Terms & Conditions

The small print

These terms and conditions apply to all goods and/or services commissioned by the Client (Person, Company, Partnership, Organisation or body) from the Autism Teaching Company by form of an on screen, printed or verbal order. Where the Autism Teaching Company have presented the Client with a digital or printed proposal, this becomes the order, covering the scope of the commission, deadlines, fees payable etc.

The Autism Teaching Company reserves the right to modify our Terms & Conditions at any time, effective upon posting of an updated version of this agreement on our website (autismteachingcompany.org.uk). Continued use of our services after such changes shall constitute your consent to such changes.

Acceptance of conditions

By entering into business with the Autism Teaching Company you confirm acceptance of these terms and conditions, which will remain valid indefinitely until officially terminated by written request and mutually agreed by all parties and subject to payment in full of all outstanding invoices and contractual agreements. Terms and conditions stipulated on the Clients Order Form shall be regarded as void, if they are in conflict with our terms and conditions.

DEFINITIONS

“Company” This is the Autism Teaching Company (AuTC)

“Client” Refers to the organisation or individual purchasing the service e.g. School, educational settings

“School/setting Senior Staff”  This refers to the Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher, Head of Year or Assistant Head or Special Educational Needs Coordinator in the school/setting to which these terms and conditions apply

CONTACT 7 Church Way, East Claydon, Buckingham MK182NB

Email: Info@autc.org.uk Tel: 01296 712163

www.autismteachingcompany.org.uk

SERVICE OVERVIEW

  • The Specialist Teacher will undertake a range of work aimed at supporting children and young people with autism diagnosed or with autistic traits.
  • AuTC may be contracted to undertake statutory work on behalf of Local Authorities.
  • The Specialist Teacher’s professional judgement will be used to consider and agree requests for involvement from the client. All support will be planned in consultation with the client.
  • Involvement with individual children and young people requires informed and signed consent from either those with parental responsibility or from young people considered to be competent.
  1. SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS AS CLIENT

The focus of the work with schools and educational settings may be at any or all of the following levels: individual level; group and class level; strategic systems and organisational level.

  • At the individual level, the Specialist Teacher will be able to:

(i) make recommendations of interventions for individual children

(ii)  Provide interventions and advice that focus upon narrowing gaps in attainment and improving academic progress at the individual level.

  • (iii)  Provide interventions with families as part of the individual child interventions.
  • (iv)  Contribute towards multi-agency meetings about children and young people as appropriate.
  • At the group and class level, the Specialist Teacher will be able to deliver services that:
    • (i)  Provide interventions aimed at developing particular skills of small groups of children or young persons (e.g. social skills, life skills and executive functioning).
    • (ii)  Provide interventions and advice that focus upon narrowing gaps in attainment and improving academic progress
    • (iii)  Provide support to staff in managing a particular issue
    • (iv)  Provide parent workshops in schools

 

  • At the strategic, systems and organisational levels, the Specialist Teacher will be able to:

(i)  Provide Continuing Professional Development for staff on school focused topics with an autism basis.

ORDERING

  • Specialist Teacher time is ordered from AuTC directly. Please call or email to discuss your requirements. A Specialist Teacher will be identified, who will arrange a phone planning meeting with the school. During the planning meeting the Specialist Teacher will discuss the work request and advise on their involvement and the time required. If the client is happy to proceed, a visit date is set.

Billable time: The following Specialist Teacher time will be charged to the client:

  • All time spent with the client e.g. on school premises, at home address
  • Time spent off-site working directly on behalf of the client e.g. report writing, research, evidence gathering, communicating with other agencies, communicating with the client etc.

Non-Billable Time: Travel time within a 25 mile radius of the Specialist Teacher’s base is not included in the fee to the client, as well as time spent waiting for information to be delivered e.g. questionnaires to be returned. Specialist Teacher’s initial phone call with the client where the work is negotiated is not billable.

Expenses and additional costs

The Autism Teaching Company reserve the right to charge out expenses and additional costs, arising from additions, substantive changes and amendments to agreed appointments, such as printing and photocopying of materials and resources and travel expenses for journeys of over 25 miles from the Specialist Teacher’s base.

Invoicing:

  • Regular support will be invoiced half termly after the first phone planning meeting has taken place.
  • Other agreed support will be charged following confirmation of arrangements
  • Full payment of the total Invoice (including VAT where applicable) is due within 15 days of date of invoice, unless otherwise agreed in writing. A 1.5% monthly service charge is payable on all overdue invoices. Payments will be credited first to late payment charges and next to the unpaid balance. Whilst any payment due under the agreement remains outstanding, the Autism Teaching Company shall be entitled at its sole and absolute discretion to withhold provision of any services it would otherwise be obliged to provide under the agreement. All payments by cheque, bankers draft or money order must be made in pounds sterling.

