The Learning Community

 1. The Learning Community is The Learning Circle or TLC run by The Mindful Learning Project.

 2. The Educators are those who offer education and pastoral support for the students.

 3. TLC Meeting means the democratic assembly of staff and students acting collectively with respect to the policies, rules and regulations and general conduct of TLC.

 4. The Parent/s are those who have parental responsibility for the student. We see parents as important partners in the children’s education and communication is key to having a positive relationship with TLC. Parents are encouraged to give their support and encouragement to the aims of TLC and constructive criticism is always welcome.  

 5. Our Aims: The aims of TLC are described on the website. We are committed to high standards of learning and care. Students learn to exercise responsibility in their own choices of activity, and in their participation in the government of TLC.

 6. Changes at TLC: A successful community must initiate and respond to change. The offer of a place and its acceptance are given on the basis that, in the interests of TLC as a whole, reasonable changes may be made from time to time to these standard terms and conditions, to the curriculum the structure and composition of classes the way TLC is run, to the rules and disciplinary framework, to the length of TLC terms and TLC day and to any other aspect of TLC. Fee levels will be reviewed each year and there will be reasonable increases from time to time. If the ownership or legal status of TLC changes, TLC’s rights and obligations under these Terms and Conditions will be deemed assigned to the new entity. Parents would be consulted and/or given adequate notice of any significant proposals or change of policy likely to affect TLC community as a whole.

 7. The Standard Terms and Conditions: The rules about change and about notice and fees in lieu of notice and the other rules set out below are provided in good faith. They promote the stability, forward-planning, proper resourcing and development of TLC.  They help also to protect parents from increases in fees and liabilities caused by the defaults of others. Any waiver is effective only if given in writing by TLC personally. The Fees List, as varied from time to time, is part of these Terms and Conditions. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects the statutory rights of parents.

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Care and Good Discipline 

1. Attendance: When a student is absent, the parents must tell TLC or the teacher.

2. Behaviour policy: Parents agree to follow the behaviour policy of TLC as approved by TLC democratic meeting.

3. Conduct of TLC: The Lead Teacher, under the instructions of TLC Meeting, is responsible for the education of students while they are in the charge of TLC or its staff and for the day to day running of TLC and the curriculum. The Lead Teacher, under the instructions of TLC Meeting, is responsible also for the imposition of any sanction including exclusion for non-payment of fees, suspension during investigation or following a breach of TLC discipline, and removal or expulsion under clause 6 below. 

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Admission and Entry to TLC

 1. a) Registration: Students will be considered as candidates for the admission and entry to TLC when the Registration Form has been completed and returned to us and the returnable deposit fee paid. Admission and entry will be subject to the availability of a place and the student satisfying the admission requirements at the time. TLC operates an equal opportunities policy. 

 2. b) Offer of a Place and Deposit/s: If, in due course, a place is offered, the deposit/s are set out in the Fees List as varied from time to time. The Acceptance Deposit will be repaid by means of a credit without interest to the final payment of fees or other sums due to TLC on leaving. Until credited it will form part of the general funds of TLC.

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Fees and Extras

Items Covered: Fees cover all educational activities organised during the learning day. They do not cover books and stationery. 

Payment of fees and extras: Each invoice must be paid before the first day of term if paying termly or in a three month installments, if paying monthly. A student may be excluded from TLC at any time when fees are unpaid and will be deemed withdrawn without notice 28 days after exclusion. (Then a term’s fees in lieu of notice will be payable). TLC is agent only in respect of any goods and services which are supplied by a third party via TLC to students or their parents. 

Fees will not be refunded or waived for an absence through sickness; or if a term is shortened or a vacation extended; or for any other cause except at the sole discretion of TLC. 

 1. Responsibility for payment: Fees are the responsibilities of each person who has signed the Registration Form, whether this be the parent, guardian or an institution (e.g. L.A. or school) which is taking responsibilities for the fees.

 2. Payment of fees by a third party: An agreement with a third party to pay the fees or any other sum due to TLC does not release parents from any liability under these terms and conditions unless an express release has been given in writing  and signed by the bursar of TLC who reserves the right to refuse a payment from a third party. All such payments received are accepted in good faith. 

