Examination and test application form (Estoril)

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS

1. General
a) These Terms and Conditions for Public Examinations are additional to and should be read in conjunction with the General Terms and Conditions of Greene’s Tutorial College (hereafter “the college”). The Terms and Conditions for Public Examinations do not replace the college’s General Terms and Conditions.
b) A Public Examination is any examination held by the college under the accreditation conditions of an official examination board. Coursework, orals and portfolios are Public Examinations.
c) All examinations are provided at the discretion of the college and are conducted in accordance with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and examination board regulations or other regulations as appropriate. In the very unlikely event that the college did not adhere to such regulations in any particularity, the issue would be resolved in accordance with the procedures for doing so laid down by the JCQ or equivalent body.
d) All examination candidates, students or other individuals registered with the college are bound by these terms and conditions.
e) All examination entries are made on the basis of information provided by the student and/or his/her parents. The college cannot be held responsible if this information should prove incomplete or erroneous.
f) The dates and times of each candidate’s written examinations will be communicated through his/her Greene’s Online profile. It is the responsibility of each candidate and/or their parent/guardian to be aware of them.
g) On occasions where a given examination is available on one or more dates, such as orals or science practical tests, the actual date will be decided and set by the college.

2. Registration and confirmation
a) Registration for an examination is complete when payment for it has been received by the college. The college cannot guarantee that an examination place will be available if payment has not been received. Entries are made following the settlement of examination fees. If fees are settled after the entry deadlines stated on the college’s website, additional late fees will be incurred. All examination fees are non-refundable.
b) The candidate and/or his/her parents/guardian should check that their examination registration information on Greene’s Online is accurate, correct and complete.

3. Identification
a) All candidates must be able to establish their identity on the day of each of their examinations. Private candidates must provide photographic ID; if unable to do so, their work may not be accepted by the examination board.

4. Special arrangements and consideration
a) Applications for special examination (access) arrangements such as extra time or a scribe or reader must be made to the Registrar of Examinations well in advance of the candidate’s examinations. These include the possible use in examinations of a laptop. Applications should reflect the candidate’s normal way of working and provide evidence of need. Later applications may not be accepted. The granting of access arrangements to any candidate will be subject to the submission of appropriate supporting documentary evidence and to formal approval by JCQ, whose decision will be final.
b) Applications for special consideration based on factors such as illness during an examination or reasons leading to the candidate not attending an examination must be made to the Registrar of Examinations in writing as quickly as possible following the incident. They must include a description of the incident and full supporting evidence, such as a doctor’s note. Special consideration will be subject to the submission of the appropriate supporting documentary evidence and to formal approval by JCQ, whose decision will be final. Applications for special consideration made later may not be accepted.

5. Attendance
a) Candidates must be on time for all examinations. This means that for written examinations they must arrive at the college no later than 8.45 a.m. for morning examinations and 1.15 p.m. for afternoon examinations. If a candidate is late, his/her work may not be accepted by the examination board. Owing to the disruption to other candidates that they cause, persistently late candidates may be accommodated separately and charged for this. Candidates who arrive late for an examination must report to the Registrar of Examinations. Candidates who arrive more than one hour after the published starting time for the examination will not be allowed to take it.

