Last Updated on 4 September 2024

 

Speaking Schools Australasia (‘SSA‘) is committed to providing a quality service for all organisational stakeholders.

This post summarises the key points of the SSA Credits & Refunds Policy (last updated on 4 September 2024).

Please reach out should you like a copy of the complete Policy to which this post refers.

 

Definitions

For the avoidance of doubt:

• ‘Credits’ refer to monetary amounts which can be claimed for future programs and are usually stored as ‘Vouchers’ on the SSA website;
• ‘Refunds’ refer to monetary amounts that are returned to the person who paid for a service, usually through the same method that they initially used to pay; and
• ‘Replacement Sessions’ refer to any classes taken in lieu of what was originally booked.

 

Replacement Sessions

Replacement sessions may be offered where:

• A student is unable to make a session that they are enrolled in; and
• The student and/or parent alert us to their absence in advance of the session.

Given regular attendance is important for continual development, a preference is given for students to attend replacement sessions where possible.

 

Special Considerations: Holiday Workshops

Replacement sessions for holiday workshops generally involve inviting the student to attend the same (or similar) program on other dates (and potentially at another venue).

Replacement sessions may be offered for single days of holiday workshops.

 

Special Considerations: Term Programs

Replacement sessions may be issued for complete sessions of a term program, but are not generally issued for part-sessions.

Unless approved by a relevant SSA team member, only one credit or two replacement sessions can be issued per student, per term. This will be decided on a case by case basis, and will have regard to:

• The reason for the additional requested credit/replacement session;
• The number of credits and/or replacement Sessions previously given;
• The number of classes the student has completed with SSA; and
• Any other consideration deemed pertinent by the decision maker.

 

Special Considerations: Private Coaching

Generally, replacement sessions for private coaching:

• can only occur for up to 25% of scheduled sessions (e.g. if there are 8 sessions, only 2 may be rescheduled);
• must either have 72 hours notice or, where this is not possible (e.g. sudden illness), as much notice as practicable to both the coach and the relevant Franchisor; and
• must be arranged between the parent and the coach to ensure that they meet the coach’s schedule.

Generally, unless there are exceptional circumstances, all private coaching sessions that a student does not attend are either rescheduled as replacement sessions or forfeited.

For clarity, the above does not prevent the arranged usual time for the private coaching sessions from being rescheduled (e.g. Thursday, 4:30pm, no longer suits one party, so the parent and coach arrange to move all future sessions to Friday, 5:30pm).

 

Issuing Credits

 

Generally

Generally, SSA will issue credits to parents of students who:

• Are unable to attend a session they have paid for due to a good reason; and
• Raise this with us in advance of the session.

Good reasons for a credit may include (but are not limited to):

• The student is unwell;
• The student is on holiday;
• The student has another important commitment (e.g. school camp, one-off competitions etc.);
• The student has moved home and can no longer attend the classes; and
• Where SSA or its representatives have made an error, and the credit is offered as part of compensation for that error.

If available, SSA will generally offer alternative replacement sessions as a first preference in lieu of a credit.

 

Special Considerations: Holiday Workshops

Credits may be issued for whole days of holiday workshops but are not generally issued for part-days.

 

Special Considerations: Term Programs

Credits may be issued for complete sessions of a term program but are not generally issued for part sessions (unless that part session resulted from SSA’s error).

Unless special circumstances apply, only one credit or two replacement sessions can be issued per student, per term. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis, and will have regard to the following:

• The reason for the additional requested credit/replacement session;
• The number of credits and/or replacement Sessions previously given;
• The number of classes the student has completed with SSA; and
• Any other consideration deemed pertinent by the decision maker.

 

Special Considerations: Extensions

Extensions to credits may be offered on a case-by-case basis but will generally not extend past Week #6 of the following term.

 

Issuing Refunds

 

Generally

Generally, SSA will issue refunds to parents of students who:

• Are unable to attend a session they have paid for due to a good reason;
• Raise this with us in advance of the session;
• Have not found alternative options (such as a replacement session or credit) to be sufficient; and
• Have been approved for a refund by a relevant General Manager.

Good reasons for a refund may include (but are not limited to):

• The student and/or parent is unhappy with the program;
• There was an incident during a class that substantially impacted the student;
• The student has moved home and is no longer able to attend the class; and
• SSA made changes to the class that impacted the student (e.g. cancellation).

If the reason for the refund is that the student and/or parent is unhappy with the program or that an incident occurred that substantially impacted the student, the relevant member of the SSA team will reach out to them to discuss the issues before a refund is approved.

 

Special Considerations: Holiday Workshops

Refunds may be issued for whole days of holiday workshops with the approval of the relevant SSA team member, but are not generally issued for part-days.

 

Special Considerations: Term Programs

Refunds may be issued for complete sessions of a term program with the approval of the relevant SSA team member, but are not generally issued for part sessions.

 

Special Considerations: Transaction Fees

Where a refund is issued for more than 50% of a booking fee where SSA paid a transaction fee, and SSA is not at fault for the refund being issued, that transaction fee may be deducted from the refund.

Any deduction for a transaction fee must be in the same proportion as the refund it relates to (e.g. if 60% of the booking fee is being refunded, SSA may only deduct 60% of the transaction fee from the refund).

 

Abusive Conduct

SSA will generally not offer credits or refunds to parents who have engaged in abusive behaviour unless required to do so under the Australian Consumer Law.

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