Terms and Conditions – Group Bookings – Junior Courses

A: Confirmation of Bookings

A1: Bookings are reserved when the School receives a completed booking form. To be “complete” the form must include, as a minimum:

• arrival and departure dates;
• number of nights of stay;
• type of accommodation and course chosen;
• number of students, group leaders and any other members of the group.

A2: Bookings are confirmed when the School receives payment of the deposit set out in the group proposal/agency agreement.

A3: Cancellations

The following charges will apply in the event of cancellation

B: Enrolment - Prior to Arrival

B1: Group/Agent Responsibilities. Groups or their agents MUST supply the School with all the relevant information required for each member of the group. This information includes:

• parental consent forms
• online test submissions
• age
• gender
• special dietary requirements, including details of any allergies and intolerances
• special medical requirements, including any special needs provision

Failure to provide accurate or incomplete information may cause unnecessary disruption to the planning of classes, activities and/or accommodation.

B2: Broadstairs English Centre Undertakings. The School will use the information supplied by the group to plan classes, activities and accommodation.

B2.1: Classes are planned taking into account:

• student ages
• student levels
• types of courses booked

B2.1.1: Ages

Students booked on junior courses must be under-18 years of age, or attending the same school as the other members of their group if they are 18 years of age or older. All students (including any who are 18 years of age or older) are considered to be juniors if they are booked on a junior course, and are expected to adhere to the rules set out for junior courses.

In classes, British Council regulations state that students under the age of 16 must not be classed with students who are 18 years of age or older.

B2.1.2: Levels

Student levels will either be provided by the group/agent or determined using the School’s placement test. Classes are built using the data collected from the group/agent and/or the placement test. Maximum class size is usually 16. However, the School reserves the right to exercise its discretion when placing groups who arrive at the School with student numbers that are slightly over “ratio”: i.e. 17 students may be placed in one class; 35 students may be placed in two classes; etc.

B2.1.3: Types of courses booked

The mixing of nationalities in classes may be requested, but cannot be guaranteed. Factors that may allow for but may also block mixing of nationalities include:

• which other group(s) (if any) is/are booked at the same period
• the type of course(s) booked by the groups at the time
• the ages and levels of the students in question

The School runs classes both in the mornings and the afternoons. The distribution of classes is shown on the activity programme allocated to each group. The number of classes in the course is set out in the initial booking proposal.

B2.2: Activities are planned taking into account student ages and the types of courses booked. The School runs activities in the mornings, afternoons and evenings and at the weekends. The distribution of activities is shown on the activity programme allocated to each group. The number and type of activities in the programme is set out in the initial booking proposal.

B2.3: Accommodation is either with homestay providers or in the School’s residence.

B2.3.1: Students are accommodated in homestay accommodation taking into account:

• student ages
• student genders
• special dietary requirements
• special medical requirements
• requests and preferences

British Council regulations state that:

• no more than four students may be accommodated in the same homestay accommodation at the same time
• students under 16 will not be housed with students who are 18 or older
• no more than two students will be housed in the same room, unless agreed in writing by the School and the agent/group (on behalf of the students concerned) (If you have requested students to be in groups of 3, please be aware that they may all be housed in one room.)

The School will not normally place students of different genders in the same homestay accommodation.

The School will take all reasonable steps to assure that special dietary and medical requirements are catered for in homestay accommodation. It is the responsibility of the agent/group to provide full details of any such requirements well in advance of the group’s arrival. Information must be given to the accommodation officer at least one month before the date of arrival.

Students who require self-administered injections must bring their own sharps box for safe storage and disposal of used needles.

Students will not be given any medication by School staff or homestay providers.

Parents who wish their child to be given medication whilst at the School must provide a written statement requesting this provision and detailing the exact procedures to be followed.

In the case of emergencies, the School understands that parents give their consent for emergency treatment to be given at the discretion of the School. IF PARENTS DO NOT WISH TO GIVE THEIR CONSENT FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT TO BE GIVEN, THEY MUST INFORM THE SCHOOL IN WRITING PRIOR TO THEIR CHILD’S ARRIVAL AT THE SCHOOL.

The accommodation officer will take requests and preferences into account, but cannot guarantee that any requests or preferences that are outside of the general terms of the booking agreement or group proposal will be met.

B2.3.2: Students are accommodated in the School residence taking into account the same basic factors as with homestay accommodation. Students of different genders are housed on different floors within the School residence and students of different genders are not allowed to enter the dormitories of the opposite sex. The School provides at least one full-time member of staff as a supervisor when the residence is in use.

Group leaders will be placed in residential accommodation in the ratio of 1 leader for every 15 students. Group leaders outside of this ratio cannot be guaranteed residential accommodation – they will be placed in homestay accommodation or a guesthouse with no supplement OR if preferred and available, at a supplement of £60/night.

A damages deposit of £200 will be required by each group staying in the residence. A damage check will be carried out by a member of BEC staff and a group leader on the first day of the group’s stay and again on the last day. Any damages caused by students must be paid for. The cost will be deducted from the deposit. Should the costs exceed the deposit, the balance must be paid before departure.

C: Complaints and Remedies

C1: Student/group complaints

If any student (or group leader) wishes to make a complaint, they should follow the School’s Complaints Procedure. All students are given information about this procedure as part of their welcome pack in their first lesson (or their induction in the case of courses without lessons).

C2: Broadstairs English Centre complaints

If the School finds the conduct of any student (or group leader) to be unacceptable they will follow the School’s procedures with regard to student conduct.

Students may be moved from a homestay provider to a different homestay provider, if the homestay provider is unhappy with the conduct of any of their guests.

If the School finds the conduct of any student to be either illegal, threatening or in some other way unacceptable, the School reserves the right to remove that student from the course. In such a situation, the group is responsible for arranging for the student to return home, at their own expense. No refund will be given if a student is asked to leave a course because of poor behaviour.