Group Study Tour – Terms and Conditions
GENERAL
1. We confirm that Itchen Sixth Form College is an educational institution accredited by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). The most recent accreditation under Ofsted followed a Full inspection and was published on 1st October 2024. https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/40/130704
2. Offers for students requiring visas to study in the UK are made in good faith and in line with the Immigration Rules applicable at the date of issue. Itchen College accepts no liability for subsequent changes made by the Home Office with regard to UK visas.
3. Students must meet the entry requirements for any course offered as advertised on our website www.itchen.ac.uk and in our advertising materials. Student’s language levels must be sufficient to follow lessons taught in English and complete work satisfactorily. We reserve the right to ask you to take a language test if we have doubts about your level of English during the application process. Should you not meet our minimum standards we may terminate your programme of study. If you wish to take a test as part of the application process, this can be arranged.
4. Itchen College gives a quote based on information available at the time of enquiry. This, however, can be subject to change. Itchen College will endeavour to highlight these changes to the Confirmation of Booking.
5. Itchen College will not make any bookings until full payment has been received. In the event that a particular request becomes unavailable due to late payment, Itchen College reserves the right to change or withdraw this particular trip or activity.
6. Itchen College takes reasonable care to provide the programme offered in this documentation. However, academic courses may be altered or withdrawn at any stage owing to circumstances beyond the College’s control such as (but not limited to) lack of demand, change in Government policy, change of Law or force majeure. Itchen College will take such steps as are available to minimise the effect of any alteration or withdrawal of a course including the offer of a place on an alternative course.
7. You are entering the UK as a student and will be studying an academic course. You must be prepared to attend all lessons; participate fully; complete all course work and homework and engage fully with the teaching.
8. The College cannot guarantee the availability of particular A Level subjects during the Group Study Tour. However, Itchen College will endeavour to offer a diverse and varied A Level curriculum during the Group Study Tour.
9. Itchen College make an offer in good faith based on the information that you or your representative have provided. If we find you have made a false statement, not provided genuine documentation, or left out significant information we reserve the right to withdraw or amend our offer and retain any deposit paid. If you have already commenced the programme, we reserve the right to ask you to leave and depending on the circumstances, a refund may not be due.
10. All information given is correct at the date of issue as shown on the letter. Itchen College reserves the right to withdraw any offer made should there be any material change in the student or College’s status before acceptance that significantly affects either party’s ability to meet or deliver the programme outlined.
11. Please check all dates & information on offer letters before acceptance so that you are enrolled onto the correct programme. Keep us fully informed if anything changes in your plans.
12. As a sixth-form college, our provision is for students aged 16-18. In the event that a group consists of students under 16, the following policies are enacted:
- Under 16s must be accompanied by their group leader to and from College.
- Under 16s must be chaperoned to and from all their lessons by their group leader.
- The group leader must accompany under 16s during lunch.
- Under 16s must not leave their homestay without adult supervision; this can be their homestay host or their group leader.
- We reserve the right to impose a discretionary charge of £35 per student per week for students under 16
- Where a group consists primarily of under 16s, we reserve the right to deliver lessons in a closed group in order to comply with our safeguarding requirements
- The College will only accept students aged 15-18.
13. Quarantine or mandatory isolation - Should a student be required to quarantine or self-isolate for any reason, we make an additional charge of £5 per day to supply lunch on weekdays (£25 per week).
COLLEGE MANAGED ACCOMMODATION
14. Our accommodation is College managed and with a homestay host. We endeavour to place students in homes that are within a 45-minute commute from the College. That can be by walking, on public transport or College Managed bus. Any additional costs will be confirmed when the College confirms a host placement.
15. It is important that you complete all pre-arrival & medical forms honestly and fully so we can support you whilst studying at Itchen College. Failure to disclose health conditions or medication or concealing relevant details could mean that the College cannot provide the necessary support. In these circumstances, we reserve the right to terminate a student’s programme of study and ask them to return to their home country.
16. Our homestay hosts are all subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check. Our Accommodation & Welfare Officer regularly inspects all homes. We cannot guarantee that a student will live in a house with a garden and some of our hosts live in apartments or flats as we are on the outskirts of a city.
