BK Tutoring Terms & Conditions

Terms and Conditions

Last updated November 2023

BK Tutoring offers complementary education in the form of online tutorials in the subjects available on our website, with a range of tutors, whose subject knowledge and teaching experience have been deemed appropriate for purpose of this service. Tutors are selected in the recruitment process and undergo an online interview, as well as submit their resume and relevant qualifications. The service operates on the basis of a Sole Trader with tutors who are freelance.

This website is used by BK Tutoring to promote and operate their services and to offer a platform shared by the clients and tutors. All below Terms & Conditions apply to all users of this website, clients and tutors alike.

Terms of Use: Website

To maintain an updated website for the purpose of listing our tutors and allowing the clients to book online tutorials. By using our site, you confirm that you accept these terms of use and that you agree to comply with them. If you do not agree to these terms, you must not use our site.

These terms of use refer to the following additional terms, which also apply to your use of our site:

·         Our Privacy Policy 

·         Our Cookie Policy, which sets out information about the cookies on our site.

We may make changes to these terms

·         We amend these terms from time to time. Every time you wish to use our site, please check these terms to ensure you understand the terms that apply at that time.

Online Booking and Payments

·      We will use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the online booking and payment processes are carried out promptly and that notifications are sent out to both client and tutor about new online bookings.

·      We undertake to ensure that the payments are processed without delay using WooCommerce and Stripe Payments Europe Ltd. BK Tutoring honours the Terms & Conditions of Stripe Services UK and will share the clients’ details with Stripe in order to allow processing these payments. Payments are usually processed within a few working days.

We may suspend or withdraw our site

·      BK Tutoring cannot guarantee that the website will always be available, but every effort will be made to keep the website live and work well for our users. The website may undergo maintenance and go offline from time to time, but it will always be for as short time as possible. BK Tutoring will provide a week’s notice unless this should be impossible due to technical reasons.

·      You are also responsible for ensuring that all persons who access our site through your internet connection are aware of these terms of use and other applicable terms and conditions, and that they comply with them.

Accuracy of content

·      Although we make reasonable efforts to update the information on our site, BK Tutoring does not guarantee that all content on the website will always be up-to date and fully accurate, however, every effort will be made to improve the content on the website and all feedback supporting this is welcome.

·      User generated content will be monitored by us. The views expressed by other users on our site do not necessarily represent our views or values.

We are not responsible for websites we link to

·      Where our site contains links to other sites and resources provided by third parties, these links are provided for your information only. Such links should not be interpreted as approval by us of those linked websites or information you may obtain from them.

·      We have no control over the contents of those sites or resources.

We are not responsible for viruses and you must be careful not to introduce them

·      We do not guarantee that our site will be secure or free from bugs or viruses but shall use all reasonable endeavours to secure the website from hacking and viruses with tools available to the website. Our Cyber & Data Security Insurance offers additional protection.

How to contact us

·      If users wish to complain about content uploaded by other users, it is requested that they contact BK Tutoring at admin@bktutoring.co.uk

·      We aim to respond to all queries and feedback regarding the website and its functionality in order to keep improving and developing service operations.

Terms of service

Our commitment to Tutors and Pupils

·       To vet all our new tutors by requesting proof of their subject knowledge, teaching qualifications and experience. To carry out an interview and to recommend that tutors obtain a disclosure document for the purpose of working with children and young adults. The disclosure is not a requirement but a strong recommendation and may increase bookings for online classes with tutors who have a current disclosure.

·       To carry out an induction for all new tutors and to maintain a good working relationship with tutors throughout their involvement with BK Tutoring.

·       To offer support to all tutors and to take their feedback on board.

·       To ensure a prompt payment of tutor fees, taking into account the time it will take to process the payment and the transfer between bank accounts.

·       To support the clients (parents and students) by matching them with tutors, offering guidance and responding to all queries and feedback within 3 working days.

·       To cancel outstanding payments and to process refunds for all lessons cancelled by tutors and those cancelled by clients more than 8 hours prior to the booked online lesson.