6. Regulations
a) Candidates must not become involved in any unfair or dishonest practice in any part of the examination. Candidates who try to use any unfair practice or break the rules in any way will be reported to the examination board concerned, and could be disqualified from all their subjects.
b) While in the examination room candidates must listen to the invigilator at all times and do what they are asked to do. They must not talk to or otherwise communicate with or disturb other candidates at any time.
c) Candidates may take into the examination room only the materials and equipment which are both permitted and necessary for the examination they are taking. They must not take into the examination room any unauthorised materials or equipment which might give an unfair advantage, such as notes, calculator cases/instruction leaflets, or digital, audio or electronic devices of any kind including mobile telephones, iPods or MP3 players. Possession of unauthorised material is breaking the rules, even if there is no intention to use it, and candidates will be subject to penalty and possible disqualification.
d) Candidates must write in black ink. Pencils may be used only for diagrams, maps etc. if stated in the instructions printed on the front of the question paper. Candidates must not use correcting fluid/pens, highlighters or gel pens on their answer paper. Pencil cases must be transparent.
e) Candidates must bring with them such equipment as pens, pencils, mathematical instruments, and set texts. They may use a calculator unless told otherwise, and are responsible for ensuring it is in good working condition and has nothing stored on it. Candidates must not use a dictionary unless previously informed that they may do so. They must not borrow anything from another candidate during the examination.
f) Mathematical and scientific formulae books are provided by the college, and must not be written in or removed.
g) The only food and drink permitted in the examination room is still water in a sealed clear bottle. Chewing gum or sweets are not permitted.
h) Candidates must tell the invigilator at once if they think that they have not been given the right question paper or all the materials listed on the front of the paper; and/or if the question paper is incomplete or badly printed. They must read and carefully follow the instructions printed on the question paper and/or on the answer booklet. They must fill in the details required on the front of the question paper and/or on the answer booklet before starting the examination.
i) During the examination candidates must put up their hand if they have a problem and are in doubt about what to do; or if they feel ill; and/or they need more paper. They must wait until the invigilator comes over and then speak to him/her quietly. They must not ask for, and will not be given, any explanation of the questions.
j) Candidates must do all their work on the official examination stationery provided. Work that is not to be marked should be neatly crossed through and handed in at the end. If the stationery provided is filled up, additional paper should be requested. There is no such thing as “rough paper”.
k) No candidate may leave the examination room unsupervised before 10 a.m. for morning examinations or 2.30 p.m. for afternoon examinations. Moreover, internal candidates must stay until the end of their examination. Candidates must not leave the examination room until permitted to do so by the invigilator. Having left the examination room, they will not be allowed to return. They must leave the examination room silently. They must not take from it any examination stationery including the question paper.
l) Candidates must bring any issues or concerns that arise before, during or after any examination which they believe may affect their examination performance to the immediate attention of the invigilator in the examination room or of the Registrar of Examinations so that appropriate remedial action can be taken. Any delay in doing so will make such action either difficult or impossible.

7. Coursework
a) The work that candidates submit as coursework must be their own. The responsibilities of a tutor when a student prepares coursework do not differ from when the student prepares for a written examination. In both cases the quality and probity of the work produced are the sole responsibility of the student. Any extra guidance that a candidate has received should be recorded.
b) Candidates submitting coursework must familiarise themselves with the requirements of the specification concerned. They must not engage in dishonest or unfair practices such as plagiarism, for which they would face penalties such as disqualification. They are responsible for understanding exactly what constitutes plagiarism and for acting on this understanding.
c) Where a candidate’s work has been submitted and it has been found they have broken the regulations, one of the following penalties will be applied: the piece of work will be awarded zero marks; or the candidate will be disqualified from that unit for that examination session; or the candidate will be disqualified from the whole subject for that exam session; or the candidate will be disqualified and barred from entering again for a period of time.
d) Finished coursework must be handed in by the deadline stated on the college’s website. Failure to meet this deadline may result in the coursework not being submitted to the examination board. If applied for in writing at least two weeks before the deadline, a short extension may exceptionally be granted. Retrospective extensions will not be granted. The examination boards’ own coursework deadlines apply to the college, not to the individual candidate.
e) On occasions a tutor may suggest that a given piece of coursework is worth a particular mark. Due to the complex administrative and statistical processes involved in the marking of coursework, over which the college has no control, this suggestion must be understood as only indicative and the college cannot be held responsible if the final grade should differ from this.

8. Speaking tests
a) Speaking tests take place during the four weeks prior to the first written examination in a series as described on the college’s website. Candidates will be informed at least four weeks in advance of the exact date and time of their speaking test. Private candidates will not receive on the day of their oral any coaching in the format or requirements of their test, but may arrange this with the college beforehand.

