Terms & Conditions.

1. About us and the contract

 

Provider

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Courses are provided by Must Be Spanish, a partnership established in Scotland and trading as El Patio Spanish School, from 55 Albany Street, Edinburgh EH1 3QY. Contact: info@learnenelpatio.com | +44 7865 433012. VAT details appear at the end.

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Who these Terms cover

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These Terms apply to adult students aged 18 or over booking our in-person or online group courses, full-course or half-term places, workshops and intensive courses, unless separate terms are supplied.

 

Acceptance and contract documents

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Before payment, we email the course level, dates, usual time, format, fee, payment deadline and these Terms. By making the requested bank transfer, you confirm that you have checked and accepted them. The contract consists of these Terms, the pre-payment course information and our booking confirmation. A binding contract is formed only when cleared payment is received and El Patio confirms the place by email.

 

Applicable version

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The version supplied when you book applies to that booking. Nothing in these Terms removes consumer rights that cannot legally be excluded.

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2. Course information and placement

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Standard courses

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Unless stated otherwise, a standard group course consists of eight scheduled two-hour classes, normally including a ten-minute break. The maximum group size is ten enrolled students. The fee reserves a place on the course as a whole, not separate individual classes.

 

Placement

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Except for Beginner 1, students normally complete El Patio’s placement process. It is an internal assessment, not an official qualification or certificate. You must complete it honestly and without unauthorised help. We may review placement after classes begin and recommend or require a change if the level is substantially unsuitable.

 

If the level is unsuitable

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Where El Patio made a material placement error despite receiving accurate information, we will consider a suitable alternative or fair remedy. No refund or future-term credit will normally be available where the problem resulted from inaccurate information, unauthorised assistance or joining against our recommendation.

 

Progress

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Completion does not guarantee progression, fluency, an examination result or certification. Progress depends on attendance, participation and independent study.

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3. Prices, payment and confirmation

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Payment

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We normally accept full payment by bank transfer in pounds sterling only. You are responsible for bank or currency charges, and El Patio must receive the full amount by the deadline. We do not normally offer instalments or payment by individual class.

 

Availability

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An enquiry, assessment or course offer does not reserve a place. Places are normally allocated in the order cleared payments are received. A pending transfer or screenshot is not payment.

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Price and receipt

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The fee stated in our email is the total payable for that booking. Discounts apply only when confirmed before payment. Once accepted, the fee will not increase because later standard prices change. We issue an email confirmation and may issue a general receipt; the receipt must be read with the course information and confirmation.

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If we cannot accept payment

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If a course has become full or unavailable, payment is late, the amount is wrong or there is an obvious significant error, we may decline the booking and return the payment without undue delay.

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4. Student cancellations and refunds

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Fixed-date places

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Courses take place on specific dates and have limited capacity. Once confirmed, your place may no longer be offered to another student. You must consider the dates, availability and personal circumstances before paying.

 

Statutory position

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Fixed-date adult courses will normally be treated as services related to leisure activities for a specific date or period, for which the statutory 14-day cancellation right does not apply. If that exemption does not apply to a particular service, we will provide the required cancellation information before payment.

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More than seven clear days before the start

 

Cancellation must be emailed. A refund is not automatic. We will consider whether the place can reasonably be filled and the loss caused by cancellation. The booking cannot be converted into credit, a voucher, deferred enrolment or payment for a future term.

 

Seven clear days or fewer, or after the course begins

 

No refund, credit, discount, deferral or transfer will normally be available. This includes changes of mind and personal circumstances such as holidays, work, childcare, relocation, transport difficulties, illness, injury or concern that the course may be difficult.

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Exceptional circumstances and filled places

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We may consider genuinely exceptional circumstances at our discretion. If a cancelled place is successfully assessed, paid for and filled by another suitable student we will take that into account when deciding what amount may reasonably be retained. We do not guarantee that a place can be filled.

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Personal booking

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A booking cannot be sold, assigned, given or transferred to another person.

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5. Attendance and group changes

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Missed classes

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A student absence, late arrival or early departure does not entitle you to a refund, credit, private lesson, additional teaching, course extension or attendance in another group.

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No catch-up groups

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Students may not attend another group to recover a missed class, even at a similar level. Only students confirmed for that specific group may attend.

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Google Classroom

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All standard courses include Google Classroom, which may contain notices, homework and supporting materials. It supports independent review but is not a recording, transcript or complete replacement for a live class. Teachers are not required to repeat a missed class or prepare an individual summary.

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Formal group changes

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A change within the same term is not guaranteed and requires written approval. Availability, level, the ten-student limit, programme compatibility and administration will be considered. Once a course has begun, changes will normally be considered only for a reasonable educational or operational reason. We may limit a student to one approved change.

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Limits

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A formal change does not permit alternating groups, recovering absences, attending both groups or moving payment to another term. Fees cannot be deferred, carried forward or converted into credits or vouchers.

 

6. Half-term enrolments

 

Scope

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Where offered, a half-term place covers either classes 1-4 or classes 5-8 on the dates confirmed. It does not allow selection of four individual classes or mixing groups.

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Availability and level

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Full-course bookings may receive priority. A student joining classes 5-8 must have the required level and prior knowledge. One half does not reserve the other; continuing requires a separate booking. Two half-term bookings may cost more than one full course, with no retrospective adjustment.

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Policies

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The same cancellation, attendance and group-change rules apply. A half-term booking cannot be deferred, credited, transferred to another term or given to another person.

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7. Teaching, materials and recording

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Teachers and programme

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Our model normally includes teacher rotation approximately every two weeks, but timing may change. A particular teacher is not guaranteed. Teachers may reasonably adapt pace, order, activities and materials to the group while remaining consistent with the advertised level and course description.

