Terms & Conditions The Harpur Trust April 2018 1 Introduction 3 Admission and entry to the School 3.1 Registration and admission: Applicants will be considered 1.1 Terms and conditions: These terms and conditions as candidates for Admission and Entry to the School when reflect the custom and practice of independent schools the Registration Form has been completed and returned to us for many generations and together with the letter of offer, and the non-returnable Registration Fee paid. Admission will the Conditions of Award (if applicable), the Acceptance be subject to the availability of a place and the Pupil and the Form and the Fees List, form the basis of a legally binding Parents satisfying the admission requirements at the relevant contract between the Parents and the Trust for the provision time. Admission occurs when the Parents accept the offer of of educational services. These terms and conditions are a place. Entry occurs on the date when the Pupil attends the intended to promote the education and welfare of pupils School for the first time under these terms and conditions. and the stability, forward-planning, proper resourcing and development of the Schools operated by the Trust. 3.2 Equality: The School has a Christian ethos and welcomes staff and children from many different ethnic groups, backgrounds 1.2 Variations: These terms and conditions, the Conditions of and creeds. Human rights and freedoms are respected. At Award (if applicable) and the Fees List are subject to change present, our physical facilities for the disabled are limited but from time to time to reflect changes in the law or in custom we will do all that is reasonable to ensure that the School’s and practice at the School. culture, policies and procedures are made accessible to 1.3 Fees and notice: The rules concerning Fees and Notice are of children who have disabilities and to comply with our legal particular importance and are set out at Section 8 and Section and moral responsibilities under equality legislation in order 9 below. to accommodate the needs of applicants and pupils who have disabilities for which, after reasonable adjustments, we can 1.4 Managing change: The Schools, as with any other school, are cater adequately. likely to undergo a number of changes during the time your child is a pupil. Please see Section 11 below for further details 3.3 Offer of a place and deposit: A deposit (Acceptance Deposit) of the changes that may be made and the consultation and as shown on the Fees List for the relevant year will be payable notice procedures that will apply. when the Parents accept the offer of a place. The Acceptance Deposit will be retained in the general funds of the School until the Pupil leaves and will be repaid by means of a credit without interest to the final payment of Fees or other sums 2 Terminology due to the School on leaving, unless stated otherwise in these Terms and Conditions or unless the Parents wish to donate 2.1 The Trust or We or Us: means the Trustees of The Harpur Trust the Acceptance Deposit to the School’s Foundation. See also as now or in the future constituted (and any successor). clause 8.8. 2.2 The School: means where applicable one of the Schools 3.4 Additional Deposit: For reasons of administration, the right operated by the Trust as described here: is reserved to require payment by parents of an additional deposit (Additional Deposit), as shown on the Fees List for the 2.2.1 Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School - a co-educational relevant year, in the case of a pupil whose normal residence day school for children aged 4 to 8 years. The School is outside the United Kingdom. The Additional Deposit reserves the right not to run Year 3 where there are will be retained in the general funds of the School until the insufficient pupil numbers; Pupil leaves and will be repaid by means of a credit without interest to the final payment of Fees or other sums due to the 2.2.2 Bedford School - a day and boarding school for boys School on leaving, unless stated otherwise in these terms and aged 7 to 18 years including Bedford Preparatory conditions. School; 3.5 Immigration: Bedford School currently holds a licence to 2.2.3 Bedford Girls’ School - a day school for girls aged 7 to sponsor international students under Tier 4 of the points 18 years; based system of immigration. The Parents must inform the Head of Bedford School when returning a completed 2.2.4 Bedford Modern School - a coeducational day school Registration Form or at any other time if their child requires for children aged 7 to 18 years sponsorship from the School in order to obtain a visa to study In these Terms and Conditions references to boarding or a at the School. It shall be the Parents’ responsibility at all times boarder shall not apply to day pupils. to ensure that their child has the appropriate immigration permission to live in the United Kingdom and to study at this 2.3 School Committee or Governing Body: means the School and the Parents shall permit the School to take and Governors of the School who are appointed from time to time retain copies of all documentation required to be kept by the under the terms of the governing instruments of the Trust and School in order to comply with its duties as a Tier 4 sponsor, who are responsible for governance of the School. including passport, visa, vignette and /or biometric resident permit of the child and, where necessary, the Parents. Please 2.4 The Head: means the Head of the School as appointed by the also see clause 8.17. Trustees of the Trust. The Head is responsible for the day-to- day running of the School. 3.6 Responsibility for immigration permission: At any Trust School it shall be the Parents’ responsibility at all times to ensure 2.5 The Parents or You: means any person who has signed the that their child has the appropriate immigration permission to Acceptance Form and / or who has accepted responsibility live in the United Kingdom and to study at the School. for a child’s attendance at the School. Parents are legally responsible, individually and jointly, for complying with their obligations under these Terms and Conditions. Fees payable by a third party (for example, an employer, grandparent or 4 Pastoral Care step-parent without Parental Responsibility) will be subject to a separate agreement between the Trust, the Parents and the 4.1 The School’s commitment: We will do all that is reasonable third party. Please also see clause 9.3 and clause 11.6 below. to safeguard and promote the Pupil’s welfare and to provide pastoral care to at least the standard required by law in the 2.6 Parental Responsibility: Those who have Parental particular circumstances. We will respect the Pupil’s human Responsibility (i.e. legal responsibility for the child) are entitled rights and freedoms which must, however, be balanced with to receive relevant information concerning the child whether the lawful needs and rules of the School community and the or not they are a party to this contract unless a court order has rights and freedoms of others. been made to the contrary, or there are other reasons which justify withholding information to safeguard the best interests 4.2 Complaints: Any expression of dissatisfaction about action and welfare of the child. taken, or a lack of action by the School where the Parents seek action by Us as soon as practicable. A copy of the School’s 2.7 The Pupil: means the child named on the Acceptance Form. Complaints Procedure can be supplied on request. See also The age of the Pupil will be calculated in accordance with clause 7.18 below. British custom. 4.3 Pupil’s rights: The Pupil, if of sufficient maturity and understanding, has certain legal rights which the School care of someone other than the Parents or his/her education must observe. These include the right to give or withhold guardian. consent in a variety of circumstances and certain rights to confidentiality and, usually, the right to have contact with 4.12 Communication from the Parents: Communications or both natural or adoptive parents. If any conflict of interest instructions from one of the Parents or any person with arises between the Parents and the Pupil, the rights of, and Parental Responsibility shall be deemed by the Trust or the duties owed to, the Pupil will in most cases take precedence School to be received from both Parents. This requirement over the rights of, and duties owed to, the Parents. does not apply to the giving of Notice for the Cancellation of the place or the Withdrawal of the Pupil from the School. 4.4 Head’s authority: The Parents authorise the Head to take Those persons who are required to consent to or to give and / or authorise in good faith all decisions which the Head Notice of Cancellation or Withdrawal are set out in 8.2. considers on proper grounds will safeguard and promote the Pupil’s welfare. Please see Section 5 below. 4.13 Absence of the Parents: The Parents must inform the Head in writing of the name, address and telephone number for 24 4.5 Ethos: The ethos of the School is to foster good relationships hour contact with the adult who will have the care of the Pupil between pupils and between members of staff and pupils.