·       To ensure that all complaints are dealt with as a matter of priority.

·       To help clients change their tutor if they wish to do so, by finding the best match for their needs.

·       To be transparent regarding the hourly fee for online tuition paid by the client and the hourly rate paid to the tutor for their lesson delivery. BK Tutoring will retain a proportion of each online lesson to cover its business costs. The retained fee of £8 will be agreed with the tutors and will be used for the promotion of BK Tutoring as well as to cover all business expenses, e.g. website maintenance, subscriptions etc.

·       To update the Terms & Conditions regularly.

 Rights and Responsibilities : Tutors

·      Tutors are responsible for providing a true record and evidence of their qualifications for the work they apply for. Supplying misleading information, lack of evidence and/or complaint(s) which are deemed serious by BK Tutoring may lead to the removal of a tutor from BK Tutoring platform.

·      Tutors will be notified of all new bookings by an automatically generated email and it is their responsibility to be prepared and ready for their online lessons and to deliver them on time and to the best of their ability.

·      Tutors are solely responsible for the materials they prepare and use in their lessons. They must not be offensive in any way and should acknowledge diversity and promote current teaching practice as part of BK Tutoring promise to its clients.

·      Tutors must not complete any work, homework, assignment or exam portfolio on behalf of the client.

·      Tutors must not use the online lessons to establish a personal contact with the client, student or pupil, e.g. by asking for their contact details in any form.

·      Tutors must not promote any other similar service to BK Tutoring to their clients.

·      Tutors are responsible for maintaining a professional relationship with their clients, students or pupils and avoid all other interaction apart from that which is required by the online tutorial.

·      All online meetings with a client, student or pupil who reaches out to the tutor via BK Tutoring, including lessons, free chats, must take place through BK Tutoring booking system on the website. Tutors are not to solicit clients, students or pupils or disintermediate BK Tutoring when communicating with the client, student or pupil.

·      If unable to provide the service due to illness, injury or any other serious reason, tutors must advise BK Tutoring of that fact as soon as reasonably practicable. The clients will be notified immediately and, if there is enough notice given, another Tutor may be able to cover the lesson.

·      Tutors have the right to cancel existing bookings and to block periods of time when they wish to take a break. Payment will only be issued for lessons, which took place or were cancelled at short notice (cancellation period is 8 hours) by the client.

·      If a tutor cannot continue working with a client, student or pupil, they should notify BK Tutoring to allow for a reallocation of tutor.

·      Tutors must disclose any unspent[1] criminal convictions and cautions to BK Tutoring in the process of recruitment and prior to undertaking teaching activities. Also all criminal convictions and cautions that may be issued after registering with BK Tutoring must be reported immediately.

·      It is highly recommended that tutors obtain a criminal record check in their place of residence, e.g. from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in England and Wales or from Disclosure Scotland (PVG – Protecting Vulnerable Groups). The DBS or PVG will signal to BK Tutoring and to the end client that the tutor has had a recent check and may result in further bookings with this tutor.

·      Any tutor who fails to meet the expectations outlined in these Terms and Conditions risks being removed from the website until further notice.

·      Tutors agree to receive reviews from their clients, students or pupils based on their teaching. Some reviews will appear on the website to help promote the service. It is in the interest of the tutor to receive positive reviews as other clients will be encouraged to book lessons with them.

Rights and Responsibilities: Clients

·      Clients must provide their correct personal and contact details and payment method. A failure to provide these can delay the booking of lessons. Most of the communication between BK Tutoring and the client will happen via email, so it is essential to ensure that the email address provided is correct and checked regularly.

·      Payment for lessons will be processed when the booking is made. In case of a cancellation by the tutor or a cancellation by the client with at least an 8-hour notice, the payment will be refunded in full. If the client cancels the lesson with less than 8 hours’ notice, the payment will not be refunded.

·      Should the chosen payment method not work, the client will be able to try another method. Should the lesson be booked but the payment fail to process, BK Tutoring will contact the client and ask for an alternative payment method, e.g. a different debit or credit card. In case the payment is not made for a lesson which took place, no further lessons can be booked by the same client until the missed payment issue has been resolved.

