Terms governing educational consultancy and support provided to families
Policy owner: Director, Oak Path Education Ltd
Approval date: 5 November 2026
Next review date: 5 November 2027
1. About Us and These Terms
OAK PATH EDUCATION LTD (company number 17208884), registered office 71–75 Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9JQ, provides independent educational consultancy and support. Contact: oakpathteam@gmail.com.
These Terms apply to services agreed with an individual parent, carer or other client (“you”). They should be read with the service proposal or booking confirmation, applicable fee quotation, Privacy Notice and Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. Where an individually agreed written proposal conflicts with these Terms, the proposal takes precedence for that specific service, except where this would remove statutory consumer rights.
2. Services and Scope
Services may include parent strategy consultations, SEND guidance, educational report review, specialist teaching, executive functioning coaching, assessment guidance, school meeting preparation or attendance, and referrals to external specialists. School involvement is ordinarily linked to a particular child or family.
The precise service, deliverables, format, duration, fee and any expenses will be agreed in writing before chargeable work begins. Additional work, including document review, written summaries, meeting preparation or liaison, requires agreement and may incur additional fees. An introductory call is not a full professional consultation.
3. Professional Advice and Outcomes
Oak Path provides educational advice and support, not medical or psychological diagnosis, clinical treatment, statutory assessment or legal advice. Oak Path does not itself carry out educational psychology, speech and language therapy or occupational therapy assessments.
Advice reflects the information available at the time and professional judgement. We will exercise reasonable care and skill, but cannot guarantee admissions, EHCP decisions, examination access arrangements, school or local authority decisions, academic progress or any other particular outcome. This does not exclude liability for a failure to provide services with reasonable care and skill.
4. Fees, Quotations and Payment
Fees will be confirmed before booking or commencement of work. Our published Fee Schedule is indicative unless a price is expressly agreed for your booking. Parent strategy consultations are normally payable in advance. Ongoing teaching or coaching may be invoiced monthly by agreement. Invoices are ordinarily due within seven calendar days unless otherwise agreed.
Any preparation time, report review, travel time, parking or other expenses will be charged only where disclosed and agreed in advance. VAT will be charged only if legally applicable and communicated in the agreed price. Fees for services already contracted will not be changed unilaterally.
If payment is overdue, we may give reasonable notice and suspend future work, provided this is fair and does not conflict with statutory rights or safeguarding duties. Any interest or recovery costs will be claimed only where legally permitted and proportionate.
5. Booking, Cancellation and Rescheduling
For consultations, our standard cancellation arrangement is: more than 48 hours’ notice, no cancellation fee; 24–48 hours’ notice, up to 50% of the agreed session fee; less than 24 hours’ notice, up to 100%. For specialist teaching and coaching: more than 24 hours’ notice, no fee; less than 24 hours’ notice, up to 100%. These are maximum charges, not automatic penalties: any charge will be assessed fairly, considering actual loss, costs saved and the opportunity to refill the appointment.
We will consider illness and unexpected circumstances reasonably and, where practical, offer rescheduling. If Oak Path cancels, you may choose a reasonable alternative date or a refund for the undelivered service. These contractual cancellation provisions do not override statutory cancellation or refund rights described below.
6. Consumer Cancellation Rights for Distance and Off-Premises Contracts
If you enter into a consumer contract online, by telephone or away from Oak Path’s business premises, you may have a statutory right to cancel within 14 days after the contract is made, subject to applicable exceptions. We will provide the required pre-contract information and cancellation instructions where the law requires. You can cancel by emailing oakpathteam@gmail.com with a clear statement.
If you expressly ask us to begin providing services during the statutory cancellation period, you may have to pay a proportionate amount for services properly supplied before you cancel, where the legal requirements are met. If a service is fully performed during that period, your cancellation right may be lost only where the applicable statutory conditions, including express request and required acknowledgement, have been satisfied. We will obtain any necessary separate confirmation before starting early.
Nothing in these Terms affects statutory remedies for services not provided with reasonable care and skill or otherwise not conforming to the contract.
7. Your Responsibilities and Consent
Please provide accurate, relevant information and documents, notify us of important changes, and confirm that you have authority to instruct us and share a child’s information. Where appropriate, we will take account of the child’s views and rights.
For direct work with a child, a parent or carer must agree the practical arrangements, emergency contact details, supervision and suitable environment. One-to-one sessions without a parent present will take place only where agreed and appropriately risk assessed. We may pause a session if the environment or arrangements are unsafe.
8. Safeguarding and Confidentiality
The welfare of children is central to our work. Confidentiality is not absolute: we may record and share necessary information with safeguarding authorities or other appropriate bodies where required or permitted by law. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy explains our approach.
We handle personal information in accordance with our Privacy Notice and applicable data protection law. Confidential reports should be sent using an agreed secure method; please avoid including detailed health or assessment information in an initial website enquiry.
9. Schools, Reports and External Specialists
With appropriate authority, we may communicate with schools or relevant professionals as part of the agreed service. Decisions about provision, admission, assessment or statutory support remain with the relevant organisation or authority.
Where we introduce an independent professional, that professional normally contracts directly with the family and is responsible for their own assessment, advice, fees and service. Where an associate delivers services on Oak Path’s behalf, we will identify that arrangement and remain responsible for our own contractual obligations. We will disclose any material referral fee or conflict of interest.
10. Written Materials and Intellectual Property
Unless otherwise agreed, Oak Path retains intellectual property rights in its original resources, templates and written materials. Clients may use and share reports or recommendations supplied for their child’s support with their school, local authority and relevant professionals for that non-commercial purpose.
Materials must not be misrepresented, materially altered or commercially republished without permission. This does not prevent lawful use of documents or the exercise of legal rights.
11. Complaints and Resolving Concerns
Please raise concerns promptly at oakpathteam@gmail.com. We aim to acknowledge a formal complaint within five working days and provide a substantive response within 20 working days where reasonably possible, explaining any delay. You retain your statutory rights and access to courts or other available remedies.
12. Liability
We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill. Nothing in these Terms excludes or restricts liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any liability or consumer right that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.
We are not responsible merely because a school, local authority or third party reaches a decision different from our advice. However, this does not remove responsibility where loss results from our own breach of contract or negligence. Any limitation of liability must be fair and lawful in the circumstances; no blanket cap at fees paid is imposed by these Terms.
13. Ending Services and Events Outside Our Control
Either party may end an ongoing engagement by written notice, subject to any agreed minimum commitment, accrued fees and applicable statutory rights. Oak Path may end or suspend work for serious non-payment, unsafe or abusive conduct, conflicts of interest or other substantial professional reasons, acting fairly and giving reasonable notice where possible. Any advance payment for services not provided will be refunded unless a lawful deduction applies.
If illness, transport disruption, technical failure or other events outside reasonable control prevent delivery, we will notify you promptly and seek to reschedule or refund undelivered services as appropriate.
14. Governing Law and Updates
These Terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, without depriving consumers of any mandatory protections applicable to them. Disputes may be brought before courts having jurisdiction under applicable law.
We may update these Terms for future engagements. Changes will not alter an existing booking without agreement, except where required by law.
OAK PATH EDUCATION LTD | Company No. 17208884 | Effective date: 5 November 2026 | Review: 5 November 2027