Terms & Conditions

Regular lessons develop curriculum knowledge and skills. We combine support for school learning with our own teaching sequence, drawing on teaching experience, past examination papers, curriculum requirements and updates from students and parents. Homework, classwork and discussion help us adapt lessons to each student’s strengths, gaps and progress.

A two-hour weekly slot is reserved for each student. This remains fixed throughout the academic year unless we agree on a lasting change. Individual regular lessons cannot be rescheduled or cancelled, subject to clause 11 and any applicable statutory cancellation rights.

We encourage students to make full use of their time. A lesson may be shortened if unexpected fatigue, or other difficulties affect participation. Students who miss their fixed regular lesson receive a video make-up lesson under clause 2. Regular attendance remains important because live discussion helps us check understanding and respond to difficulties.

Support extends beyond the regular lesson. We can adjust a lesson for an urgent assignment where appropriate. Students are also encouraged to request additional guidance, included in their tuition fees under clauses 7, 8 and 9. Once an additional session is agreed, students must honour the booking.

Effective support depends on shared commitment. Grades & Growth invests substantial time, preparation and care in each student. We ask parents to encourage attendance, preparation and homework submission, and to tell us about difficulties affecting learning. This partnership helps us respond thoughtfully and support students’ motivation and independence. Please see clauses 5 and 10.

Video make-up lessons support occasional absences. Students who miss their fixed regular Monday or Tuesday lesson receive a personalised video covering the planned content within 48 hours of that lesson’s scheduled end time. This covers planned absences, including school events and family holidays, as well as illness and emergencies. Missed additional sessions are excluded.

If a student has not joined within the first 15 minutes, we will begin recording their personalised lesson. Please email us as soon as you know about an absence. We understand that students may occasionally forget to inform us, or that emergencies may prevent advance notice. They will still receive their video make-up lesson.

Each video lesson lasts two hours. It includes explanations and time to complete classwork by hand, with written tasks taking the place of live discussion. Videos remain available through the Grades & Growth website until students submit their classwork. Homework reflects the direct guidance already received and how the student is coping.

Live interaction remains important. Videos cannot replace the discussion that helps us check understanding and respond to difficulties. If fatigue or other difficulties mean a student finishes early, we may provide video guidance or an additional Wednesday or Thursday session.

Frequent absences may indicate that a break would help. If a student misses around four of eight regular lessons across two course cycles, we will discuss their readiness to continue with parents. Our courses require sustained intellectual effort and commitment. Where rest would be beneficial, we may recommend pausing the arrangement. Any cancellation or refund is subject to clause 11 and applicable statutory rights.

Each set combines curriculum foundations with personalised support. Past papers and model answers establish the knowledge and skills required. Personalised tasks build on each student’s strengths to address areas for improvement. The set covers the four-week cycle and includes reading extracts, model responses, vocabulary, teaching notes and assigned homework.

Materials arrive by email before each cycle. A PDF is sent to students and parents at 9 am, in the student’s local time, on the Thursday before the cycle begins. Weekly additions under clause 4 respond to students’ interests, classwork and homework.

Please print the complete set and keep it in a folder. Follow the supplied layout, which includes writing space. Print pages in colour where colour is included: we use it when it matters to the analysis. Before lessons, complete only the assigned homework; other tasks will be introduced during teaching.

Working on paper supports learning beyond the screen. It provides practice in handwriting, annotation and written examinations, while helping students work confidently across print and digital formats. Students who use laptops may also submit digital work for feedback and academic guidance.

Occasional printing difficulties are understood. Parents need not notify us beforehand. We will discuss the situation directly with the student and adapt through interactive classwork and discussion. If missing printouts affect learning during the regular lesson, we will arrange an additional Wednesday or Thursday session, included in the tuition fees, to provide the support needed.

Weekly materials connect learning with each student’s interests. A favourite book, game, song or everyday experience can inspire exercises in vocabulary, sentence structure, storytelling and analysis. For example, describing a bath bomb’s scents and the swirling patterns of colour it creates as it dissolves can develop precise descriptive writing.

Exercises respond to recent work and conversations. Materials may include feedback, revised examples, reading extracts and follow-up tasks that develop strengths or address difficulties. Homework and lesson participation help us personalise these exercises. If homework is missing, classwork and discussion can still guide us, although we have less evidence of independent understanding.

Materials are emailed on Thursdays at 9 am, in the student’s local time. Students and parents receive a PDF each week when sufficient information is available to personalise it. Only clearly labelled homework should be completed before the next lesson, following the Sunday deadline in clause 5. Other exercises are reserved for class.

Independent work should remain manageable. If homework takes longer than the intended hour, please tell us promptly so we can arrange additional guidance as stated in Clause 7 and 8. When students feel tired, overwhelmed or struggle to begin, we may simplify tasks or work through them together during lessons. Missing homework is an opportunity to discuss what support would help.

Please follow the printing arrangements in clause 3. Keep these pages in the same folder as the course materials. The same support applies if forgotten printouts affect learning, including an additional Wednesday or Thursday lesson where needed.

