Terms & Conditions

Definitions

“Client” The person or persons who request, arrange, and pay for the service. This is assumed to be the person who makes initial contact with Adult Dyslexia Services by Sarah Hickinbotham (ADS).

“Learner” This is the person receiving tutoring or assessment from ADS. This may also be the Client in the case of adult assessments and tutoring.

“Consultancy” is the provision of education advice or consultation provided by ADS, charged at an hourly rate.

“School holidays” is any period of non-term time, inclusive of all school dates within the UK.

“Working day” refers a typical working day of 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding statutory Bank Holidays.

“Education establishment” refers to a school, college, university, or other place of learning the client is currently attending or has attended historically.

“Booking date” refers to the date that has been booked for the piece of work.

Payment

Payments must be made within 7 days from receipt of the invoice, unless otherwise specified. Interest will be charged on any payment outstanding for more than 14 days, accruing at 4% per month from the due date until payment is received by Adult Dyslexia Services by Sarah Hickinbotham (ADS). A deposit of at least 20% of the total agreed fee is required to secure any bookings, unless otherwise specified.

Cancellation and Refunds

Cancellations should be advised via email or telephone.

A full refund will be given if cancellation is more than 14 working days before the event or assessment, minus the deposit.
Cancellations received 14 days or less before the event will incur a 50% charge.
Cancellations received up to 5 working days before the event will be charged at 100%.
The full fee is payable if no cancellation is made and the client fails to attend the booking.
A discretionary £50 fee will apply if transferring the booking to a different date less than 14 days prior to the booking.
Clients will be liable for any non-refundable costs associated with the booking that cannot be cancelled regardless of when notice is given.
Any test papers sent by ADS must be returned.

Cancellation by Adult Dyslexia Services by Sarah Hickinbotham

ADS reserves the right to cancel bookings due to viability, adverse weather, illness, unforeseen reasons, or if there is any reputational risk. ADS may cancel for specific reasons and rearrange at a mutually convenient time.

Expenses

All expenses will be covered in the agreed fee unless otherwise specified. Mileage is charged at £0.60p per mile, unless otherwise stated.

Diagnostic assessment and tutoring

Background information will be gathered from the client and, with consent, other relevant sources such as schools/further education/higher education/workplaces before the assessment via questionnaires. Follow-up calls may be made, if required. Assessments and/or tutoring cannot go ahead if sufficient background information cannot be provided.

For diagnostic assessments:

all assessment content must remain confidential and must not be shared by you with anyone else
follow-up tests may be needed, with no additional charge.
a report will be written within 15 working days, unless otherwise agreed.
a post-assessment session will be arranged with the client at no extra charge.
Learners under 18 will not be left unattended during tuition or assessments and a responsible guardian must remain, in accordance with the ADS safeguarding policy (hyperlink).
A deposit of £100 must be paid to secure the booking. The booking link can be found on our website.

For online diagnostic assessments:

you must be alone and in a private place away from interruptions, noises and distractions (specific terms and conditions apply for under 18s and vulnerable adults – please refer to our Safeguarding Policy [hyperlink])
you will need a sufficient internet connection and a laptop, desktop computer or large tablet (13” and over) with a suitable microphone, camera and audio. Small tablets and mobile phones are not acceptable. You will need adequate charge for several hours of testing.
the assessment will be completed using an online platform such as Teams or Zoom; it is your responsibility to ensure that you can access this platform before the assessment takes place.
test papers will be posted to the client in good time prior to the day of testing.
the envelope MUST remain sealed until the assessor gives verbal permission to open it once the assessment appointments.
you must not record the remote session, nor take any screenshots or photos of testing materials or the assessor. If this behaviour is suspected, the assessor will immediately end the assessment and it will be void. The client will still be required to pay the full cost of the assessment.
all test papers must be returned to the assessor. This includes if the assessment does not go ahead for any reason.

Assessment does NOT guarantee a diagnosis.

Exam Access Arrangements Assessments

ADS will maintain knowledge of JCQ regulations and current assessment tools:

They will liaise with the SENDCo and assess learners in accordance with their history and needs.
Schools are responsible for completing Form 8, Part 1 before the assessment and arranging the day’s timetable.
ADS will maintain an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate on the update service. The certificate number will be provided upon request.

Education and Workplace Support Packages

The minimum duration of the package is three terms for educational establishments or six months for businesses. Visits must be spread over these terms and cannot be carried over unless agreed with ADS. Follow-up work must be part of contracted visits or chargeable extras. Invoices are sent at the start of the contract, and payments must be made within 7 days. A 20% deposit is required to secure bookings. On booking the package, a 14-day cooling-off period applies and the deposit will be returned if the package is cancelled. After that, no refund is permitted. Unspent visits within the package will not be refunded or carried over unless agreed with ADS.

Intellectual Property

All training materials, reports, and resources provided by ADS remain its intellectual property unless otherwise agreed. Education establishments receive a non-exclusive license to use these materials for internal purposes only.

Code of Ethics

ADS is an Associate Member of the British Dyslexia Association (AMBDA). Please refer to the BDA’s Code of Ethics.

Complaints

For concerns relating to any service provided by ADS, please contact us for an informal discussion. If unresolved, the ADS complaints procedure is available.

General

ADS reserves the right to alter these terms and conditions but will notify clients currently engaged in services of any changes. These Terms and Conditions prevail unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Last reviewed: 29/04/25