GIFT COURSES: GENERAL INFORMATION & TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Supervision & Staff

All courses are supervised by staff who are graduates or post-graduates, are trained and experienced in working with the exceptionally able, and are, of course, police-checked with the Criminal Records Bureau. Staff-student ratios are never more than 1:12 on a non-residential course unless there has been a prior agreement with the client to increase this, for certain curriculum areas to 1:15. During the day students are not allowed off-site unless supervised.

There will be access to a telephone for staff use at all the venues used by GIFT (or alternatively access to a mobile phone). All the centres used by GIFT (except Freiston Hall) have a payphone on the premises. At Freiston Hall there is a public telephone booth by the centre entrance to which students are chaperoned as appropriate. Children are allowed to have mobile (NOT video) phones but are expected to use them sensibly.

House Rules, Fire Regulations and Security

GIFT only uses venes which must abide by Statutory Codes of Practice and/or each specific LEA's own Safety Code. Naturally, parents are welcome to check over security arrangements at, and access to, centres prior to course commencement. At the end of each course members of staff remain until the last student is collected by parents.

First Aid & Emergency Treatment

We expect parents to provide full medical/dietary details of their child where appropriate so that we are as informed as possible. We always ensure that we have access to the first aid box and to the telephone numbers of the local doctor and hospital. GIFT adheres to and abides by statutory guidelines as laid down in the Essex LEA Policy on Health and Safety.

Parental consent for their child to attend courses automatically entails agreement to authorize members of staff to approve such medical treatment for the child as is deemed necessary in an emergency. GIFT will have been notified of any medical condition, from which, to parents' knowledge, their child is suffering, as will any medical requirements (such as drugs or other treatment). Parents will have informed GIFT likewise of any such condition which may have arisen in the period between course application and commencement.

Parental consent for their child to attend courses automatically entails, in so far as they cannot be recovered under any policy of insurance, reimbursement to GIFT of any costs and expenses reasonably incurred or disbursed on their child's behalf during the course.

Health & Safety, Behaviour, Care of Equipment

LEA Health and Safety Policies require all students to conduct themselves in a manner so as not endanger themselves or others. Students under 18 cannot leave the venue's grounds unless accompanied by a member of staff.

Smoking, alcohol and drugs are not allowed in the venue and possession will result in the child being sent home.

It is our expectation that respect for one another's person, privacy and property, common courtesy, and politeness will be the normal standard of behaviour.

It is standard practice in LEA-owned properties that damage to or tampering with equipment, property, decoration, furniture & fittings, etc., whether accidental or intentional, will be paid for by the student(s) concerned.

Insurance and Cancellations

GIFT takes out its own insurance (with Rimington's Finance and Insurance Brokers 01702 468581 Policy No. WBOXY/07 71736) to the tune of £10 million to cover students and staff whilst on its courses. This insurance also covers students involved in any off-site visits which form part of the course. This is in addition to the insurance taken out by each LEA-owned centre.

If a cancellation by a parent occurs up to 1 week (i.e. 7 days) before the start of a non-residential course there will be a £5 cancellation charge; within one week and the full course fee is forfeited.

If a cancellation by a parent occurs up to 1 week (i.e. 7 days) before the start of a residential course the cancellation charge will be £80 (i.e. the deposit); within one week and the full course fee is forfeited.

Where a course, which GIFT has been contracted to conduct by an LEA, school, university, or NGO, is cancelled by the client, the cancellation fee will be the full agreed fee for up to the minimum number attending required by GIFT, where the cancellation occurs within two weeks (i.e. 14 days) of the course date, and 50%, where the cancellation occurs between two and four weeks from the course date. These figures are ex any out-of-pocket expenses.