Roots Tutor Online Tutoring
Terms and Conditions
IMPORTANT For the purposes of clarity ‘tutee’ in this document shall refer to client over the age of 18 and when under the age of 18 shall refer to ‘parent or guardian’
1. General
(a) A tutee who is under 18 years of age must have written consent from a parent or guardian to register and that parent or guardian must enter into any agreement with a tutor to provide tuition services. It is the responsibility of that parent or guardian to check the credentials of the tutor. Roots Tutor is not responsible for any disputes regarding parental consent or any problems that a tutee has experienced with a tutor.
(b) A tutee, or where relevant their parent/guardian, accepts that this contract for tuition services is with the tutor. Roots Tutor is not a party to such a contract and is not responsible for the performance of any obligations agreed or impliedly agreed through actions between the tutor and tutee.
2. Booking Details
(a) When a booking is made more than 24 hours in advance of the start time of the first lesson with a new booking tutor, a tutee has up to 24 hours before the first lesson is due to commence to pay the booking fee.
(b) When a booking is made within 24 hours of the start time of the first lesson with a new booking tutor, a tutee has up to 4 hours before the first lesson is due to commence to pay the booking fee.
(c) A tutee agrees not to make any agreement or arrangement with a booking tutor which is intended to circumvent the relationship between Roots Tutor and a booking tutor. The tutee also agrees that during the period of any tutorial engagement and for the period of six months from the conclusion of the tutorial engagement, the tutee will not book lessons directly with the booking tutor.
(d) By confirming the first lesson with a booking tutor, the tutee authorises the booking tutor and Roots Tutor to make further bookings on their behalf and authorises Roots Tutor to take the entire lesson fee from the payment details provided.
(e) When a booking is confirmed, a tutee enters directly into a contract with the booking tutor for the provision of lessons and Roots Tutor accepts no liability in relation to the booking tutor’s provision of lessons.
(f) A tutee must ensure that enough information is given to the booking tutor, including the correct address, to allow the lesson to take place. If a lesson is to take place at the tutee’s home, the tutee must ensure a suitable setting for the lesson.
(g) A tutee is responsible for checking that bookings made by a booking tutor or Roots Tutor on their behalf are done so correctly and understand they will be informed of these lessons by Roots Tutor via email.
3. Payment of Fees
(a) Payment will be made on a monthly /termly basis (to be agreed by both parties), to be paid by BACS transfer at least 24 hours prior to the first session of the month.
(b) Any fee increase will be notified to you at the start of the new academic year. (*See note below concerning refunds)
4. Cancellations by client
(a) A lesson may be cancelled at any point before the scheduled start time of the lesson. Cancellations made more than 24 hours before a lesson is due to commence will incur no charge. Where possible these lessons can be rearranged if both parties find a convenient time that week.
Bookings cancelled less than 24 hours before a Lesson is due to commence will incur a charge of 50% of the Lesson Fee.
If a lesson is cancelled less than 2 hours before the scheduled start time of a lesson Roots Tutor reserves the right to charge for the full lesson.
Lessons must be cancelled by contacting the tutor directly by their email, copying in Roots Tutor.
(b) One unarranged absence (such as sickness) will be refunded per term. After this, full fees will apply. This will only be the case if the lesson cannot be rescheduled during the week.
(c) Notification of arranged absences (such as holiday) must be given when the invoice is issued.
5. Cancellations by Tutor
(a) The Tutor agrees to provide tuition at an arranged weekly slot, with holiday dates given on a termly basis.
(b) If a lesson is cancelled by the Tutor, the lesson will either be rearranged to a time convenient for the tutee, or a full refund will be issued.
6. Late arrival
(a) In the case that a tutee arrives late for lessons, no adjustment to fees shall be made for time lost.
(b) In the case of late arrival by the Tutor, the tutee shall be compensated by a lesson extension until the lost time is accounted for. This time shall be added to the lesson in question or carried over to the next lesson, as agreed by both parties.
7. Technical Issues
(a) If a technical issue, or drop in connectivity occurs, and the session is deemed to be ‘incomplete’ the tutor may decide to offer and agree rescheduling of the session for another time with no requirement for additional fees.
8. Resources
Where applicable these will be emailed to the tutee. These should not be distributed physically or digitally for any means other than the use of the tutee.
9. Tutor Expectations
It is hoped that good concentration and behaviour will be encouraged during the on-line sessions. If appropriate, a sticker chart will be provided.
10. Safeguarding
(a) All necessary safeguarding procedures will be followed.
(b) A tutee, or where relevant their parents or guardians, are responsible for verifying the credentials, expertise, references, CRB checks and qualifications of any tutor with whom a contract is entered into. Roots Tutor does not offer any guarantee that any information provided on the Roots Tutor website is accurate and correct. (Please refer to Safeguarding Policy.)
11. Pupil Progress
(a) The learning process will be tailored and individually unique to the tutee’s needs. The process will be challenging, yet within the realms of what they can achieve. Wherever possible, the tutor will use UK National Curriculum descriptors, though they may be descriptors from years below (or above) their age-related expectations.
(b) The tutor will ensure that positive praise is given to any tutee for milestones – no matter how big or small. Custom-made reward charts or parental reward schemes can be used to positively reinforce these achievements. These can be sent to the tutee’s parents or be provided in digital format.
(c) While the tutor will endeavour to ensure that the tutee makes satisfactory progress, this cannot be guaranteed, and the tutor cannot be held accountable for the academic success or otherwise of the tutee.
(d) The tutor should be made aware of any SEN before tutor sessions begin and relevant assessments shared.
(e) Roots Tutor is not responsible for examination entry; this is the sole responsibility of the pupil.
(f) A tutee must not request a tutor to complete coursework, essays, or other assignments for them.
12. Lesson feedback
(a) As appropriate, feedback will be written and emailed to the parent/guardian/tutee after each session. Homework will be on request of the parent or guardian and can be arranged to be weekly or bi-weekly.
(b) Verbal feedback on the session may be requested by the parent or guardian. Please note this will be included within the duration of the session, so the tutor should be made aware of this at the beginning of the session.
13. Data Protection
(a) Any personal information, which means data provided from a tutee, parent or guardian can be identified, including names, addresses, e-mail addresses, etc., will be treated in accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under this Regulation, there is a legal duty to protect any information collected from you. (Please refer to GDPR Policy)
14. Recording and Social Media
(a) Sessions will not be recorded in order for there to be confidence that there is no digital storage of a tutee’s session. In some instances, the tutor may request a short video for promotional use on their social media page, but this permission will always be sought first.
(b) A Tutee must not publish any abusive comments about a tutor or another tutee on the Roots Tutor website or any other place, including social media platforms. This includes defamatory or derogatory comments.
(c) The Roots Tutor website must not be used for illegal, unlawful or prohibited purposes. This includes sending or posting junk e-mail or spam, publishing misleading, defamatory, indecent, obscene or advertising material, or send viruses and worms.
15. Refunds
If you become unhappy with the tutor sessions, after entering into a pre-paid period, you have the right to claim back a refund for the remaining sessions for that month.
15. Complaints
The Tutee should inform Roots Tutor of any complaint by either ‘phone or email within 48 hours of the scheduled finish time of the relevant lesson. The tutee will be charged the entire lesson fee and Roots Tutor will hold the payment until the dispute is resolved.