TERMINOLOGY

‘ECHO’ and ‘school’ mean Montesmoore Ltd., trading as ECHO Language School.

‘Client’ and ‘you’ mean the parent or legal guardian of a student enrolled on a course at ECHO, and any responsible adult or agent they may delegate to make the booking on their behalf.

‘Student’ means the person attending a course at ECHO, as named in the enrolment form sent on booking.

All courses booked at ECHO by the client shall be subject to the following:

INFORMATION

1. The client shall provide all such information as may be necessary to enable the school to make a fully informed assessment of its obligations as far as the provision of accommodation, care, food and tuition to the attending student.
2. This must include all relevant medical and dietary information, and any other circumstance that is relevant for ECHO to carry out its duty of care towards the student properly.

CHARGES

1. Any client who has not paid the deposit on booking, or full fees at least four weeks before the beginning of the course, does not hold a booking with the school. A booking is not valid until confirmed by ECHO.
2. Claims for reductions or discounts under any scheme must be made at the time of reservation.
3. Account facilities, including payment on arrival, will only be granted by special arrangement in advance.
4. ECHO reserves the right to withhold or withdraw account facilities at any time without notice.

ATTENDANCE

1. We expect every student to be punctual, attend all lessons and do their homework.
2. We keep attendance registers.
3. If a student misses a lesson, regardless of the reason, we cannot give a refund or allow the student to take the lesson at another time.

CONDUCT

1. ECHO reserves the right to refuse admission to any student or to dismiss any student from school in the event of misconduct. ECHO expects students to adhere to the school’s standards and rules.
2. ECHO reserves the right to adapt and change its rules of conduct at any time and without notice in order to ensure the well-being of all its members.
3. ECHO reserves the right to cancel, curtail or alter in whatever way necessary, any course without refund in the event of a student’s breach of these conditions.
4. We expect students to behave reasonably at all times towards other students and school staff and to respect cultural, racial and religious differences.
5. We expect all students to uphold the core British values of democracy, individual liberty, tolerance, and the rule of law.
6. Students who break British law, do not obey the ECHO rules, repeatedly misbehave, do not follow the instructions of ECHO staff or otherwise disrupt or adversely affect the smooth running of the programme may be asked to leave immediately.
7. If the student is refused admission or dismissed for misconduct, no fees will be refunded.
8. If the student is dismissed, the client will arrange transport home for the student at the earliest opportunity and pay for all costs involved, including transfers from the school to the point of departure from the UK. Until that moment, ECHO will act in accordance with its Safeguarding Policy and duty of care to all the students at the school, including the student who has been dismissed.

CANCELLATION BY ECHO

CANCELLATION BY THE CLIENT

1. If you wish to cancel your booking you must give notice in writing. Cancellation will be effective on the date received by ECHO. Cancellation fees will be charged as follows:

1. Within 14 days of booking: no fee. ECHO will return all fees paid, including the deposit.
2. More than 30 days before arrival: loss of deposit.
3. 30 days or fewer before arrival: full fees.

2. If you have booked and paid through a representative, any refund will be made to the representative.
3. If the student has to stop his or her course early, the fees are non-refundable under any circumstances. Should an airport transfer be necessary, ECHO will require a notice period of 24 hours which takes effect from the time ECHO receives the notification. Full transfer costs must be paid by the client.
4. We are unable to offer credits to students who leave early.
5. Fees are non-transferable. This means you cannot transfer your fees to another client or student.
6. ECHO will give a full refund of the course fees to any client who is unsuccessful in a visa application, dependant on receipt of written evidence. Where we receive this evidence, the refund will be paid to you within four weeks of your providing us with bank details and signed authorisation that the refund should be paid to that account.