17. Students and their families should be aware that our homestay hosts come from varied backgrounds and their homes are all different. There is no standard host home and similarly there is no standard homestay host. In the UK there are varied family structures and therefore some of our hosts are single-parents, extended families, childless families, stepfamilies or grandparent families, senior citizens, live alone or live with a partner or friend. We celebrate difference in the UK and are proud to say that our homestay offering is varied and diverse. Please trust that we will match students with a host that meets their needs and cannot accept requests for specific family structures.
18. Students should vacate the host home the day after teaching on their programme finishes. If teaching on your programme ends on a Friday, you should leave on the Saturday. Please book flights accordingly. Additional days are not included in the programme fees and are chargeable in full.
19. We expect students to act reasonably and appropriately at all times. They must obey and respect the terms and conditions listed in this document as well as those in the Student Handbook issued at enrolment; all rules and key policies on our website & enrolment paperwork; those that apply to living in a host family outlined in the Pre-Arrival forms and handbook issued; any other relevant documents. Students must respect and follow directions or instructions given by all College staff and their host parents. They must respect the privacy of other students, staff and their host family. The College retains the right to make the final decision on these matters whilst a student is studying with us.
20. Students should understand that studying and living in the UK is a cultural experience and should be prepared to adapt to the new culture and lifestyle. Part of the experience is to be open and accepting to differences and not compare them to what they have at home. Lifestyles may be very different and foods and mealtimes may differ. Students must respect their host routines and rules and act responsibly. Students are expected to try all foods offered.
21. Students must adhere to curfews set (Sunday to Thursday 10:30pm, Friday & Saturday 11:00pm); be home for mealtimes; be polite and courteous; keep their host informed where they are at all times; keep their mobile phone turned on when out; help with chores set by the host; keep their rooms tidy; comply with any other house rules set. Failure to do this could lead to a student being asked to move. Serious breaches could lead to them being sent home immediately without refund.
22. The College undertakes to investigate any disputes that may arise within the host home. Most issues can be easily resolved by talking but in the event of an irrevocable breakdown, the College at its discretion may find an alternative placement. The standard notice period on an agreed move is 10 working days & requests to move sooner may be subject to additional notice charges. Requests to move without a valid reason may be refused & are dependent on availability. Students of the same nationality will NOT be placed in the same home unless it is an emergency situation. Students are expected to arrange their own transport for moves that are not regarded as irrevocable breakdown.
23. In cases where there are disputes between students, host families, the College, an agent or representative or natural family, the College retains the right to make the final decision. They will base this decision on College rules and in the best interests of all concerned to ensure no risk to the student, host family or College. Should any party refuse consent, the College will support this decision and refuse consent. If a student travels without consent, they do so at their own risk and against advice and could be excluded from the programme and sent back to their home country.
BEHAVIOUR
24. We expect students to read all paperwork and handbooks issued and refer to them during their programme of study. Adherence to rules is mandatory including the requirement to wear the Itchen College lanyard issued to them at all times whilst in College. Failure to read or understand paperwork and handbooks issued is not an excuse and we expect students to speak to their tutor, teacher, College staff, host family or a reliable person to explain any issues they do not understand.
25. Students must not break UK Laws. Compliance is mandatory and ignorance is not a defence. Students should familiarise themselves with requirements and obey direction or orders given by a member of the Police.
26. Failure to comply with College rules; Homestay rules; UK Laws or behaviour deemed serious misconduct, inappropriate and unacceptable could lead to a student being asked to leave immediately, without refund. Such decisions are at the discretion of the College Principal.
27. The College offers full support to its students during the College day and Emergency support outside College hours.
28. Students must attend & engage with all timetabled lessons during their programme of study. They are expected to arrive punctually. They must complete all coursework and homework to an acceptable standard by deadlines set. Students must be polite and courteous in all classes and comply with College rules. Failure to meet these requirements will be dealt with in line with College policies and could lead to a student being excluded and as a result sent back to their home country.
29. Absence from timetabled lessons through genuine illness must be reported each day by the student or their host parent. The College retains the right to ask a student to be checked by a doctor if they are worried about their health. Absence for any other reason should be discussed with the College and may not be authorised. Absence to meet with natural parents during term time or for day trips on teaching days will not be authorised. Absence from lessons to return home or travel on teaching days before or after a holiday period will not be authorised. Travel on teaching days during term time will only be authorised in an emergency.