QUALITY OF SERVICE

  • The Company will be responsible for quality standards.
  • All Specialist Teachers have Professional Indemnity Insurance for any service they provide in connection with AuTC.
  • All Specialist Teachers have a current Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) / Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) certificate
  • All Specialist Teachers have an accredited qualification in autism in addition to their teaching qualification
  • CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Schools and educational settings should identify a senior member or members of staff for consultation, liaison and planning of Specialist Teacher work and activities.
  • Schools and educational settings should ensure appropriate access to children and young people and staff for interview and observation. Each school will ensure that a nominated member of staff is available to speak with the Specialist Teacher during the visit and to ensure that he/she is aware of the practical aspects of the visit such as how to find the child(ren) that he/she will be supporting.
  • The educational setting will provide appropriate space for the Specialist Teacher to work.
  • The educational setting will co-operate in arranging appointments and promoting attendance, liaising with 
parents/carers as required.
  • The educational setting will provide access to relevant records.
  • The educational setting will ensure that all Specialist Teachers are appropriately qualified for the work undertaken.

AuTC AND Specialist Teacher RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Records and documents will be stored in accordance with AuTC policies and processes. The company will operate in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
  • AuTC will not be liable for any data provided which does not comply with the Data Protection Act 1998.
  • The Specialist Teacher will agree and jointly plan the most effective and efficient use of the purchased time with the client.
  • When working with schools, the Specialist Teacher will work in collaboration with school staff and may work directly with parents as well as pupils, informed parental consent must be given in advance.
  • The Specialist Teacher will have the responsibility of deciding what types of work is appropriate for each child in collaboration with school staff or parents / carers.
  • The Specialist Teacher will arrive punctually for planned visits, informing the client of any unavoidable delay.
  • AuTC will provide any written record arising from the client visit two working weeks. If the work is going to take longer than two weeks, this will be discussed with the client. Any contact notes or other record of sessions between a specialist and a client will be kept. If protection issues apply we will keep for 25 years. Otherwise we will keep for 6 years then review for remaining issues before disposal.
  • The Specialist Teacher will agree a mutually convenient time to conduct the work e.g. during the school day, after school, before school, or weekends.

CANCELLATIONS AND DELAYS

  • Neither party shall be liable for any delay or failure to perform any of its obligations if the delay or failure results from events or circumstances outside its reasonable control; including but not limited to ‘acts of God’, and the Autism Teaching Company shall be entitled to a reasonable extension of its obligation.
  • The company will endeavour to cover any short-term Specialist Teacher absences.
  • The company will endeavour to make up time ‘lost’ by adverse weather or circumstances beyond their control but this cannot be guaranteed.
  • 48 hours notice is required for cancellations, from either party, unless due to unavoidable reasons, such as illness for pupil or AuTC teacher. In this case, a new booking will be made. Any further cancellations must be paid for. This is also the case if consent has not been arranged by the client as agreed and the Specialist Teacher has not been informed within 48 hours’ notice that the planned piece of work cannot go ahead.
  • The client is responsible for providing all requested information in preparation for the day, as well as the original, signed, consent form. Failure to provide the requested information may mean the visit has to be postponed / cancelled. Specialist Teacher time may be charged as a result of changes in pre-agreed objectives.

Sub Contractors

The Autism Teaching Company reserves the right to assign other Specialist Teachers to subcontract a project.

The Autism Teaching Company has no responsibility for a Contractor’s acts or omissions when under the direction of the Client except where these could reasonably have been identifiable from the Autism Teaching Company selection procedure or as a result of other information received by the Autism Teaching Company.

The Autism Teaching Company is not responsible for any loss suffered as a result of the Contractor’s failure to keep the appointment except where the Autism Teaching Company has failed to use reasonable care in confirming the details of the appointment with the Client.

 

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

  • If the client is unhappy with any aspect of the services provided by AuTC discussions should occur with a Lead Specialist Teacher in the first instance. If the discussion does not resolve the matter, then the issue should be referred to the Office Manager who is likely to convene a three-way meeting to resolve the concern.

Data confidentiality

The Autism Teaching Company will not use Client data for other purposes other than those agreed with the Client, in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Accreditation and promotions

Any feedback is welcomed. We reserve the right to publish any correspondence meant as feedback with regard to the services of the Autism Teaching Company. We will never mention full names and addresses.

Liability

Although the Autism Teaching Company endeavour to the highest standards of professionalism and care, it hereby excludes itself from:

  • All and any liability for loss or damage caused by any inaccuracy; omission; delay or error.
  • All and any liability for loss or damage to Clients possessions, immaterial whether the loss or damage results from negligence or otherwise.
  • In no event will the Autism Teaching Company or its subcontractors be liable to the Client or any third party for any damages, including any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental, consequential or special damages.

Intellectual property rights

All resources created by the Autism Teaching Company remain the sole Intellectual Property of the Autism Teaching Company and are copyright protected, and cannot be reproduced without our written consent.

Law

These conditions and all other express terms of contract shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of England.

 

2020