MEDICAL

1. ECHO accepts students on the assumption that they are in good health. The client agrees to inform ECHO when completing the enrolment form if the student suffers from any pre-existing medical condition, disability, allergy or learning difficulty.
2. The client agrees that any medication brought to ECHO will be given to the Centre Manager on arrival.  ECHO shall only accept responsibility for medicines which are licensed in the UK, prescribed by a doctor and which are accompanied by an English translation. Such medicine will be properly stored and administered by the Centre Manager or any authorised person who is expressly appointed to administer medicines by the Centre Manager.
3. ECHO First Aiders will administer common medicines such as paracetamol or throat lozenges as necessary, unless you advise us not to.
4. In case of emergency, students are taken to the nearest Accident and Emergency Unit, where the treatment is initially free (this may not include emergency treatment if admitted to hospital).
5. The client authorises the ECHO Directors, ECHO Centre Manager and ECHO Designated Safeguarding Lead to consent on their behalf to the student receiving emergency medical treatment including blood transfusions, general anaesthetic and operations where certified by an appropriately qualified person as necessary for the student’s welfare and if the client or parent cannot be contacted in time.
6. In the event of illness or injury, ECHO will follow the advice of the attending medical consultant unless advised otherwise by you.
7. Students may be charged for a medical consultation.
8. Clients should ensure eligible students travel with the European Healthcare Insurance Card (EHIC). All treatment that is medically necessary before an EEA visitor’s planned date of return is covered as long as they have a valid EHIC. An NHS medical professional needs to make a medical decision on this. In other words, an EHIC covers treatment which cannot wait until the patient’s return to their home country.
9. The EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance.  It will not cover any private medical healthcare, being flown back home, or lost or stolen property.  Therefore, we recommend additional private travel insurance (see point 11 below). For more information, click here. ECHO arranges travel insurance for all students participating in courses with us: click here for details. Please read the details carefully, as you may wish to take out further cover.

10. If you are visiting England from a non-EEA country, even if you are a former UK resident, you need to ensure you are covered for healthcare through personal medical or travel insurance for the duration of your visit (see point 11 below).  If you need NHS treatment and you have not arranged insurance, you will be charged at 150% of the standard NHS rate. You will need to pay in advance the full estimated cost if the treatment you need is non-urgent, otherwise the treatment will not be provided.  Some NHS services or treatments are exempt from charges, so that they are free to all. For more information, click here

LIABILITY 

1. ECHO Language School will be liable to the client and/or student undertaking a course for injury to persons or loss or damage to property only where and to the extent that it has been proven negligent, but otherwise will be under no liability to them whatsoever.
2. The client will make clear any requests regarding restrictions to the student’s participation in activities.
3. The client will be liable for any loss or damage to ECHO or to properties ECHO makes use of or to any objects found within these places or belonging to them, including walls, doors, furniture, appliances, books and any private property.
4. If a bedroom is shared by two or more students and ECHO cannot ascertain who is responsible for damage caused therein, costs will be shared equally between the occupants.
5. The client will be liable for injury the student causes to any person and shall indemnify ECHO against any loss or liability resulting therefrom.
6. ECHO does not accept liability for losses or additional expenses a student might incur because of cancellation or delays to their travel services.
7. We recommend that all clients take out insurance before leaving their home country (see point 10 above).

COMPLAINTS

1. Any complaint should be brought to the attention of the Centre Manager immediately so that a satisfactory resolution can be found.
2. If the client or parent would like to make an official complaint, they should request a copy of the ECHO Complaints Procedure.
3. All complaints will be fully investigated following our Complaints Procedure, providing that:

1. The complaint is made while the student is attending our school.
2. The complaint is registered in writing with the Centre Manager.
3. All invoices relating to the student making the complaint have been settled in full.

We do not accept complaints received after the student has returned to their own country.

VALUABLES AND PROPERTY

1. On arrival, students will be asked to hand in their airline ticket, passport, any medication, and all cash.  These items will be kept in a safe at the school, and given to the student when required.
2. Pocket money: we recommend £70.00 and no more than £100.00 per week to cover incidental expenses.
3. If extra pocket money has to be transferred during the course, any costs, such as bank charges, will be paid by the client.
4. The student should not bring any valuable possessions to ECHO. If the student does bring a valuable item with them, they are responsible for the security and safety of that item. There are no lockable cupboards or safety boxes in the bedrooms.
5. ECHO does not accept liability against theft or loss of property in our safekeeping or in any other locations.
6. Any student found in possession of unsuitable items will have them confiscated.
7. We reserve the right to search a student’s room and belongings in the event of suspected theft, or in any other reasonable circumstances.

PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL, PHOTOGRAPHS & FILMING

1. ECHO staff or their representatives will take photographs and videos during our course activities and excursions which we may use for promotional purposes on our website and social media pages, in publicity materials and in the press.
2. Only pictures of students in appropriate dress will be taken; for example, staff are not authorised to take pictures of students at poolside.
3. No clues as to the identity of the student will be visible in the image.
4. Images will be securely stored and used only by those authorised to do so.
5. Parental consent for the use of photographs of under 18s is required by law, and should be either given or denied in the space provided on the enrolment form at the time of booking.
6. We will not publish photographs of any individual students whose parents have not granted us consent to do so. We will edit group photographs so that the images of students whose parents have not given us consent are unrecognisable.

TRANSPORT

1. ECHO does not accept responsibility for expenses due to transport delays or anything else beyond our control.

TRANSFERS

1. The course confirmation will include a Flight Information Form which includes a request for flight details which the parent must complete and return to ECHO a minimum of one month before the arrival date. Upon receipt of the completed form, ECHO will send email confirmation. The client understands that:

1. It is the client’s responsibility to check the confirmation letter carefully and let ECHO know of any errors or changes.
2. The client must ensure that the student travels with a copy of the confirmation letter.
3. ECHO will endeavour to reduce costs by organising shared taxis whenever possible, but students may be placed in a taxi alone with a driver, who may be male or female. All drivers have been vetted for working with children. If a taxi is to be shared, drivers will meet the first arrival and wait with them for no more than one hour in order to meet further arrivals.

EXAMINATIONS

1. Students requesting to take the Cambridge First must be a minimum level B2.
2. Students requesting to take the Cambridge Preliminary must be a minimum level B1.
3. Exam certificates will be sent to the parent; the cost is included in the exam fee.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

1. We keep students’ information in electronic and paper format.
2. Some of the personal information a student supplies will be passed on to the airport taxi service.
3. We must give information to the UK Borders Agency, if required to do so under UK law.
4. In order to fulfil our obligations to the student and, in some cases, to the British authorities, it is necessary for us to see and copy the student’s passport or ID card (and visa if applicable), and to have contact details of their next of kin in their country. The client therefore agrees to provide these details and keep them up to date if they change.
5. Clients are reminded of the need to disclose medical information about the student to the school when the application is made.
6. By accepting these terms and conditions the client accepts our right to use their children’s personal information in this way.

GENERAL

1. The client shall not be entitled to utilise the school’s facilities or name, other than for the purposes arranged directly with the school.
2. Whilst ECHO Language School has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the information contained in its website, brochures, tariffs, leaflets and advertisements is accurate, it reserves the right to alter, substitute or withdraw any facility or amenity or adapt any course without notice where thought necessary.
3. No variation of these conditions shall be effective unless in writing and signed on behalf of both ECHO Language School and the client.
4. This agreement shall be subject only to the laws of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

PARENTAL DECLARATION

ANY ENROLMENT BY A PARENT OR GUARDIAN AUTOMATICALLY SUPPOSES THAT THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN READ AND AGREED TO.

As the parent, guardian or legal representative of a child under 18 years of age whom I wish to enrol at ECHO Language School, I understand that I am bound by all the terms and conditions which are outlined above and which are clarified below specifically as regards an unaccompanied minor.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

ECHO has a duty of care towards students under 18 and I agree to accept any decision made by ECHO or its agents in the interests of the health or safety of my child (including any emergency medical treatment they may think necessary or desirable) and to reimburse them for any reasonable extra costs they may thereby incur.

I agree to give ECHO full information and instructions about any medical condition from which my child may be suffering at the commencement of the course.

I realise that ECHO makes every effort possible to separate children with the same native language,

but that this is not always possible and any arrangement made by ECHO is subject to seasonal enrolments and availability.

I understand that although all activities are carefully supervised, ECHO accepts no responsibility for loss or injury unless proven negligent. I will make clear any requests regarding restrictions to my child’s participation in activities outside the school at the booking stage, and thereafter will inform ECHO in writing about any further restrictions I consider appropriate.

DISCIPLINE

I understand that ECHO has a responsibility towards all its students and to the local population, and I agree to accept any disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the course, taken by ECHO against my child for misconduct or breaches of ECHO rules that threaten the success of the course or the well-being of the local community or the general public.

DAMAGE

I agree to indemnify ECHO against all reasonable costs arising out of accidental or deliberate damage caused by my child which cannot be recovered by ECHO through its own insurance policies