Manor School of Ballet

Terms and Conditions

TERMS & CONDITIONS AND POLICY STATEMENTS

All account holders must agree to these terms & conditions and policy statements under contract with the Manor School of Ballet when signing the agreement during the registration process. We regret that refusal to sign at the time of enrolling would mean non-eligibility to join.  You are contractually bound to these terms and conditions from the date that we issue your first invoice, after the trial period of two weeks.

Enrolment & Registration

The only exemptions made to enrolment & registration are scheduled drop-in classes where payment is made on the door and no contract is necessary.  A legal guardian is required to complete the registration process before the first trial class is taken and we have agreed to a designated class(es).  Any pupil arriving for classes who are not registered with the school will not be permitted into class.  Please note – once you have completed the enrolment process and started classes you do not require to re-enrol each term or for every academic year.  Your place is automatically guaranteed from year to year unless you provide us with a written withdrawal notice as specified in the ‘Withdrawal’ section below.  A valid email address for the main account holder is required.  This will be used by the school for all correspondence and invoicing.  Due to COVID-19 you agree to continue lessons on the understanding that some classes will remain on zoom until restrictions ease OR to allow us to stay open if another lockdown is imposed at which point all classes would move online.

Fees & Charges

Class fees must be paid in advance of the block start dates which are invoiced three times in the academic year.  This secures the pupil’s place in the school.  A late charge of £12.00 is added to any account that has caused us to issue more than one reminder and withdrawal from the school would follow shortly after with further non-payment.  Please note that this could mean re-joining the waiting lists.  A charge is added to any account where payment has been made by cheque and is subsequently returned unpaid from the bank (charges vary per bank).  Applications for examination, scholarships or performances will not be accepted unless class fees are paid up to date.  Class fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change.  A reviewed charge of 50p per class will be applied to your account for every face to face class to help cover the extra costs.

Absences from class

Absences are not credited when classes are missed, and notification is not necessary, however, long periods of long absence may be credited to your account for a minimum of three or more consecutive lessons, with written notification from the account holder to the school office prior to the absences.  Late notification submitted after absences will only be credited at the discretion of the School Directors.

Withdrawal

We require six weeks paid notice and written confirmation to the school office by the named account holder when withdrawing from any class. Avoidance of non-payment for accounts left open may be passed to debt collection authorities. The School directors reserve the right to withdraw any pupil from the school if deemed necessary and with reasonable cause.

Data Protection

Your address details, contact numbers and pupil particulars will be held securely in our online database at https://app.classmanager.com/portal/manor-school-of-ballet during the time you hold an active account.  It is your responsibility to inform the school office of any change to your details.  Details of our Privacy Policy can be found at http://www.manorschoolofballet.co.uk/privacy-policy/

Photographs & Video 

From time to time we may take photos or video footage during classes or at school performances.  Images and footage may be used on the school website and for marketing purposes.  Please write to the school office if you do not wish your child to appear in any school media.

Please note this would mean exclusion from participating in school productions as these events are recorded.

Holidays & Term Dates

The school year is divided into three blocks of twelve weeks.  As public holidays differ, we do not observe any of the Monday Holidays.  Holidays are taken at Christmas, Easter and summer and two mid-term holiday breaks of one week each in February and October.  Current term dates can be found on the school website and on your latest invoice along with any amendments.  Due to church commitments at our branch schools, it can become necessary to alter term dates from time to time and advance notification is usually given prior to the start of term.

School Closure

For health and safety reasons it may be necessary for us to close the school at short notice. This decision would only be taken in extreme circumstances, for instance, very heavy snowfall where roads and pathways may become dangerous. Notification will be made the main account holder by email/text message.  Please note on these very rare occasions classes will not be refunded and only if possible will be replaced later in the academic year. In the event of school closure due to direct instruction from government or health officials (e.g pandemic/epidemic), the school will not refund class fees in this event.

Safe Practice

Safe practice is conducted and expected in all our classes and pupils participate at their own risk.  It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian /guardian to inform the teaching staff of any injury or medical condition prior to participating in class if the information is not already supplied to the school office.

Property

Property and belongings are brought to and/or left at the school entirely at the pupil’s own risk.  We highly recommend that all garments are clearly named, and any valuables are taken into class and not left in the changing rooms which are not staffed.  The school will accept no liability for loss or damage to any property or belongings.

Application to Events

When pupils are due for examination or performance we will notify you in writing.  All our application letters have strict closing dates for entry.  These given dates are the last possible time that we will accept the application under any circumstance.  This is usually because we are dealing with large numbers of applicants and very tight deadlines.  It is your responsibility to make sure that any applications are returned on time.  Our staff will not be held accountable for any disappointment incurred.

Branch Schools

We have long term good relationships at all our rented accommodation where we operate our branch schools.  In addition to our own terms and conditions, we expect all our clients, pupils and parent/guardian s to adhere to the rules and regulations that may be set by the individual sites where we are guests.  Branch information is subject to change, but we will inform you of any important information through our newsletters, website, Facebook and Twitter.

Parking

Parking, dropping off and collecting pupils by car is not permitted in the grounds at any of our Edinburgh locations. These rulings are made by the individual churches who wish to protect their infrastructure. It is also considered a matter of safety where children are coming and going from classes. We will terminate any contract where this external request is being ignored. On-street parking is always available nearby and we request full co-operation at the times we are in residence.

Right to Work

All our staff and volunteers have the given right to work without the fear of abuse. Any person that behaves in a threatening manner or attacks our staff be it verbally or physically will be immediately asked to leave. We will not hesitate to report any misconduct and proceed to prosecute where necessary.

(Terms & Conditions reviewed and amended August 2020)


Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy Statement

The Manor School of Ballet recognises and acknowledges it has a duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring its safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice.  The school recognises that the welfare and interests of children are of paramount importance in all circumstances and will aim to ensure that all children & young people regardless of age, gender, religion or beliefs, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or social economic background:

1)    Have a positive and enjoyable experience of dance at The Manor School of Ballet in a safe, secure and friendly environment

2)    Are protected from abuse whilst participating in any of our classes, workshops, summer schools, birthday parties, shows or displays or whilst in our direct care. The Manor School of Ballet acknowledges that all children can be vulnerable to abuse and accepts responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare.

As part of our commitment to safeguarding children the Manor School of Ballet will:

1)    Promote & prioritise the safety & wellbeing of children & young people.

3)    Ensure that our staff are provided with regular child protection training & learning opportunities to recognise, identify & respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children & young people.

4)    Ensure appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents or concerns of abuse and support is provided to the individual/s who raise or disclose the concern.

5)    Prevent the employment of unsuitable individuals.

6)    Ensure robust safeguarding arrangements and procedures are in operation and are regularly reviewed.

The policies & procedures promoted by the Manor School of Ballet are mandatory for everyone involved in the school and failure to comply with the procedures will be addressed immediately without delay and may result in exclusion from the school. Policies are reviewed annually or in the following circumstances:

1)    Changes in legislation.

2)    With UK / Scottish government guidance.

3)    As a result of any other significant change or event.

(Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy Statement reviewed August 2018)