·      Clients accept that BK Tutoring may pass bad debts for outstanding lesson payments to third party debt collection services and that their credit rating may be affected.

·      Clients will be able to book one or more lessons at once, using our booking system on the BK Tutoring website. Each booking will be sent an automatic confirmation to the client and tutor and it will appear on the Student/Tutor login area of the website. We ask both sides to make a note of the booking in order not to miss lessons. We do not send mobile phones’ text messages as notifications.

·      Clients agree to provide reviews for their Tutors based on their learning experience. Some reviews will appear on the website to help promote the service. The reviews must not be offensive or defamatory in any way, or they will be removed from the platform and the client will be contacted immediately.

·      Clients and tutors are responsible for maintaining a professional relationship when interacting with each other at all times.

·      All online meetings with a tutor who is registered at BK Tutoring, including lessons, free chats, must take place through BK Tutoring booking system on the website. Both parties are not to bypass BK Tutoring when communicating with one another.

·      Clients have the right to cancel existing bookings. The free cancellation period is 8 full hours prior to the start of the booked lesson. Any cancellations made with a shorter notice than 8 full hours will be charged in full. BK Tutoring expects its tutors to prepare the lesson materials in advance and to protect the tutors from unnecessary preparation of material as well as planning their timetable, BK Tutoring will take a full payment for lessons cancelled with less than 8 hours of notice.

·      If a client does not wish to work with a tutor, they can book a lesson with another tutor on BK Tutoring website or ask BK Tutoring to help them find a new tutor.

·      Clients agree not to circumvent BK Tutoring by making other arrangements with any of the tutors. Such behaviour would lead to removing the client and the tutor from BK Tutoring platform.

·      Clients are responsible for applying their own judgment regarding the tutors and their online lessons. BK Tutoring vets all newly recruited tutors but cannot be held responsible for the interaction during live lessons. Clients are encouraged to report any inappropriate or offensive behaviour, and/or poor lesson delivery or content to BK Tutoring at any time. Appropriate action will be taken and -where appropriate – feedback provided to the client.

Child Protection & Safeguarding:

·      BK Tutoring has a designated Child Protection and Safeguarding Officer who can be contacted by an email to admin@bktutoring.co.uk. The officer is Beata Kohlbek. BK Tutoring recommends that tutors undergo a criminal record check regularly and submit their certificate number to BK Tutoring for record keeping. For pupils who are under the age of 18, it is recommended that the parent or legal guardian meets the tutor in the first online lesson and does not leave their child alone for the entire duration of each online lesson. Any reason for concern should be communicated to BK Tutoring immediately.

Complaints:

·      Both clients and tutors have the right to raise any issues arising during their interaction with BK Tutoring and with each other.

·      Complaints and feedback are welcome and can be made by the preferred way of an email. BK Tutoring will respond within 3 working days to all emails and try to resolve the issues to the best of their ability.

·      Should a client complain about a tutor or their lesson, a full refund of the payment may be considered where it is apparent after a fair and reasonable investigation that the tutor has not behaved in an appropriate manner or the lesson was unprepared. The decision about the refund will be made on a case-by-case basis and awarded at BK Tutoring’s sole discretion.

·      Should the client not comply with the Terms & Conditions, BK Tutoring may not be in a position to offer a refund in case of a complaint by the client.

Terminology:

·      Booking means an online lesson or free chat scheduled on BK Tutoring website.

·      Client is a person who is over 18 years old and uses BK Tutoring for online teaching. Children under the age of 18 will need a parent or legal guardian to book lessons with BK Tutoring for them.

·      Pupil/Student means the person receiving online tuition.

·      Tutor is a person over the age of 18, who enters into a freelance agreement with BK Tutoring to deliver online tuition in the subject(s) in which they are qualified.

·      Tutorial or Online Lesson means the time spent in the environment shared by the tutor and pupil/student as booked and linked via the BK Tutoring website.