9. Certificates
a) Certificates are awarded to candidates who either have done a linear qualification such as IGCSEs, or have cashed in a modular qualification such as A levels. They are issued two months after the release of results. Candidates must either collect them in person from the college, giving 24 hours’ notice and bringing photographic ID with them, or provide a stamped addressed envelope in which they can be posted to them. The college does not undertake to post a student’s certificate unless he or she has already supplied an A4 envelope with the correct postage and address.
Oxford, 1st November 2013

I/we declare that the information on this form has been provided in good faith and to the best of my/our knowledge is true.

I/we understand that the information that has been provided will be treated confidentially.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Definitions
a) Greene’s Tutorial College (Greene’s) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England as number: 5553889. Our aims, policies and activities are described on our website: www.greenes.org.uk.
b) Educational Services include individual and shared tuition, seminars and other group activities, courses, academic support, public examinations and other tests and any other educational advice or activity or programme provided by Greene’s. A Student enrols on an agreed and individual course of Educational Services.
c) An Academic Programme is an individually designed assembly of Educational Services for which a Student is enrolled and which also includes dates of expected Student attendance that may be referred to as term dates.
d) Start Date is the date on which a Student must begin attendance at Greene’s and is the date on which an Academic Programme starts.
e) A Student is an individual of any age who is attending Greene’s for the purposes of receiving Educational Services from Greene’s. A Student receiving Educational Services and/or an Academic Programme from Greene’s is also attending Greene’s.
f) Parents, including guardians, are those who have parental or legal responsibility individually and jointly for Students under the age of 18. Parents are expected to give their support and encouragement to the aims of Greene’s, to uphold its good name, and to ensure that a Student in their care maintains appropriate standards of individual study, punctuality, dress and behaviour.
g) Greene’s Online is an online resource accessed through the internet where Students and Parents can view their details and communications from Greene’s regarding administrative and academic arrangements and results.
h) Fees, as published on our website and as varied from time to time, are part of these Terms and Conditions.
i) Notifications required in these Terms and Conditions to be made in writing must be in legible and unambiguous English.

2. Enrolment, care, conduct and health
a) Application: Students wishing to register for attendance at Greene’s must complete an application form – either directly online or as a separate document – on which they should provide accurate details concerning their personal information and academic circumstances.
b) Special educational and other needs: Where a report has been issued by an educational psychologist or any other educational or medical professional regarding any existing or potential learning difficulties – either physical or mental – for a student wishing to attend Greene’s it must be made available to Greene’s by the Student and/or their Parents. Greene’s may at any time require an educational psychologist’s report.
c) English proficiency: Students wishing to attend Greene’s must meet an English language proficiency of at least the equivalent of level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Students unable to show that they meet this requirement may be required to take and pass a Greene’s English language test before being allowed to start their course.
d) Care: Parents authorise Greene’s while in loco parentis or acting on behalf of a Student who has reached the age of 16, to take and/or authorise in good faith all decisions that safeguard the Student’s welfare. Parents give consent to such physical contact as may be lawful, appropriate and proper and for providing comfort to a Student in distress or to maintain safety and good order or in connection with the Student’s health. Parents consent also to emergency medical treatment including blood transfusions within the United Kingdom, general anaesthetic and operations under the NHS or at a private hospital where certified by a person who is appropriately qualified, necessary for the Student’s welfare and if the Parents cannot be contacted in time.
e) Conduct: We attach importance to integrity and good manners. Greene’s does not have set rules but Students are expected to work hard, be punctual, well-organised and respectful towards others.
f) Health: Greene’s may at any time require a medical opinion or certificate as to the Student’s general health or regarding a specific ailment. Students and/or their Parents must inform Greene’s in writing of any known medical condition, health problem – either physical or mental – or allergy that the Student may have. Students attending Greene’s full time for a year or more should register with a local doctor (General Practitioner); others needing medical attention can be seen as temporary patients. Students are also advised to consider taking out medical insurance privately.