 3. Late Payment: The right is reserved to make late payment charges composed of simple interest calculated on a daily basis at 1.5% per month, from the first day of each term, and are unpaid by the due date. It is agreed that late payment charges should reflect the commercial rates that would be applied by a financial institution in a case of unauthorised and unsecured borrowing. Such charges will be recoverable by action if presented immediately and will not be considered as payment until cleared. Any sum tendered that is less than the sum due and owing may in any event be accepted by TLC on account only. The contents of clauses 3 and 4 of these terms and conditions are intended to protect those parents who pay fees on time and to safeguard TLC against consequences of the defaults of others. 

 4. Installment arrangements: An agreement by TLC to accept payment of fees by standing order or direct debit or any other arrangement for payment of fees by installments is concessionary and will cease automatically in the event of any default for 30 days or more on ceasing, the full amount of fees then due shall be payable forthwith as a debt and interest will start to accrue.

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Deposits.
We want our learning provision to be as flexible as possible to adapt to children’s and parents’ changing needs. In our model children can choose the number of days, parents can choose their fee tiers and payment plans.
This means a lot of work for our invoicing department to manage all of the variables. Our deposits change according to the number of days, payment plan and fee tier a child is on.
When a student increases their days, there is an increase in the fees and by consequence the deposit will need a top-up.
If this deposit top-up payment is more than £120, you will have the option to spread the cost up to 3 months.
This will appear on the following 3 month’s invoices.
Every term we do an inventory of deposits to make sure they are up to date with the latest fee, fee tier and payment plan.  If there has been any change we will contact you about it by email and then put it on the bill for the start of the following term.

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Try out fees are published on the website.
If your child is already a student with us and you wish to try out a new day, that is charged at the try out day fee.

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Transition fees

If your child is transitioning from one group to another this is not counted as a try out but a transition.
Therefore no extra fees are payable unless you move to a higher fee or change your fee plan.

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Joining us from the start of the year and joining us for part of the year

There is a yearly sum which is divided by 10 for the 10 month plan, and 12 for the 12 month plan.
The 10 month plan runs from September to June, the 12 month plan from September to August for the yearly fee cycle.
If you join us when the year has already started after a successful try out you will go onto the monthly fee.
The first month will be a pro-rata payment to adjust your fees and after that you will be onto the right payment for your plan which will correspond to the sums on our website.

E.g
If, after a try out, you join us in Feb 14th 2022 for 1 day per week in tier 1 on 12 month plan
Normal fee = £178 over the year = £178 x 12= £2136
From Feb 14 to end of academic year = 17 weeks, so 19 weeks completed (our year is 36 weeks)
Weekly fee is £2136/36 = £59.33 x 17 weeks = £1008.66
Months left Feb, Mar, April, May, June, July, Aug,
Not including Feb = 5 x £178 (normal monthly fee) = £890.
Feb pro rata = £108.66
This is how we calculate the Pro Rata Fee = the number of weeks left in academic year multiplied by the weekly fee, minus the months left on the fee cycle, not including the current month.

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Giving Notice

If you wish to leave in our terms and conditions you have to give us at least 8 class weeks notice to receive your deposit back in full. With those on the 10 month plan it works out very simply.
However, if you are on the 12 month plan, and you leave before the year is up you will in effect have paid less than the amount of classes you have had, that is because the classes run over ten months but you pay over 12.
So when you give notice, a calculation will be made to cater for this difference.
EG.
Start in September and give notice to leave on 28 February. 1 day a week at TLC = £148
Deposit = 3 x £148 = £444.
Yearly fee is £1776 from the first week of Sep to the start of July.(10 months)
If you start in September and give notice to leave on 28 February.= 6 months= 60% of the fees = £1065.6
But on monthly payments of £148 x 6 parent will have paid £888.
The difference is £1065.6 – £888 = £177.60
This difference is then deducted from the deposit and the remainder is returned to parents.

Events Requiring Notice in Writing: Definitions

Notice to be given by parents means (unless the contrary is stated in these terms and conditions) 8 class weeks of term time (not including any holidays) written notice addressed to and actually received by the Directors.

