Payment
Places must be prepaid not later than 2 weeks prior to the date of the course. If places remain available, late bookings will be accepted with pre-payment on the day of the course.
Cancellations
A full refund will be given if a booking is cancelled not later than 11 working days prior to the course start date or if TfC cancels a course.
Times
Stated course lengths include a.m./p.m. coffee break (15 min) and lunch break (30 min).
Courses involving practical exercises may finish earlier than scheduled if participant numbers are low (although the syllabus will have been fully covered).
Venue
Unless stated otherwise, courses will be held at the Carlton Bridge Centre, 36B Warriston Gardens, Edinburgh.
Refreshments
All Refreshments are included in the course fee. Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided at the start and mid point of morning and afternoon sessions. Lunch is provided for all full day courses (selection of vegetarian and non vegetarian sandwiches, fruit and cakes).
Group Booking Terms and Conditions
Invoicing
Organisations will be invoiced at the end of the month in which the course took place.
Trainer Travel and Accommodation Expenses
(1) By Car
Journeys are calculated from central Edinburgh.
20 miles or less : no charge
20+ - 120 miles : miles over 20 - 40 p.p.m.
: time over 1 hour - £18 p.h.
120+ miles : negotiable
All mileage/time charges calculated by TfC using RAC Route Planner, plus 5%.
(2) By Public Transport
Fare minus first £8. Time: £18 per hour for hours 2 - 4; negotiable rate for additional hours.
(3) Overnight accommodation: negotiable
Catering Charges
For courses located at the Carlton Bridge Centre
Half day: £1.50 p.p.
Full day: £7.50 p.p.
Any changes to catering requirements must be notified a minimum of two days before the date of the course.
Course Accommodation
Where courses cannot be accommodated at a TfC venue or your own venue, room hire will be charged at cost.
Cancellation Charges
15 days or more in advance: no charge.
14 - 8 days in advance:
(a) entire course - 50% of fee estimate at time of booking confirmation
(b) reduction in number of places down to fee table minimum - no charge
7 days or less:
(a) entire course - 100% of fee estimate at time of booking confirmation
(b) any places booked but not taken up will be charged as per fee estimate in the booking confirmation letter unless notified to TfC prior to the course
All cancellations made 14 or less days in advance of the booking must be confirmed in writing within one week of the initial notification.
Fee Reduction
In addition to the 5% discount on simultaneous block booking of any three or more courses - make use of our INFILL SERVICE. Allow TfC to use spare places on your block booked courses to meet the demand for single or small group places. If the spare places are infilled, your per capita costs are reduced.
Example
Course: Extended Emergency First Aid
Your organisation is making a block booking and requires 9 places.
Per capita rate (see EEFA fee table) for 9 places: £44.83. Total fee: £403.50
But if TfC is able to infill your spare places, e.g. 3, the per capita rate is now
based on 12 places: £39.00. Your fee for 9 places is now £351.00 Saving £53.50
Vocational Training Terms and Conditions
Candidate Selection
Selection procedures focus on the abilities, commitment and employment position of the candidate and on the commitment and capability of the candidate’s employer to support the qualification process
Training for Care will
- Provide all training and assessment inputs as detailed on the specific course publicity and programme of study, including selected learning materials and award stationery (electronic/paper)
- Appoint internal verifiers and peripatetic assessors who meet Awarding Body requirements.
- Implement quality assurance systems to meet awarding body requirements.
- Ensure efficient administration of the scheme, including registration and certification of candidates, through the centre contact (appointed by TfC) who will handle all documentation and liaise with the awarding body on behalf of participating agencies.
The candidate’s employer will
- Agree to work within TfC’s equal opportunity and anti-discriminatory Policies.
- Comply with all relevant, current health and safety legislation.
- Ensure that the SVQ candidate
a) attends induction
b) applicable to taught programmes only: attends tutorials at TfC as set out in the course programme of study
c) has access to the work and assessment opportunities necessary for the completion of the award
d) is available for assessment by the TfC assessor within work rotas at the times arranged with the assessor; this will cover direct observation and feedback plus any other assessment activities specified in the course programme
e) is provided with the support of an appropriately qualified member of staff for the provision of witness evidence
f) only where agreed prior to start of course, has pc/internet access at work for use of e-portfolio
- Provide access to the site and the candidate for TfC’s internal verifier and the awarding body external verifier in accordance with the requirements of the scheme except in exceptional circumstances where this would clearly conflict with the best interests of clients.
- Pay the agreed course fee (where applicable) set out on the publicity. N.B. Where travel is not included in the fee , expenses will be invoiced at the end of the programme at £30/hour and 30 pence/mile.
Note: All the above are requirements of being an approved SVQ Assessment Site with TfC. Where it appears that the above conditions are not being met, TfC will initiate discussions with the assessment site manager and, in the event of an unsatisfactory outcome, reserves the right to withdraw assessment site status.
The candidate will be required to
- Complete induction and sign all necessary documentation.
- Applicable to taught programmes only: attend a minimum of 80% of the tutorials and support sessions set out in the programme of study. (Employers will be sent a non -attendance record sheet if the candidate is absent).
- Adhere to the terms contained in the Candidate Assessor Agreement which the candidate will agree with the assessor at the start of the assessment process. This includes agreement to use e-portfolio.
- Meet the achievement and progress targets scheduled at the start of the course and set out in the Training Agreement. (Employers will be sent a progress report, giving reasons, whenever a candidate fails to meet a course target).
Failure to meet targets will be dealt with as follows
- The first time a candidate falls behind schedule, the TfC assessor has the authority to amend requirements subject to the award candidate being back on schedule at the end of the next target period.
- If the candidate continues to fall behind schedule, the matter will be referred to departmental management where three options will be considered.
- Withdrawal of the candidate’s place on the course. This would be applied where the candidate lacks the ability to achieve the qualification.
- Charge for additional assessment costs. This option would be offered where the candidate has the ability to achieve the qualification, but lack of commitment on their or their employer’s part mean that they have fallen behind schedule to the extent that TfC workforce plans have to be amended to incorporate new assessment time. Charge for additional assessment and travel time: £30 per hour (plus travel expenses at 30 pence per mile). Where employers choose not to exercise this option, option i. above would apply.
- Temporary suspension of training or deferment to a future course. Offered where all the ingredients are in place for achievement of the qualification but the candidate is temporarily prevented from doing so for reasons outwith their or their workplace’s control (subject to TfC being kept informed).
General Assessment Principles
- Assessment arrangement are made on the understanding that the best interests of clients will be protected at all times
- Client confidentiality will be maintained in all SVQ recording undertaken by either the candidate or the assessor and safe storage of documents (paper/electronic) will be arranged
- Only the following will have access to the candidate’s portfolio: candidate, assessor, internal verifier, external verifier. Access by others will not be granted without the specific permission of the candidate.
- All evidence must relate to the candidate’s knowledge and performance, and, therefore, must be authentic.
- In the case of unresolved disputes, the Appeal Procedure issued at induction will be followed