3. Fees and Extras
a) Items covered: Fees are for an agreed Academic Programme and for help with accommodation; the cost of other items incurred by Greene’s and not directly paid for by the Student may be charged as extras. Extras include, but are not limited to, accommodation, charges for any external examination not administered by Greene’s, membership of clubs and societies, the Student social and cultural fund, university and UCAS application costs and the provision of books and other learning materials. Students and/or Parents should be aware that Greene’s does not normally supply learning materials and that the costs of extras are often not refundable.
b) Accommodation: Greene's does not provide accommodation but can help Students and their Parents find suitable accommodation in Oxford for which a Fee is payable. Students and their Parents are free and encouraged to make their own accommodation arrangements but should be aware that the costs of booked accommodation are payable in advance and are often not refundable.
c) Payment of Fees and extras: Before attendance at Greene’s – including sitting any public examinations – Students or Parents must have paid the Fees and any extras requested without set-off or deduction of any kind – including any bank charges. Prior to payment there is no obligation of Greene’s to provide any Educational Services and a Student may be refused attendance at Greene’s where requested Fees have not been paid in full.
d) Additional Fees and extras: During their attendance at Greene’s, Students may require additional Educational Services and extras in addition to those included in an Academic Programme. Parents and/or Students will usually be informed of these in advance. However, Parents and/or Students also authorise Greene’s, at its sole discretion and as necessary and within reason, to make any additional and/or other arrangements that may result in additional Fees and extras and also agree to pay any consequent additional costs.
e) Refund of Fees and extras: Other than provided for in point 5. j), Fees for an agreed Academic Programme are not refundable. Students or Parents may either be refunded or credited any amount for extras that remain unused or uncommitted at the end of a Student’s attendance at Greene’s. All refunds are net of any foreign exchange losses and net of any credit card or other banking or transfer charges and of any similar expenses incurred by Greene’s as well as, in the event of cancellation, after deduction of a management charge of £150. Excepting illness, the management charge will be waived where an agreement for an Academic Programme has been cancelled for reasons outside the Student’s control or as set out in point 5. j).
f) Responsibility for payment: The payment of Fees and extras is the joint and individual responsibility of each person who has agreed to an Academic Programme or who has parental responsibility for the Student or given instructions in relation to the Student. A Student may be refused attendance at Greene’s, to sit a public examination and/or access to public examination results, while any payments due remain unpaid.
g) Payment by a third party: An agreement with a third party to pay any sum due to Greene’s does not release Parents or Students from any liability under these Terms and Conditions unless otherwise agreed to in writing. Greene’s reserves the right to refuse a payment from a third party. All such payments received are accepted in good faith.
h) Late payment and unpaid fees: Greene’s reserves the right to make late payment charges that include the addition of interest calculated on a daily basis at 2% per month on any sums outstanding plus any and all associated administration and legal costs. Parents and/or Students are also liable to pay all costs, fees, disbursements and charges including legal fees and costs reasonably incurred by Greene’s in the recovery of any unpaid sums owed regardless of the value of the sum claimed.
i) Payment by instalment: Any agreement by Greene’s to accept payment of Fees by instalments is concessionary and any such request must be made in writing and will only be agreed to by Greene’s in writing.

4. Attendance
a) Postponement: A request from a Student and/or his/her Parents to postpone attendance on an Academic Programme must be made in writing and at least 30 days before the Start Date. An Academic Programme may not be postponed for more than three months; may not be postponed when the Start Date is less than 30 days from the invoice date; and any decision made by Greene’s for any such attendance to be postponed is concessionary.
b) Discontinuation: Once an Academic Programme has started and should a Student wish to discontinue or is withdrawn – as set out in point 4. c) below – Fees cannot be refunded and extras can be refunded. Cases of serious illness or genuine hardship may receive special consideration on written request to Greene’s.
c) Withdrawal: It may be necessary for a Student to be withdrawn from Greene’s. This may be because the conduct or academic progress of the Student has been unsatisfactory; or that the Student is unwilling or unable to profit from the educational opportunities offered by Greene’s; or that a Student’s conduct is prejudicial to the progress of other Students or the reputation of Greene’s. Whilst Greene’s will act fairly and will not ask for a Student to be withdrawn other than in grave circumstances, any decision for a Student to be withdrawn is made at Greene’s entire and sole discretion.
d) Transfer: For whatever reason, a Student may not transfer to another Student his/her application, place on a course or fees paid.
e) Illness: Should a student become ill either before or during his/her attendance at Greene’s no refund of any Fees can be made save as specified elsewhere in these Terms and Conditions.
f) Visas: No refund of any Fees can be made on grounds of lack of visa or similar travel documents required to enter the UK save as specified elsewhere in these Terms and Conditions.