Provisional Notice is valid only for the term in which it is given and only when written and accepted in writing by the Bursar.

Cancelling Acceptance: 

If a student has been accepted in advance and parents wish to withdraw, deposits will be returned if 8 class weeks or more notice is given. Parents who withdraw giving  less than 8 class weeks notice before entry will not have to pay fees in lieu, but the deposit will be retained by TLC. 

Cases of serious illness or genuine hardship may receive special consideration on written request. 

Withdrawal from TLC: 

8 class weeks of written notice is required if a student is to be withdrawn from TLC. If the fees have been paid in full to cover the notice period, the deposit will be returned. The student’s decision to withdraw from TLC shall, for these purposes, be treated as a withdrawal by the parents. 

4 class weeks’ notice is required if a child is changing to a lower number of days per week. 

In the event of a serious bad behavior students are given time to reflect on their behaviour and required to attend a meeting with the lead teacher and their parents before they can be readmitted into TLC. This meeting is to show that they have learnt from their experience about what is acceptable behaviour and are ready to re-join the cohort. If the child and parent fail to come to a meeting this is a failure to abide by our behaviour policy and considered as a withdrawal of the child from TLC. (see behaviour policy).

The main reason for these rules is to ensure that we have a stable student body with no unforeseen changes as this is vitally important for the development of all the children concerned. The children themselves want to be part of a stable cohort to develop friendships and collaboration.  Furthermore, students and parents need to be committed to advancing their education at our TLC as a long-term project. TLC also requires sufficient notice with which to plan fee levels, other resources and the curriculum. TLC Year is deemed to start on 1 September in each year. 

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Removal and Expulsion of a Student

a) Removal at the Request of TLC: Parents may be required, during or at the end of a term, to remove the student, without refund of fees, temporarily or permanently from TLC if, after consultation with a parent, TLC meeting or the management is of the opinion that the conduct or progress of the student has been unsatisfactory or if the student, in the judgement of the management, is unwilling or unable to profit from the educational opportunities offered and in any such case removal is considered to be warranted. The Acceptance Deposit will be refunded in the event of removal from TLC and fees in lieu of notice will not be charged but all outstanding fees will be payable in full.

b) Expulsion: A student may be expelled at any time if TLC Meeting or the management is reasonably satisfied that the student’s conduct  has been prejudicial to good order or TLC discipline or to the reputation of TLC (see Exclusion policy). TLC Meeting or the management will act fairly and in accordance with the procedures of natural justice and will not expel a student other than in grave circumstances. In the event of expulsion, TLC Meeting or management decision will need to be ratified by TLC directors. There will be no refund of fees following expulsion (and all unpaid fees must be paid). The Acceptance Deposit will not be returned/credited; but fees in lieu of notice will not be charged. 

c) Safe communication between parents and TLC staff: In the event of a breakdown of communication between parents and TLC, for example involving bullying or harassment of staff, it may be necessary to exclude a student. TLC would be responsible for such a decision. There would be no refund of fees nor of the Acceptance Deposit. 

d) Behaviour policy

Please see our behaviour policy.

Child safety: We ask that parent/carer’s should be within earshot and/or in sight of their child at all times. Children remain under their parent/carer’s supervision at all times during our sessions. 

Health Disclaimer: We want our students to enjoy their online yoga classes. Because we can’t be there with them, it’s important that you support them to take responsibility for their own practise by acknowledging and respecting their own physical limitations.

If you have any concerns about your child’s physical health, you should seek advice from your doctor or health care provider before beginning any of the online classes.

The practice of yoga requires the students to gauge the safety of their practice within their personal physical limitations. 

The Learning Circle assumes no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques.

You acknowledge and agree that all classes are carried out at the students election and at their own risk. By joining the classes, you agree and understand that physical exercise involves strenuous physical activity and that such activity may carry a risk of injury, and that it is your responsibility to assess your child’s physical and mental capability for such activities.

It is also your responsibility to ensure that by participating in the yoga classes your child will not exceed their limits while performing such activity.

You hereby expressly waive and release any claim that you may have at any time for injury of any kind against The Learning Circle, or any person or entity involved with The Learning Circle.