Email handwritten homework before 6 pm on Sunday, in the student’s local time. Send clear photographs or a scanned PDF. Typed work is accepted only for school assignments submitted for review under clause 9. This consistent deadline helps students organise their time and allows us to prepare their next lesson.

Spend up to one hour per language subject each week. Stop after that hour and submit whatever you have completed, including unfinished attempts and questions. Recognising difficulties and asking for help are important learning skills. We review submissions and discuss difficulties during Monday or Tuesday lessons before recommending additional homework support under clause 7.

Parents can help by encouraging direct communication. Please leave mistakes uncorrected so we can see what students understand independently. If homework is late or missing, encourage your child to explain the difficulty themselves. Learning to communicate and manage deadlines takes practice.

Homework should support learning without overwhelming students. If students are exhausted or have substantial schoolwork, they may skip it and let us know. A short WhatsApp message asking for help is welcome. Repeated difficulties will prompt discussion with students and parents under clause 10, with additional guidance under clauses 7 and 8 where appropriate.

Feedback leads to further practice. We normally discuss homework during the next lesson, choosing another format when more helpful. Students should read their feedback and complete the assigned follow-up exercises, including corrections and revisions. These count towards the following week’s homework.

Students should feel valued and supported, whatever their grades. Coaching addresses motivation, confidence and emotional pressures affecting learning. We listen to students’ experiences, interests and views without rushing to interrupt or judge. Students choose how much to share and may simply tell us they are having a difficult day.

Trust and confidence take time to develop. When students need space to talk, coaching may temporarily occupy more of a lesson, sometimes around 60%, with academic teaching taking the remaining 40%. We adapt planned teaching, revisit content or offer additional guidance under clause 7. Students’ wellbeing guides these decisions.

Personal conversations can make learning more meaningful. We help students connect their observations to curriculum knowledge and skills, such as understanding characters, considering different perspectives and expressing ideas clearly. Their interests also inform the personalised exercises described in clause 4.

Rest, manageable steps and practice support independence. We encourage adequate rest before demanding work, break tasks into smaller steps and help students set realistic goals. Students practise arranging sessions, organising thoughts and choosing how to express them. As their understanding develops, we gradually reduce guidance. Parents can help by encouraging their child’s own voice, with communication under clause 10.

Our coaching supports education and does not replace counselling or mental health treatment. Ongoing professional learning informs our approach. If emotional support leaves no time for academic teaching for more than two weeks, we will discuss with parents whether professional support is needed. We will raise concerns sooner where necessary, following clause 10.

Additional guidance is included in your tuition fees. Students can develop essays, practise exam techniques, explore ideas, work through homework or aim for higher grades. We also support assignments written in English for humanities and social sciences, including history, philosophy, religious studies, sociology and psychology. Guidance covers subject content, interpreting questions, developing arguments and expressing ideas clearly, in accordance with the assessment rules explained in clause 9.

Support reflects each student’s needs. There is no fixed weekly allowance. Students typically need up to four hours per language subject each week, including their regular lesson. More time may help those who are significantly behind or facing imminent assessments. We deliberately limit enrolment to make additional lessons easy to book and suggest sessions when needed.

Students are encouraged to request lessons themselves, preferably by email. This helps them develop formal communication and time-management skills, as well as a sense of responsibility. Parents or guardians are always informed of these arrangements. Please be reassured that communication with you is highly valued. See clause 10 for details.

Request lessons as needs arise. Additional sessions are not standing weekly arrangements. We may agree on a short series, such as weekly sessions for four weeks, where sustained support would help. Students must commit to attending every agreed session and participating with focus.

Missed additional sessions do not receive video make-up lessons. These sessions depend on students explaining their questions and difficulties. Without that discussion, we cannot establish what a useful video should address. Clause 2 applies only to missed fixed regular lessons.

Support beyond your regular lessons is included. If you need additional help, please do not worry about extra costs: any lessons we agree to arrange are already covered by your tuition fees.

Use your regular lesson or Wednesday–Thursday sessions first wherever possible. Under clause 7, students can request additional Wednesday or Thursday lessons. Friday–Sunday lessons are for exceptional circumstances when support cannot reasonably wait, such as feeling overwhelmed before an assessment, receiving a deadline at short notice or discovering that you have misunderstood an assignment. Requests are considered individually and are subject to availability.

Help us understand what you need. With every request, please send the deadline, assignment instructions, work completed so far and your specific questions. These details help us assess urgency and prepare useful guidance.

If a live lesson cannot be arranged, we will still offer support. We will provide email or video feedback, choosing the clearest and most efficient approach. For particularly urgent matters, we may use WhatsApp messages.

Please help us maintain a healthy balance. Tutoring and coaching involves supporting young people through important stages of their development, alongside preparing them for exams. Fridays to Sundays allow time for preparation, marking and professional learning, including teenage psychology, as well as rest and family life. Please keep these commitments in mind when requesting lessons. Protecting this time helps us give each student thoughtful, well-prepared support.

Feedback on your writing is included in your tuition fees. Students are welcome to email written work for review. This includes assignments in humanities subjects; university application essays, personal statements and application letters where required; theory of knowledge (TOK) essays; IB extended essays (EEs); coursework and non-examination assessments (NEAs); and preparation notes for IB individual oral assessments.