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Books and homework

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We generally use Aula Internacional Plus and may use other manuals and resources. Unless stated otherwise, the required textbook is not included and the student must buy the correct edition. Homework is normally recommended rather than compulsory.

 

Language

 

Classes are taught primarily in Spanish. Limited English may be used for specific important clarification, especially at lower levels.

 

Materials and access

 

Google Classroom and materials are personal to the enrolled student. They must not be shared, sold, publicly reproduced or used to teach others.

 

No recording

 

El Patio does not record classes. Students must not make recordings, screenshots or photographs of teachers, students, discussions, shared screens or displayed materials without prior written permission and appropriate agreement from identifiable participants.

 

8. In-person and online participation

 

In person

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Students must follow reasonable safety, access and emergency instructions. Only enrolled students may attend; guests cannot attend or wait in class without permission. Students may be responsible for deliberate or negligent damage and are responsible for personal belongings, except where loss is caused by El Patio’s negligence.

 

Health

 

Do not attend in person with a contagious illness where attendance creates a material risk. The absence rules still apply.

 

Online requirements

 

Online students are responsible for a suitable device, stable internet, working audio, microphone and any required application. Camera use is normally expected where reasonably possible. Links and passwords are personal and must not be shared.

 

Technical problems

 

A problem with the student’s connection, device or login is normally treated as a missed class. If a substantial problem within El Patio’s control prevents delivery, we will reconnect, use another platform, extend, replace or otherwise remedy the affected session. Brief interruptions do not normally create compensation rights.

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9. Changes or cancellations by El Patio

 

Reasonable changes

 

We may reasonably change a teacher, rotation, classroom, accessible venue, online platform, programme order or the time of an individual class for legitimate educational, staffing, operational or safety reasons, without materially reducing the course.

 

Temporary online delivery

 

Where an in-person class cannot reasonably take place, we may temporarily deliver a substantially equivalent online class. A permanent move of an entire course will be treated as a potentially significant change.

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Cancelled or postponed class

 

We will normally seek a substitute, replacement date, equivalent online class or another reasonable alternative. A replacement may occur on another day, time, venue or after the original end date. It must be reasonable for the group as a whole, but cannot be guaranteed to suit every student.

 

Refund where not provided

 

If an affected class or remaining course cannot be delivered through a reasonable equivalent within a reasonable period, we will provide an appropriate proportional refund or price reduction. Credit will be used only if the student expressly agrees.

 

Course cancellation

 

If El Patio cancels the whole course before it begins, the student may choose a suitable alternative or a full refund. If a course is permanently cancelled after it begins and no reasonable equivalent can be offered, the undelivered part will be refunded proportionally.

 

Events outside our control

 

Severe weather, major transport disruption, fire, flood, utility failure, public-health emergencies, authority restrictions, security threats, industrial action or unexpected venue closure may require relocation, temporary online delivery, postponement or suspension. If the class continues but one student cannot travel, it is normally a student absence.

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Communication and indirect costs

 

Changes are normally communicated by email and may also be sent by phone, text or Google Classroom when urgent. To the extent permitted by law, El Patio is not responsible for personal costs such as travel, childcare, accommodation, loss of earnings or missed appointments.

 

10. Conduct, accessibility, privacy and complaints

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Conduct

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Students must behave respectfully and must not harass, threaten, discriminate, disrupt, act unsafely, damage property, attend materially affected by alcohol or illegal drugs, record without permission or give unauthorised access. El Patio may warn, remove or end enrolment. Serious conduct may lead to immediate removal and no refund for the remaining classes.

 

Accessibility

 

Please contact us before booking or as soon as possible about a disability or accessibility need. We will consider reasonable adjustments fairly, taking account of the course, premises and available technology.

 

Privacy and communications

 

We process personal information to respond to enquiries, assess levels, administer bookings, deliver courses and comply with legal obligations, as explained in our Privacy Policy: https://www.learnenelpatio.com/privacy-policy Booking permits necessary administrative emails but not unrelated marketing. Promotional use of identifiable photographs, videos or testimonials requires separate permission.

 

Complaints

 

Raise concerns promptly so that we can investigate and, where appropriate, remedy them. Formal complaints should be emailed to info@learnenelpatio.com with the course, relevant facts and requested outcome. We aim to acknowledge promptly and respond substantively within 14 calendar days, or explain if more time is needed.

 

11. Responsibility and final legal terms

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Standard of service

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El Patio will provide services with reasonable care and skill and substantially as described before booking. We do not exclude liability that cannot legally be excluded, including death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or mandatory consumer rights.

 

Third-party systems

 

We may use Google Classroom, video platforms and external resources. We will use reasonable care but cannot guarantee uninterrupted third-party services. If an essential failure materially prevents delivery, the remedies in section 9 apply.

 

Changes to these Terms

 

Updated Terms normally apply only to future bookings. Existing bookings will not be materially changed to the student’s disadvantage unless required by law, needed to correct a clear error or safety/security issue, or agreed by the student.

 

Law and severability

 

These Terms and the contract are governed by Scots law, subject to any mandatory consumer right to use another court. If one provision is unenforceable, the remainder continues. A discretionary exception in one case does not create a general entitlement.

 

Business details

 

Must Be Spanish, trading as El Patio Spanish School, 55 Albany Street, Edinburgh EH1 3QY. Email: info@learnenelpatio.com. Telephone: +44 7865 433012. VAT number: 494 7524 48. Version 2, effective 01/09/2026.

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