Terms and conditions
GENERAL INFORMATION
1- General information and timetable
1.1. Virtus, The British Sixth Form College is a British British school specialised in the A-Level stage, owned by THINK AHEAD ACADEMY, SL.
1.2. Each academic year lasts a total of 10 months. The academic year 2024-25 starts on September 4th, 2024 and ends on June 26th, 2025.
1.3. The compulsory school timetable for the academic year 2024-25 is 08:30-16:20 from Monday to Friday.
1.4. The compulsory school timetable includes all school hours and different enrichment activities, co-curricular activities and sports.
SHARED COMMITMENTS
2- Virtus, The British Sixth Form College is committed to:
2.1. Apply the principles, values, policies and protocols approved by their school council, which have been articulated through the various documents listed in the School Policies annex included in this document. These School Policies are available on the website www.virtuscollege.es.
2.2. Enrolling the student in the school and providing the student with an education in accordance with the School Policies, the Curriculum and the ethical standards established by the School and stated in promotional materials, its website and other publications.
2.3. To ensure that the school complies with the laws and regulations of the Community of Madrid, the Kingdom of Spain and the European Union.
2.4. Comply with the principles, organisational model and protocols for action set out in Chapter IV of Organic Law 8/2021, of June 4th, on the comprehensive protection of children and teenagers against violence.
2.5. To have taken out School Insurance to cover their civil liability and accidents on the school premises.
2.6. To duly inform about possible updates of these Terms and Conditions.
3- Parents undertake to:
3.1. Inform the school of any support needs required by the pupil, or if the pupil has any special educational needs (SEN).
3.2. Ensure, under their responsibility, that the pupil has been vaccinated with the compulsory vaccinations specified in the Spanish vaccination calendar.
3.3. Ensure, under their responsibility, that the student has medical insurance before entering the school, on the understanding that the school does not assume any type of health or pharmaceutical expenses caused by the student’s illness or accident.
3.4. Ensure that the student complies with the School Policies listed in the appendix to this document and available on the website www.virtuscollege.es. By their nature these School Policies will be updated in number and content in order to improve the quality of education and to ensure the safety of the school environment and parents should be proactive in being aware of such updates (published on the website) and keep themselves informed.
3.5. Ensure that the student arrives at school on time, in uniform and correctly equipped for lessons.
3.6. Inform the school of any scheduled absences or report any unforeseen circumstances that prevent them from attending classes.
3.7. Avoid all unnecessary absences, including holidays during school term time.
3.8. Share with the school any concerns or worries that may affect the student’s learning or behaviour.
3.9. Inform the school of any medical condition, illness or functional diversity situation of which parents are aware that may affect the well-being of the student during school activities.
3.10. To help the student to comply with the Student Code of Conduct (School Policy No. 2) and all aspects of school life, as well as to participate in all areas of the curriculum.
3.11. Encourage and support pupils’ personal work at home.
3.12. Support and respect the policies and guidelines of the School.
3.13. Support and respect the actions of the school in the event of disruptive or negative behaviour or conduct of the student, including the sanctions set out in the Student Code of Conduct (School Policy No. 2).
3.14. Attend parent-teacher consultations, as well as tutorials and other meetings aimed at sharing the pupil’s progress.
3.15. Read, apply and keep informed of all communications issued by the College, responding to them as required.
3.16. To relate to school staff and the parent community in a constructive and respectful manner.
3.17. Provide updated contact details and inform of any possible changes to them.
3.18. Support compliance with all protocols implemented at the College, in particular the protocols relating to health and safety included in the School Policies.
4- The student undertakes to:
4.1. Respect the provisions of the internal regulations contained in the School Policies.
4.2. Respect the rules of school coexistence and good conduct, and protocols implemented in the school.
ADMISSIONS, FEES AND PAYMENTS
5- School Admission
5.1. The School reserves the right of admission, within the Spanish legal framework.
5.2. The school will formally communicate the admission of the pupil to the parents by means of a specific email, which will include the pupil’s Vocational Profile.