5. General Conditions
a) Special precautions: Greene’s needs to be aware of any matters that are relevant to the security and safety of all Students. Greene’s must therefore be notified in writing immediately of any court orders or situations of risk in relation to a Student for whom any special safety precautions may be needed.
b) Liability and insurance: Greene’s does not, unless negligent, accept responsibility for accidental injury or loss of property nor does it accept responsibility for the actions and conduct of the tutors it engages. Greene’s undertakes to maintain those insurances that are prescribed by law. All other insurances are the responsibility of Students or Parents including insurance of the Student’s personal property whilst at Greene’s or a tutorial, or on the way to or from Greene’s or a tutorial or on any college sponsored activity away from Greene’s. Neither Greene’s nor its engaged tutor(s) are the agent of the Student or the Parents for any purpose related to insurance.
c) Student’s personal property: Students are responsible for the security and safe use of all personal property and are responsible for ensuring that all such property is clearly identifiable as to its owner.
d) Confidentiality: Greene’s will take great care to preserve the confidentiality of information concerning the Student and Greene’s has notified the Information Protection Commissioner’s office of the use to which such information may be put under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998. Students and/or Parents, however, consent on behalf of themselves and the Student to Greene’s obtaining, holding, using and communicating, on a ‘need to know’ basis, confidential and personal information which in the opinion of Greene’s, is material to the safety, welfare and/or academic progress of the Student and others. Students and/or Parents also consent to Greene’s communicating with any other school, college or university that the Student attends or has attended or proposes to attend concerning the Student’s safety, welfare and/or academic progress.
e) Intellectual property and copyright: All course information, techniques and materials are the property of Greene’s and may not be reproduced or photocopied; or used for any other purpose than the Educational Services taken.
f) Examinations, reports and references: Information supplied to Students and/or Parents and others concerning the progress and character of a Student and about examination results, further education and career prospects and any references will be given conscientiously and with all due care and skill but otherwise without liability on the part of Greene’s.
g) Communication: Written communication includes communication by electronic means such as by e-mail or the posting of information on the Greene’s website and/or Greene’s Online and must be in legible and unambiguous English.
h) Media release: Students and/or Parents permit Greene’s to take general photographs or video film of Students in a group or as part of a group and that this material may be used anonymously for publicity purposes in our printed publications, on our website, or both; and that we may also send them to the news media for use in either or both printed and digital advertising – including advertising on the Internet. Greene’s undertakes not to use any such material inappropriately and to seek additional permission where it believes the circumstances may require such action.
i) Duration: The duration of an Academic Programme provided by Greene’s is for up to one year from the agreed Start Date. Students attending Greene’s for more than one year may arrange subsequent Academic Programmes.
j) Validity: These Terms and Conditions are valid and in force for all Students attending Greene’s and their Parents from the date they are agreed to, until three months after completion of an Academic Programme – usually the provision of public examination results. The obligations described in clauses 3 and 5 remain valid and continue in force for all students no longer attending Greene’s and their Parents until all relevant and statutory obligations in those clauses have been discharged.
k) Statutory rights & waiver: Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects the statutory rights of Students or Parents – including the right to cancel any agreement for Educational Services or an Academic Programme for up to seven days after the date that these Terms and Conditions have been agreed to provided that the Educational Services or Academic Programme requested have not yet started. Any waiver to any part of these Terms and Conditions is effective only if given in writing by Greene’s.
l) Jurisdiction: These Terms and Conditions are governed exclusively by English Law.
m) Clarity and fairness: Should Students and/or Parents feel that anything in these Terms and Conditions is ambiguous or unfair Greene’s would be happy to answer any questions asked.
n) Interpretation: Students attending Greene’s and their Parents have accepted these Terms and Conditions which supersede any previous versions and are construed as a whole. Headings are for ease of reading only and are not otherwise part of the Terms and Conditions.
Oxford, 1st June 2015