Terms & Conditions

1. About Stephen Vine Tutoring

Stephen Vine Tutoring is operated by Stephen Vine and provides one-to-one tutoring, primarily in Physics and Mathematics, online and in person by arrangement in and around Cambridge.

2. Booking and payment

Available services, session lengths and prices are shown on the booking page. The price displayed at the time of booking is the total price payable for that booking unless otherwise stated.

A booking is confirmed when you receive a booking confirmation. Payment is normally required at the time of booking unless another arrangement has been agreed in advance.

If the student is under 18, the booking should be made by a parent or guardian. The parent or guardian is responsible for the booking, payment and communication relating to the tutoring arrangement.

3. Free introductory consultation

The free introductory consultation is intended to discuss the student’s needs, goals and suitability for tutoring. It is not normally a teaching session and does not create an obligation to book paid lessons.

4. Online and in-person lessons

Online consultations will normally use Google Meet. Paid online lessons will normally use BitPaper or another agreed online teaching platform. A private lesson link may be sent separately after booking.

In-person tuition is subject to prior agreement on location, timing and any practical arrangements. If additional travel costs are ever applicable, they will be agreed before the booking is confirmed.

5. Student participation and preparation

Students should attend on time and, where possible, have relevant course details, questions, worksheets, past papers or other materials available. Tutoring is most effective when the student participates actively and completes agreed practice between sessions where appropriate.

For online lessons, the client is responsible for a suitable internet connection, compatible device and working audio/video equipment. BitPaper works best in a current supported browser such as Google Chrome.

6. Tutoring approach and outcomes

Tutoring will be adapted to the student’s needs and delivered with reasonable care and skill. No particular grade, examination result, university offer or other academic outcome can be guaranteed.

Any educational guidance is based on the information available at the time. Students and parents remain responsible for checking official examination-board, school, college or university requirements where these are relevant.

7. Cancellation, rescheduling and lateness

The separate Cancellation Policy forms part of these terms. It explains both the practical lesson-cancellation policy and the statutory right to cancel certain contracts made online.

If a student arrives late, the lesson will normally still finish at the scheduled time. If I am late, I will make up the lost time or offer an appropriate credit or refund.

8. Technical problems

If a lesson cannot reasonably proceed because of a technical failure on my side or a failure of the main teaching platform, I will offer a rescheduled lesson or an appropriate refund or credit.

If a technical problem is on the client’s side, I will make reasonable efforts to continue using an alternative method where practical. If the lesson cannot proceed, the cancellation policy may apply, although genuine exceptional circumstances will be considered reasonably.

9. Lesson materials

Materials created or supplied for tutoring may be used by the student for their own personal study. Unless otherwise stated, they should not be reproduced, sold, published or distributed commercially without permission.

Third-party materials such as examination papers remain subject to the rights and terms of their respective owners.

10. Recording and privacy during lessons

Lessons must not be audio- or video-recorded by either party without prior agreement. For students under 18, a parent or guardian should ensure that the student has an appropriate environment for online tuition and may join or observe by prior agreement.

Personal information is handled in accordance with the Privacy Notice.

11. Ending a tutoring arrangement

Either side may decide not to continue with future lessons. There is no requirement to book a minimum number of sessions unless a separate package or arrangement has been expressly agreed.

I may decline or end a tutoring arrangement where it is no longer appropriate, where there is abusive or unsafe behaviour, repeated non-payment, or another serious reason. Any prepaid lessons not provided will be refunded unless a lawful cancellation charge applies.

12. Complaints

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service, please contact me at tutor@stephenvine.co.uk so that I can try to resolve the issue promptly and fairly.

13. Consumer rights and liability

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits rights that cannot legally be excluded, including the right for services to be carried out with reasonable care and skill.

Nothing in these terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot legally be excluded.

14. Changes to these terms

These terms may be updated from time to time. The version that applies to a booking is the version made available when that booking is confirmed, unless a change is required by law or is expressly agreed with you.

15. Governing law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. If you are a consumer, this does not remove any mandatory rights you may have under the law that applies where you live.