5.3. Parents understand and accept that having provided false, inaccurate or misleading information during the admissions process may lead to the rejection of the application form or the expulsion of the pupil from the School, and the School shall be exempt from any financial or other liability resulting from the rejection of the application form or the expulsion of the pupil.
5.4. Parents are responsible for ensuring that the student has a visa/permission to study in accordance with the laws of the Kingdom of Spain. Failure to have this visa/permission will invalidate the student’s admission and the school will be exempt from any financial or other responsibility.
5.5. At the beginning of the admission process, the school will ask parents to pay an application fee of 200 euros, which will be used to construct the student’s Vocational Profile. For this purpose the school will issue an invoice which can be paid by parents by bank transfer or in cash.
6- Reservation fee
6.1. Once the student has been admitted, and formally notified of his/her admission, the school will send the parents the Registration Form and the Terms and Conditions by email, and this document must be returned duly completed and signed. At the same time, another email will be sent to the parents attaching the invoice for the reservation fee, the payment of which will conclude the student’s enrolment, thus guaranteeing their place at the school.
6.2. Payment of the reservation fee must be made by bank transfer within 10 calendar days of notification of admission. Failure to pay, if the school so determines, will render the student’s prior admission null and void.
6.3. The place reservation, in Year 12 only, consists of a one-off payment of 5,000 euros. This amount is divided into a tuition fee of €3,500 and a tuition fee advance of €1,500. The tuition fee advance will be deducted from the first term’s invoice.
6.4. Except in the cases explicitly stated in this document, the reservation of a place is non-refundable.
6.5. In the event that an IGCSE student, previously admitted, is finally rejected in August 2024 for not meeting the entry requirements stipulated in clause 6.6, the full amount paid to the School, except for the application fee of 200 euros, will be refunded within the first five calendar days following notification of the rejection.
6.6. For a student coming from IGCSE, the School entry requirements are a minimum of six IGCSE subjects with a pass grade (4/C) or above including Mathematics and English Language, and at least a grade of 6 (B) in any subject they have taken at IGCSE and wish to continue at the A-Level stage. Except for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, where they must obtain a grade of 7 (A) in the IGCSE subject if they wish to continue at the A-Level stage.
6.7. A previously admitted student may be finally rejected by the School, between the date of admission and September 4th, 2024, if new unsatisfactory official reports from his/her home school become known or disruptive behaviour comes to light which makes it inadvisable for him/her to join the School. In this event, a refund will also be made to parents on the terms and timescales set out in clause 6.5.
7- Types of School Fees
7.1. School fees are made up of: School fees, canteen and additional fees.
7.2. The school may change the school canteen fees and additional fees. These changes will be published on the school website and will be communicated to parents at least three months before the new fees come into effect.
7.2. Except in the cases explicitly stated in this document, school fees are non-refundable.
8- Schooling fees
8.1. The schooling fee will be 23,000 euros per academic year, as stated on the School’s website (www.virtuscollege.es).
8.2. The academic year is divided into three terms, and the school fees into three quarterly payments. Invoices for school fees shall be quarterly issued a week before each of the final direct debit dates set out in Clause 8.3.
Quarterly payments in Year 12
| Fee for the first term (reduced by 1,500 euros in advance) | 6,166.67 € |
| Second term fee | 7,666.67 € |
| Third term fee | 7,666.67 € |
Quarterly payments in Year 13
| Fee for the first terme | 7,666.67 € |
| Second term fee | 7,666.67 € |
| Third term fee | 7,666.67 € |
8.3 Payment must be made by direct debit to the bank account previously indicated in the SEPA direct debit order. The school will proceed to make the corresponding SEPA direct debits, according to the following schedule:
a) Autumn term (first term): 1st to 3rd August
b) Spring term (second term): 1st to 3rd December
c) Summer term (third term): 1st to 3rd March
8.4. Parents can benefit from a 5% discount by paying in advance, before the 10th of July of the corresponding year, for the full course. If payment in advance of the full course has been chosen, the school will issue parents with a single invoice of 21,850 euros and will make a SEPA debit for this amount between 10th and 15th July.
