MENDIP PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY
TERMS & CONDITIONS

Payments

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GoCardless

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Our preferred payment method is a completely secure online direct debit system called ‘Go Cardless’.  Upon joining us, you will be sent a payment link to your email address and your child’s place is secured once we receive confirmation that the direct debit mandate has been completed. 

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By signing up to GoCardless we assume you wish for your child to join the academy, and you consent to us taking payment for the term in which you have agreed to join us.  Please don't sign up to GoCardless unless you are happy for the term (full or installment) payment to be taken.  Once payment is taken it is non-refundable.  For all other payments (for example uniform) we will only take a GoCardless payment on your request.

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All payments made to us for any class, workshop, taster session or activity are non-refundable. 

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Your child's place at the academy is not secured until payment has been made and your space has been confirmed.  Please do not continue to attend any further classes until this has been confirmed.

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We offer the option for payment either per full term or monthly (installments of 4 payments per published term) – but the commitment for the Minis and Midis classes is strictly for the full 11 or 12-week term.  Please see 'Cancellation' below for full details.

 

Your child(ren)'s space at the academy is on a 'rolling' term to term basis.  You must provide us with one month's notice, prior to the start of the next term, to remove your child(ren) from the academy for the following term.  Failure to do so will incur a cancellation fee of £50.

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If you cancel your direct debit before the full term payment has been made, without prior consultation and permission, an administration fee of £20 will be added to your remaining account balance to cover the time and system fees incurred.

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We reserve the right to pass unpaid debts onto a third party for collection if necessary.

 

Duty of Care

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We take our responsibility to keeping children safe very seriously and please be assured that your child will be in excellent hands whilst at the academy.

 

Mendip Performing Arts Academy is not a childcare provider, so whilst we will take the utmost care of your children whilst they are with us, the ultimate responsibility for their overall welfare remains with a parent or carer.  We have an ‘open door’ policy with all our sessions and whilst we encourage parents of Minis and Midis to leave the students to work with us, for vulnerable students, one parent/carer per student is permitted to stay.  

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Some of our sessions can have as many as fifteen students to one adult group leader, so if you are unsure how your child will cope in terms of physical and emotional independence, we advise you stay to observe the student's first session.

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The responsibility for whom your child is dropped off and collected by, lies with the parent/carer. 

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We take no responsibility for the presence of a child or individual in our classes until they have been announced to the class leader and are marked as ‘present’ on the weekly class register.  Our responsibility for a child or individual starts at the beginning of their scheduled class, workshop or session time and ends at the end of their scheduled class, workshop or session time.

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We do, of course, take safeguarding and our duty of care extremely seriously and we have a safeguarding policy that can be viewed by contacting the Principal via email (MendipPerformingArts@Gmail.com).

All staff and volunteers are enhanced DBS checked and we are fully insured.

 

Health, Safety and our Code of Conduct

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We have a code of conduct which can be viewed here, and this must be adhered to at all times.  Consistent failure to adhere to our code of conduct may result in sanctions, the most severe of which being expulsion from the academy.  In the event of expulsion from the academy no refund for any fees or money paid will be due.

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We accept no responsibility for injury that may occur from wearing jewellery, incorrect footwear or clothing.  The responsibility for ensuring appropriate, and safe, attire lies with the parent/carer or student, and our uniform rules and guidance can also be found in our code of conduct.

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We have a health and safety policy which can be accessed by contacting the Principal via email

 

(mendipperformingarts@gmail.com)

 

Complaints

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If you have a formal complaint, please initially put this in writing to Rosie Skinner, Principal.

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We will do our utmost to remedy any complaint informally wherever possible – but if this is not possible, we will refer to our complaints procedure, which can be accessed by emailing us (mendipperformingarts@gmail.com)

 

Cancellation

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If we can run a class via an online video platform, this option will be offered, before class cancellation.  This may happen in the case of adverse weather, pandemic or national/local lockdowns, non-availability of our usual hall or space or any other circumstance, likely outside of our control, whereby the class leader is well enough to lead a class, but it cannot be offered ‘in person’ (for example quarantine or isolation).  There will be no full or partial refund if a class can still be offered online.

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If a class leader is unwell and there is no virtual option or alternative teacher available, the class will be cancelled and rescheduled if possible - or refunded as a last resort.

 

We reserve the right to cancel or change a class at any time, without notice, in these such circumstances.  Class cancellation will be communicated via the ‘Facebook Hub’ and email or phone.

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We reserve the right to change the location of a class if necessary, at any time and without notice, should our usual venue no longer be available.

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We do not offer a cancellation policy for students once you have signed up for the full term appropriate to the age of your student.

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If a student is unable to attend a session for any reason that session is unfortunately forfeited.  No refund or additional class or service will be offered.

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We offer one taster session for our Mini’s and Midi’s classes, but once you have committed to join us, the commitment is for the remainder of the published term or block for that particular class. 

 

Should you choose to withdraw your student prior to the end of the term, you may do so, but a refund will not be provided, regardless of how many sessions the student does or does not attend.

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If you or your child attends a taster or drop-in/workshop session prior to committing to the 12 week term, please use the drop in/workshop or taster session to ensure the session is the right choice for you and your child.

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Your child(ren)'s space at the academy is on a 'rolling' term to term basis.  You must provide us with one month's notice, prior to the start of the next term, to remove your child(ren) from the academy for the following term.  Failure to do so will incur a cancellation fee of £50.  Once the term has begun if you have not given notice, the full term fees are payable. 

 

Privacy and Data Protection

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All data is stored in line with GDPR regulations.  We do not pass your details to any third party under any circumstance. We may, from time to time, email you to advise you of workshops, special offers or other relevant information in relation to the academy. 

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We will predominantly use your contact details only in relation to your child’s classes and other Academy business. 

 

We may occasionally use your contact details to advise you of appropriate new classes, holiday workshops or other services or products the academy sells - but we will never pass your details to a 3rd party.

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Please email

 

mendipperformingarts@gmail.com

 

to request a copy of our privacy policy, or to opt out from communications.

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By enrolling yourself or your child in our academy, or by attending a taster session or workshop you agree to, and understand all of the above terms and conditions.

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