrange their own travel home. We strongly advise all students under 18 to return to their homestay with a friend or by authorised taxi, especially if during the evening. Students should always have sufficient money to pay for lunches and for transportation in and around the city.

ABC School recognises its responsibilities with regards to students under the age of 18 and is committed to a practice which protects children and young adults from harm. The schools Child Protection Policy is available upon request.

Photographs and Filming

Classes cannot be filmed or recorded in any way, including audio only, without the permission (in writing) of either the Principal, Academic Director or Reception Manager.

ABC School may use film or still photographs of students for promotional purposes.

Students (or their parents if they are under 18 years of age) must inform the school in writing before the course starts if they are not happy for such images to be used.

By accepting these Terms and Conditions you accept our right to use your personal information in this way.

Complaints

If at any time during the course, a student feels the need to complain, they should speak to a member of staff in the reception or post the complaint in the feedback box.

The school welcomes constructive comments; all complaints are taken extremely seriously and dealt with in a discreet manner.

For full details of our complaints’ procedure please refer to student’s handbook. We do not consider complaints received after the student has returned to their own country.

Liability

ABC School of English, its employees and representatives accept no liability for personal injury and/or loss of or damage to personal property whilst on the school’s premises, whether by fire, burglary, theft, evacuation or otherwise. This condition also applies to public and private places when students are attending school trips, excursions or social events. The school is not responsible for the safe keeping or delivery of any post or parcel sent to the students at the school’s address. The school takes no responsibility for any item, such as suitcases and other luggage left in the reception for safekeeping.

Further information

Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the school building. Students wishing to smoke may do so outside the front of the school. However, consideration must be shown to other students and staff leaving and entering the school, as well as customers of the premises downstairs. Cigarette ends should be discarded in an appropriate manner. Whilst eating in the classrooms between lessons is generally permitted, students are asked to be considerate and leave the classroom in a clean condition. Fresh drinking water is available to all students free of charge from the water cooler situated outside the reception. Toilets are located on the first and third floors of the building. Students are asked to show consideration to others by leaving the toilet in a satisfactory, clean and pleasant condition. Any faults with the toilets should be reported to the reception immediately. The school reserves the right and retains copyright to all promotional photographs which may be taken of students on its premises. For security purposes, students are reminded not to leave bags, suitcases etc unattended around the school.

Force Majeure

ABC School of English is not liable for failure to perform its obligations if such failure is as a result of Acts of God (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane, infectious diseases or pandemics or other natural disasters that are beyond the reasonable control of the parties), war, invasion, act of foreign enemies, hostilities (regardless of whether war is declared), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power or confiscation, terrorist activities, plane or vehicle crashes, nationalisation, government sanction, blockage, embargo, labour dispute, strike, lockout or interruption, failure of electricity, internet or telephone service, or any other circumstance beyond its control. Refunds will not be made in such circumstances.

Disclaimer

ABC School of English makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all printed and promotional material, and all information is correct at the time of printing. The school reserves the right to change information at any time and will endeavour to give sufficient notice of such changes. Our promotional and marketing material is meant for illustration purposes only and does not constitute any contractual agreement between the school and any other person.

Lastly, in all cases the decision of the Principal of ABC School will be final and binding.

You can download this information in the link below.

Terms and Conditions