Policies
Refund Policy
Students are refunded fees in full if ACRES cancels the course they have enrolled upon. In addition to the refund and in recognition of the disappointment caused, students will be offered a voucher which can be redeemed against another ACRES course. Vouchers must be used within a calendar year of issue. Redeemed vouchers cannot be reissued, ie if a voucher is used on a subsequent course which is also cancelled, only one voucher will be issued against this further cancelled course. The vouchers are not redeemable for cash and ACRES reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time.
Reduced fees - are you able to pay the reduced fee?
You are entitled to reduced fees if one or more of the following categories apply to you.
If you are:
- 16 – 18 years old (for courses leading to qualifications only)
- studying for your first full level 2 qualification (this would apply to level 2 NVQs – see Examination Course section)
- 19 - 25 years old and studying for your first full level 3 qualification (this would apply to level 3 NVQs – see Examination Course section)
- in receipt of any income based benefits listed below, formerly known as means-tested benefits, that is:
- Unemployed and in receipt of income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Council Tax Benefit
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit with a household income of less than £15,276
- Pension Credits (Guarantee Credit only)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- unemployed in receipt of contribution based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- an unwaged dependant (as defined by Job Centre Plus) of those listed above
- an offender serving your sentence in the community
- an asylum seeker eligible for LSC funding according to the LSC guidance and in receipt of the equivalent income-based benefit (assistance under the terms of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999) and their dependants
If you fall into one of the categories above, you pay only the reduced fee set against your course. Evidence in the form of dated documentation or sight of your allowance book will be required at enrolment. The categories above were correct at time of going to press but may be amended to reflect any agreed changes with the Learning and Skills Council. If you have a query please contact the ACRES Office.
A student in receipt of an eligible benefit on enrolment is eligible for fee remission for the whole of the academic year. If a student becomes eligible for tuition fee remission during the academic year ACRES will claim tuition fee remission from the next Learning and Skills Council census date until the end of the academic year. Please ask the ACRES Office for more information.
If you are aged between 16 - 18 and attending a course leading to a qualification you will not be charged the reduced fee. However, if you do not continue to attend, complete the set work or take the examination/assessment, ACRES is entitled to invoice you for the examination fee and any other appropriate costs.
There is no charge for students attending Skills for Life Literacy and Numeracy courses.
Students enrolling on English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses have to pay tuition fees unless they are eligible for fee remission, when they would only need to pay the examination costs. There are funds available to help with course fees in some cases. For more information contact the ACRES Office and ask for ESOL.
Reduced fees must be applied for within the academic year of study
If students withdraw from a course we will only consider refunding fees for the remaining part of the course if the withdrawal is on medical grounds. Applications for refund of fees should be supported by medical evidence (eg hospital/doctor’s appointment card, letter or medical certificate) and an administration charge of £10 will be deducted from any refund given. Once examination entries have been made to the relevant examination board examination entry fees cannot be refunded.
From time to time it may be necessary to change the advertised venue of a course or there may be a change of tutor to the one advertised. Neither of these circumstances would normally give grounds for refund of fees.
Please note that should a student be unable to attend a course or withdraw from a course before all sessions have taken place, the place and fees are not transferable to another student.
Data Protection Statement
“Data Protection Act 1998 – The information you provide will be passed to the Learning and Skills Council (the LSC). The LSC is responsible for funding, planning and encouraging education and training for young people and adults in England, and is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. The information you provide will be shared with other organisations for the purpose of administration, careers and other guidance, and statistical and research purposes. Other organisations with which we will share information include, the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, Connexions, Higher Education Statistics Agency, Higher Education Funding Council for England, educational institutions and organisations performing research and statistical work on behalf of the LSC or its partners. The LSC also administers the learner registration service (LRS) which will use your information to create and maintain a unique learner number (ULN). The LSC is also a co-financing organisation and uses European Social Funds from the European Union to directly or indirectly part-finance learning activities, helping develop employment by promoting employability, business spirit and equal opportunities, and investing in human resources. Further information about partner organisations and the ULN and what they do, may be found at www.lsc.gov.uk/providers/Data/help/ and by following the links to data protection. At no time will your personal information be passed to organisations for marketing or sales purposes. From time to time students are approached to take part in surveys by mail and phone, which are aimed at enabling the LSC and its partners to monitor performance, improve quality and plan future provision. If you object to being contacted please tell the ACRES Office.
Unique Learner Number - Fair Processing Notice
The Managing Information Across Partners (MIAP) service is operated by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for learners aged 14 years and over and learners registering for relevant post-14 qualifications
MIAP offers a Learner Registration Service to allocate Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) which enable the individual to access a Learner Record Service. The Learner Record Service will offer the Learner the facility to access their participation and achievement data via a website and to share this with other organisations and individuals where permission is granted.
The MIAP service will allow those organisations listed on section 537A of the Education Act (www.miap.gov.uk) to use the Unique Learner Number as a key to sharing participation and achievement data in a consistent and approved manner, promoting good information management practice.
All organisations that will have access to the information you provide are registered under the Data protection Act 1998. At no time will your personal information be passed to organisations for marketing or sales purposes.
Individuals can opt-out of sharing participation and achievement data with those organisations listed in section 537A of the education act. Details of opting-out of data sharing can be found at www.miap.gov.uk or by telephoning the MIAP helpdesk on 0845 6022589.
If you wish to opt out of sharing participation and achievement data with those organisations listed in section 537A of the education act please contact the ACRES Office on 01825 761820 and we will amend our records accordingly.
Complaints Procedure
We aim to provide good quality services as efficiently as possible but sometimes things do go wrong and you may not be happy with the service you receive. If you are not satisfied, talk or write to the tutor or member of staff with whom you already have contact, or the Adult Learning Manager at the ACRES Office address. Most things can be sorted out quickly at this stage.
If the complainant is not satisfied with the response, the next stage would be for them to write to the Chair of the Board of ACRES.
A full response should normally be given within 28 days of receipt of the complaint.
Equality Policy and Statement
If you would like to read are full Equality Policy and Equality Statement please click on the links below.
Equality Policy
Equality Statement
Health and Safety Policy and Statement
If you would like to read are full Health and Safety Policy and Statement please click on the links below.
Health and Safety Policy
Health and Safety Statement
Student Charter
If you would like to read are Student Charter, please click here.
Information and Advice
If you would like to read our Information and Advice statement of service, please click here.
Student Exclusion Policy
If you would like to read our Student Exclusion Policy, please click here.
Strategic Plan
If you would like to read our Strategic plan or summary leaflet, please click on the links below.
Strategic Plan document
Strategic Plan leaflet
Terms and Conditions
If you would like to see are full Terms and Conditions please press here