9- School lunch
9.1. School fees do not include the daily lunch provided by the school. The school will pass on the cost of the school lunch through a specific canteen fee which is divided into three payments: 1st term: €735, 2nd term: €552 and 3rd term: €552. The exact amount of these payments may vary depending on the length of the term.
9.2. The lunch fee will be included, under a specific concept, in the corresponding quarterly invoices of the school fees, and its amount will be included together with the school fees in the SEPA debit to be made each term.
9.3. Parents who choose to pay in advance for the whole course will also benefit from a 5% discount on the lunch fee, even if they pay every three months.
10- Additional fees
10.1. Uniform must be purchased online through the school’s official supplier (https://www.e-uniforms.es/). The price will depend on the number of items purchased and will be paid directly to the supplier. All items of uniform are compulsory except for shoes, which can be chosen by the students as long as they are dark and respect a smart-casual style.
10.2. Regarding official examinations:
- All Year 12 and Year 13 students must formally sit each of their examinations in each of their subjects.
- Examinations are split between the two years, Year 12 and Year 13, so that at the end of Year 12 students take half of the examinations in each A-Level subject and complete the remaining half at the end of Year 13. The exception is Spanish and French for which students take all examinations at the end of Year 13.
- Students at the school will take A-Level exams from the following examination boards: Edexcel, IAL Edexcel and Cambridge. For the academic year 2024-25, the fee for each exam (paper) is 150 euros. The fee for these exams is not included in the tuition fee and may vary from one academic year to another.
- For late registrations whose delay is not attributable to the school, or for students who need to take examinations from other examination boards or the IGCSE stage, the fee will depend on the cost of that examination at the specific registration time.
- A specific invoice will be sent to include the fees for the official exams. For the January exams, the invoice will be sent within the first five working days of November; for May-June exams, the invoice will be sent within the first five working days of April. These official examination fees will be collected by direct debit, with a SEPA debit for the amount of each invoice issued.
10.3. Pupils will be able to use the transport service from Plaza Castilla to the school every morning, and from the school to Plaza Castilla in the afternoon. The costs derived from the transport of the pupils, initially paid by the school, will be passed on to the parents, and the corresponding invoice and a specific SEPA debit will be made on a termly basis in accordance with the timetable set out in clause 8.3.
10.4. Expenses will be charged for any school trip with at least one overnight stay. These expenses will vary depending on the trip itself and will be communicated in advance to parents, identifying in this communication the concept, the amount and the date on which the corresponding SEPA debit will be made.
11- Surcharges and non-payments
11.1. At the discretion of the school, as the case may be, late payment due to an incident in the SEPA debit of any of the fees described above will be subject to a surcharge of 5%.
11.2. If termly tuition invoices are not received one week before the final date stipulated for SEPA debit in clause 8.3, it is the parents’ responsibility to contact the School Finance Office.
11.3. Non-receipt of the invoice for a school term does not release parents from their obligation to have sufficient funds in the account to pay the direct debit within the established deadlines.
11.4. If parents fail to pay the sums due, the pupil may be excluded from the school. The school also reserves the right not to enrol the pupil in official examinations and to withhold all results, certificates and school records from the pupil until the sums due have been paid.
11.5. No school fees will be reimbursed for temporary absence due to illness or any other cause.
11.6. If a third party is responsible for the payment of any school fees, parents must inform the school in advance, giving the details of the third party. Parents agree that it is their responsibility to explain clearly all the conditions set out in these terms and conditions and to provide a copy of this agreement.
HEALTH, SAFETY AND DAMAGE
12- Health, safety and damage
12.1. In the event of a medical emergency, the school will make every effort to contact the parents. However, if this is not possible, parents authorise the School to seek medical advice and treatment for the pupil and agree to pay all expenses incurred by the School, releasing the School from all liability. In any case, the actions taken by School staff in the event of a medical emergency will be subject to the protocols set out in its Health and Safety Policy (School Policy No. 15), which are known and accepted by parents.