30. We discourage visits from a student’s natural family during teaching weeks. It is important that students attend and engage in lessons & adjust to any cultural differences. We suggest such visits are made at half term or during Christmas or Easter holidays. Our term dates are available at the end of these terms and conditions.
31. If parents collect a student at the end of their programme, they are deemed responsible for their son/daughter as soon as they are collected and their programme of study ends at that point.
32. The College restricts the websites students can access on College devices or using the College Wi-Fi. Should students access inappropriate sites in the homestay they will receive a warning and could be asked to leave the programme if they continue to do so. Homestays may disconnect the internet when they go to bed and students should respect their decision. Use of mobile phones after bedtime is unacceptable if it disturbs the homestay’s sleep and students must respect bedtimes and not talk loudly late in the evening. Excessive use of the internet to download content is discouraged as most UK homes do not have unlimited data.
33. In the UK alcohol cannot be consumed by anyone under the age of 18 as this breaches UK Law. ID is necessary to buy alcohol if you look under age. During their programme students are discouraged from visiting pubs unless accompanied by their host family. Nightclubs are for over 21’s only. The use of someone else’s ID or fake ID is a serious offence and breaches UK Law.
34. The use, possession or supply of any illegal substance including the smoking of cannabis or similar is illegal in the UK and is strictly forbidden. Students found in possession, taking or smoking drugs will be dismissed from the programme and sent home immediately without refund. They may also face prosecution.
35. Smoking or vaping is forbidden inside the College or host home. Indoor places in the UK are non-smoking including restaurants, shopping centres & airports. Smokers should ensure they only smoke or vape in designated smoking areas and that includes the designated smoking areas in the College grounds. Smoking or vaping in any other area is forbidden. If you are a smoker, please ask your host family if they allow smoking or vaping in the garden areas. Smoking in your bedroom is strictly forbidden.
36. Parent are responsible for providing access to sufficient funds to pay for lunches and day-to-day expenses. Students must not borrow or lend money and should speak to their tutor if they have financial issues whilst studying at the College.
37. Itchen College has zero tolerance to bullying or discrimination of any kind. Please report any such incidents immediately to a staff member so we can deal with it.
38. Students will sign codes of conduct pertinent to lessons, homestay, and trips on arrival. These codes of conduct outline the basic expectations students are to adhere to during their stay. Students will agree to maintain these standards, and may be subject to disciplinary action should they not be followed.
39. All students and group leaders participating in short-term study programmes are required to be contactable by mobile telephone at all times while in the United Kingdom. Participants are solely responsible for ensuring that their mobile phone and network plan allow for UK roaming, or for obtaining a UK SIM card immediately upon arrival. The College shall not be held responsible for any issues, delays, or consequences arising from a participant’s failure to maintain adequate mobile connectivity.
MISCELLANEOUS
40. Airport transfers offered are to London Heathrow, London Gatwick or Southampton International Airports. Other airports and pick-up destinations are subject to a surcharge.
41. In the event that students or the group leader wish to organise their own independently arranged activity or excursion, the group leader assumes full responsibility for these students.
42. Itchen College provides general guidance and cannot give immigration advice. We recommend all students take advice from a qualified immigration expert before accepting an offer to study in the UK. Information on UK study visas is available on the Home Office website https://www.gov.uk/
43. The College must receive full payment for the Group Study Tour at least four weeks prior to the group’s arrival. Payment plans can be discussed.
44. In the event that a student withdraws from the programme six weeks prior to arrival or after payment has been received, no refunds will be issued unless in extenuating circumstances.
45. The final quoted price is not commissionable. Agents are expected to add their own costs onto the quoted price.
46. Our prices do not include medical or travel insurance. Before travelling to the UK, it is the responsibility of the student to take out the necessary insurance which covers personal liability and medical expenses as well as insurance to cover personal possessions. Follow this link for How charges for NHS healthcare apply to overseas visitors - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) A copy of the insurance schedule must be sent to us with your flight details.
47. Click here to find out How to access NHS services in England if you are visiting from abroad - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
48. Term Dates for academic year 2025-26 and 2026-27 are:
49. Each term has a one-week break from teaching at half term. We will publish details of any other non-teaching days on our website once these are decided.