Last updated: September 2026
These terms apply to private tuition which I, Richard J L Hornby, provide on a self-employed basis under the trading name Mallard Days Educational Services.
Mallard Days Educational Services is my trading name and is not a separate company, partnership or other legal entity. Any agreement for tuition is therefore between the client and me personally.
Tuition
Tuition is tailored to the needs of the individual student. The content and approach of sessions may therefore vary according to the student’s subject, qualification, current understanding, school or college work and progress.
Regular tuition sessions normally last one hour and are provided online.
The timing and frequency of regular tuition will be agreed before tuition begins. Any additional or occasional sessions are subject to availability.
Online tuition
Online tuition is normally provided using Microsoft Teams.
Students are responsible for having a suitable device, internet connection and working audio facilities. A camera is recommended but is not normally essential unless agreed otherwise.
Students should join sessions from a suitable environment in which they are able to work effectively and without unnecessary interruption.
Meeting invitations and joining information will normally be sent electronically. Students and clients are responsible for retaining the information required to join their sessions.
Fees and invoicing
Regular one-to-one tuition is currently charged at £40 per one-hour session.
Sessions are invoiced monthly in advance, with payment normally due by the 5th of each month.
Invoices will identify the sessions for which payment is being requested. Any additional sessions, credits or other adjustments may be included on a subsequent invoice where appropriate.
I may review tuition fees from time to time. Reasonable notice will be given of any change to the fee for regular tuition.
Booking and scheduling
Regular sessions are normally arranged for an agreed recurring time.
Session dates may vary because of school holidays, examination periods, my examining commitments or other agreed breaks in tuition. Clients will be informed of the sessions being booked and invoiced for each month.
A session is considered booked once it has been agreed and included within the tuition arrangements.
Students should attend at the agreed time. Sessions will normally finish at the scheduled finishing time even where a student joins late.
Rearrangements and cancellations
Once a session has been booked and paid for, it cannot normally be cancelled for a refund.
Where a student is unable to attend, the session may instead be rearranged, subject to availability, normally to a date within one week of the original session.
The availability of an alternative time cannot be guaranteed. Students and clients are therefore encouraged to give as much notice as possible when requesting a rearrangement.
In particular circumstances, I may agree alternative arrangements at my discretion.
If a student does not attend a booked session and no alternative arrangement has been agreed, the session remains chargeable.
Sessions cancelled by me
If I have to cancel a session, an alternative session may be arranged where practical.
If the session is not rearranged, the amount paid for that session will normally be refunded or credited on the next invoice.
Student responsibilities
Students are expected to engage appropriately with tuition and to have any equipment, materials or information reasonably required for the session available.
Where relevant, students may be asked to provide details of their examination board, specification, current school or college work, assessment results or other information which helps tuition to be planned effectively.
Students remain responsible for completing their own school, college and examination work and for complying with the rules of their school, college, examination board or other educational organisation.
Independent work and homework
Effective tuition is supported by appropriate work between sessions.
I may suggest questions, revision, practice or other independent work where this is likely to help the student. The amount and nature of this work will depend upon the student’s circumstances and objectives.
Where appropriate, work completed between sessions may be discussed or reviewed during tuition.
Communication and progress
Students and clients are welcome to raise questions about tuition, progress or arrangements.
Feedback on progress will normally be provided informally as part of the tuition relationship. More detailed feedback may be provided where appropriate.
Students and parents should understand that progress is individual and may not always be reflected immediately in school assessments or examination grades.
Academic outcomes
I will use reasonable skill and care in providing tuition and will endeavour to help each student make progress towards their objectives.
Tuition does not, however, guarantee a particular examination grade, assessment result, university or college offer, or other academic outcome.
Academic outcomes depend upon many factors outside the tutor’s control, including the student’s engagement, independent study, prior knowledge, school or college provision and performance in assessments and examinations.
Ending regular tuition
Either the client or I may end an ongoing tuition arrangement.
Clients are asked to provide reasonable notice where they intend to stop regular tuition so that the conclusion of tuition can be planned appropriately.
Sessions which have already been booked and paid for remain subject to the rearrangement and cancellation terms above.
I reserve the right to end tuition where it is no longer considered appropriate or practicable to continue, including where there are persistent attendance, payment, conduct or engagement issues.
Where I end an arrangement, any prepaid sessions which will not be provided will normally be refunded or credited as appropriate.
Conduct and safeguarding
Tuition should take place in a safe, appropriate and respectful environment.
Students are expected to behave appropriately during online sessions. I may end a session where behaviour or circumstances make it inappropriate or unsafe to continue.
Where a safeguarding concern arises, I may take such action as is reasonably considered necessary to protect a child or other person, including sharing relevant information with an appropriate person or authority where necessary.
Privacy and personal information
I process personal information in order to arrange, provide and administer tuition and related services.
Further information about how personal information is used, stored and shared is set out in my Privacy Policy.
Changes to tuition arrangements or these terms
Tuition arrangements may occasionally need to change because of availability, examination commitments, holidays or other circumstances.
I may also update these terms from time to time. Where a change materially affects an existing tuition arrangement, reasonable notice will normally be given.
Contact
Questions about these terms or about tuition arrangements can be sent to:
Richard J L Hornby
trading as Mallard Days Educational Services
41 The Moorlands
Durham
DH1 2LB
Email: admin@mallard-days.com