Terms for Parents

Last updated: 4 November 2026

1. About these terms

Joy Learning is an online tutoring employment agency. We introduce you to self-employed tutors and support you while lessons run.

When you book lessons, your agreement for the lessons themselves is with your tutor. Your agreement for our introduction and support service is with Joy Learning.
Tutors are self-employed. They are not employees or workers of Joy Learning.
These terms apply from your first booking. By booking a lesson, you confirm you have read and accept them.
Who we are: Joy Learning, 61 Bridge Street, Kington, HR5 3DJ, info@joylearning.co.uk.

You / Client: the parent or guardian who requests and pays for lessons.
Your child / Tutee: the student receiving lessons.
Tutor: the self-employed tutor introduced by Joy Learning who delivers the lessons.
Lesson: a session in which the tutor teaches your child, as you have requested.
Lesson fee: the total charged for one lesson (the tutor's fee plus Joy Learning's booking fee).

Matching: we suggest a tutor based on your child's year group, subjects, exam board, availability and personality.
Vetting: before introducing a tutor, we check their identity, qualifications and right to work, obtain two written references, and confirm they hold an enhanced DBS check. Joy Learning pays for DBS checks. You can ask to see these documents before lessons start.
Safeguarding: our safeguarding arrangements are overseen by a trained Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Ongoing support: we check in on progress and help if anything needs to change, including finding a different tutor.
Information we need from you: before introducing a tutor, we will ask for your child's name, year group, subjects and exam board, any learning needs, the days and times you would like, and how long you expect lessons to continue. Please tell us about anything that would help us choose a suitable tutor.

Lessons cost £35 per hour, for all subjects and levels. This is made up of:

Shorter or longer lessons are charged pro rata.
Payments are handled through our booking platform (TutorCruncher) using split payments. You make one card payment, and the platform passes each share to the tutor and to Joy Learning separately. Joy Learning never receives or pays the tutor's fee.
You will receive two invoices for each lesson: one from your tutor and one from Joy Learning.
You save a card when you sign up. You are charged automatically after each completed lesson. There is nothing to pay upfront.
If a payment fails, we will let you know. Lessons may be paused until payment is made.
We will give you at least 30 days' notice of any change to fees.

If you are not happy with your first lesson with Joy Learning, you will not pay for it.

Tell us within 48 hours of the lesson, by WhatsApp or email.
We will not charge you for that lesson and any invoices issued to you will be covered by Joy Learning. Your tutor is still paid for their time.
We will then offer you a different tutor, or you can stop with nothing further to pay.
The guarantee applies once per family, to the first lesson only.

To cancel or move a lesson, give at least 24 hours' notice through the booking platform, WhatsApp or by messaging your tutor.
Lessons cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, or missed without notice, are charged in full.
If your child is late, the tutor does not have to extend the lesson, though they may choose to. If your child joins more than 15 minutes late without warning, the tutor may treat the lesson as missed.
If your tutor cancels, or cannot run the lesson, you are not charged. We will help rearrange it or find cover.
Repeated short-notice cancellations by a tutor are something we want to know about. Please tell us.

Your child needs a laptop or tablet with a webcam, microphone and a stable internet connection.
All lessons must be arranged and delivered through the Joy Learning platform only.
Your child should join from a shared or open space in the home, not a bedroom, with an adult in the home during the lesson.
Cameras should be on, and everyone should be dressed appropriately.
All contact between your child and the tutor should go through the lesson platform or through you. Tutors will not contact students on personal social media or private messaging.
Lessons may be recorded through the lesson platform for safeguarding and quality purposes. Recordings are kept securely and are not shared beyond you, the tutor and Joy Learning.

Your child's safety comes first.

If you have any concern about a tutor's behaviour or your child's wellbeing, contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead straight away at info@joylearning.co.uk or on WhatsApp (07518 384585).
If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
We take every concern seriously. Where needed, we will pause lessons and follow our safeguarding procedures, including referral to the local authority or police.
If we learn anything that suggests a tutor may be unsuitable, we will tell you without delay.

We invest time and money in finding, vetting and DBS-checking each tutor.

If you arrange lessons with a tutor we introduced directly, outside Joy Learning, within 12 months of their last lesson booked through us, an introduction fee of £200 is payable to Joy Learning.
This also applies if you pass a tutor's details to another family who then books them directly.
This fee does not apply if you tell us first and we agree in writing.

Homework and coursework: tutors help your child learn. They will not complete homework, assignments, essays or coursework for them, and you must not ask them to.
Results: we work hard to help every student progress, but we cannot guarantee exam grades and are not responsible for the grades your child receives.
The right match: we cannot guarantee every tutor will suit your child. If a match isn't working, tell us and we will try to find a better one.
Stopping lessons: Joy Learning may ask a tutor to stop lessons with a family, or end anyone's access to the platform, if these terms are not followed or we have safeguarding concerns.

Stopping lessons: there is no minimum term. You can stop at any time by telling us or your tutor, subject to the 24-hour cancellation rule for any lesson already booked.
Your 14-day cancellation right: because you book online, you can cancel this agreement within 14 days of your first booking. If you ask for lessons to start within that period, you pay only for lessons already delivered.
Complaints: contact us at info@joylearning.co.uk. If there is a problem with a lesson, please tell us within 48 hours where you can. We aim to reply within 5 working days and to resolve complaints fairly and quickly.
Our responsibility: we take reasonable care in selecting and vetting tutors. Tutors are responsible for the lessons they deliver. Nothing in these terms limits your legal rights as a consumer or our liability where the law does not allow it to be limited.
Your data: we use your and your child's personal information only to arrange and support lessons, and share it only with your tutor and our booking platform. We keep records as required by law and never sell your data. See our privacy notice for details.
Changes to these terms: we will tell you about any changes at least 30 days in advance.
Law: these terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.