Our feedback helps you understand how to improve. We identify strengths, explain areas for development and help you consider your next steps. Reviewing your work also helps us understand your progress and tailor future lessons and exercises to your individual needs.

Your ideas and writing remain your own. Feedback on assessed work follows the relevant school and awarding body’s rules on external assistance. Students remain responsible for producing their own work. We also guide students on citing sources and acknowledging AI assistance in accordance with their school’s and awarding body’s rules on plagiarism and academic honesty.

We choose the format that makes feedback clear and useful. Feedback may be provided in writing or by video. When a conversation would help you understand or apply the guidance, we encourage you to request an additional live lesson.

Additional lessons are included in your tuition fees under clauses 7 and 8. Please request a Wednesday or Thursday session under clause 7 wherever possible. If support cannot reasonably wait, Friday–Sunday lessons may be requested in exceptional circumstances under clause 8. These requests are considered individually and are subject to availability.

Regular communication is included in your tuition fees. We share updates at least once a fortnight through brief messages, examples of work or arranged calls. Questions, concerns and suggestions are welcome, with no fixed limit on calls or follow-up conversations. After calls, we send a brief summary of agreed next steps for tutor, student and parent.

Request a call by WhatsApp or email. Briefly explain your concern, suggest suitable times and indicate urgency. We acknowledge messages within 24 hours on any day covered by your course cycle and suggest a time to speak. Mondays and Tuesdays are busiest; Wednesdays and Thursdays generally allow more time. Urgent concerns receive priority, including from Friday to Sunday. For non-urgent conversations, lesson preparation, marking and timely student feedback may take priority.

Help us make conversations useful. Please share school feedback, assessment dates, curriculum updates and changes affecting learning. Collecting non-urgent questions into one message helps, but you need not organise everything neatly before reaching out. Parents need support too. If you disagree with our approach, we welcome discussion, agreed changes and a review of what helps.

Support your child’s own voice. Encourage them to communicate directly. If they hesitate, share your observations privately so we can help them express themselves. We will agree with you how to approach sensitive concerns without unnecessarily revealing your involvement.

Privacy and emotional support matter. We can explain that your child is distressed and suggest care and patience without repeating private details. Feeling heard may matter more than an immediate solution. Where a student’s safety is at risk, we will involve parents where safe and appropriate.

Your statutory rights are protected. This policy respects your rights under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Refunds for hospitalisation and bereavement, described below, are offered alongside those rights.

Payment is due ten days before each course cycle begins. For qualifying tutoring contracts made online or by email, you normally have 14 days to cancel without giving a reason, starting the day after the contract is made. This period runs from the contract date, rather than the cycle start date. To cancel, send a clear statement, for example by email or WhatsApp.

If you cancel within the first 14-day period, we will refund your payment after deducting any legally permitted, proportionate charge for days already used.

Refunds are also available for hospitalisation or bereavement. Hospitalisation must exceed two weeks and affect either the student or a family member in a way that prevents the student from attending or benefiting from teaching. Bereavement includes the death of an important person in the student’s life. Please provide supporting evidence with your request, such as hospital documentation, a death certificate or funeral arrangements. Unrelated sensitive information may be removed.

Hospitalisation and bereavement refunds cover eligible unused days. Refunds begin from the date the student can no longer attend. For bereavement, we will agree this date with the family according to the student’s needs. We divide the four-week cycle fee by 28 and multiply it by the eligible unused days, including the first eligible day. This calculation does not restrict statutory refund entitlements.

Your rights also apply if we fail to provide the agreed service, including fixed lessons on Monday and Tuesday, agreed alternative lessons from Wednesday to Sunday, or video make-up classes.

We send refunds within 24 hours of confirming the arrangement. Bank processing may take longer. Statutory cancellation refunds will in any event be made without undue delay and within 14 days of receiving your cancellation notice. We use the original payment method unless you expressly agree otherwise. No refund processing fee will be charged.

We want students to feel known, supported and cared for beyond online lessons. A handwritten letter, thoughtfully chosen notebook or small gift can recognise effort, celebrate achievement or offer encouragement during a difficult time. These gestures reflect each student’s interests and remind them that their tutor and coach cares about their wellbeing as well as their learning.

Every student’s encouragement may look different. We may send something for a birthday, Christmas or a stressful period, or more regularly where it helps motivation. There is no fixed frequency or standard gift. Students can receive encouragement while struggling, regardless of whether their grades have improved.

We ask for parental permission every time before posting anything. We will explain what we would like to send and why, and confirm the correspondence address for that delivery. Please tell us about any preferences, including a maximum gift value. Addresses are used only for agreed deliveries. You are welcome to decline or choose a personal email instead.

Grades & Growth covers the item and postage. If an international delivery incurs customs charges, please decline the parcel and notify us so it can be returned through the postal service. You are not expected to pay these charges.

Letters also encourage enjoyment of reading and writing on paper. Students are welcome to write back, sharing their thoughts, interests or news. A reply is encouraged but entirely optional, and no return gift is expected.