12.2. Before the start of the course, Health Plans will be prepared, designed jointly between parents and the School, for those students who require it due to their medical condition. These plans will determine the specific protocol of action for the administration of medical treatment by the School staff. In any case, the actions carried out by the School staff in the event of any medical condition of the student will be subject to the protocols included in the Health and Safety Policy (School Policy No. 15), which are known and accepted by the parents.
12.3. The School will be exempt from all responsibility in the event that a student administers any medication at his or her own expense and without it being contemplated in the approved Health Plan.
12.4. Parents understand, at their own risk, that in the event of an outbreak of a contagious or infectious disease, the School may have to close or ban a pupil or group of pupils for a period deemed necessary by the Headteacher. In such an event, parents explicitly waive all claims against the School.
12.5. When students are at school, their mobile phones will be kept in the custody of school staff unless the student requests that they be allowed to use them in an emergency. Likewise, electronic devices used by pupils at school will be restricted from accessing social networks and websites not required for their academic training.
12.6. In general, the school will apply the provisions of the e-Security Policy (College Policy No. 9).
12.7. Parents agree that the School shall not be liable for death, personal injury, loss or damage of any kind, which the pupil may suffer on the school premises, on School authorised trips or elsewhere, and which is not attributable to negligence of the School.
12.8. Parents are responsible for and must pay for any intentional damage caused by the pupil to property belonging to the school, school staff or other pupils. Parents of students who lose or misplace books, iPads or other school materials which have been issued to them must reimburse the school 100% of the price of the items as shown on the relevant purchase invoices.
SCHOOL LIFE
13- School life
13.1. School lunches are compulsory for all pupils and no food or groceries may be brought into the school.
13.2. School rules are found in the School Policies and, as a summary, in the Parent-Student Handbook, as well as in other documents published from time to time. Parents are requested to read these documents carefully with the student at the beginning of the school year (September).
13.3. Parents accept the authority of the Headteacher and other members of staff on their behalf to take any disciplinary or preventative action necessary to safeguard and promote the student’s welfare and the school community as a whole, as set out in the School Policies (Nº. 2, 4, 7, 9 and 12).
13.4. At the discretion of the Headteacher, the School reserves the right to temporarily suspend or expel a student in the event of misconduct or serious breach of discipline, as set out in the Student Code of Conduct (School Policy No. 2).
13.5. A student who makes very poor progress may not be enrolled in official examinations and, in an extreme case, may be expelled from the school. Both of these decisions are at the sole discretion of the Headteacher, as set out in the Student Code of Conduct (School Policy No. 2).
13.6. Students may not smoke or consume illegal drugs or alcohol on school premises, at school functions or on school trips. It is strictly forbidden to bring to school or possess any drugs or weapons. In the case of suspected drug or alcohol use, testing may be required and parents will be duly informed in accordance with school rules and applicable laws, as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct (School Policy No. 2).
13.7. Any communication by the school or its staff with one parent shall be deemed to have been received by both parents.
SUBJECTS AND BLOCKS CHOICE
14- Subjects and blocks choice
14.1. Virtus students will choose their subjects based on the results and information gathered during the admissions process with the students.
14.2. Students must choose four A-Level subjects, one subject from each subject block (one subject from blocks A, B, C and D respectively). The subject blocks are as follows.
If the student is a native speaker, he/she should choose Spanish A-Level as the 4th subject. Non-native Spanish speakers with poor language skills are recommended to choose three A-Level subjects.
| Block A | Block B | Block C | Block D |
| Maths | Further Maths | Physics | Chemistry |
| Economics | Biology | Media | Business |
| Business | Media | English Lit | Geography |
| French | Maths | Geography | Psychology |
| Physics | Psychology | Business | English Language |
| Spanish | Spanish | Spanish | Spanish |
14.3 The initial choice of subjects agreed between the School, the student and the family may be subject to change before the start of the academic year, depending on the student’s final IGCSE grades or other academic issues relevant to the School.
DURATION, MODIFICATIONS AND TERMINATION
15- Duration, modifications and termination
15.1 The agreement between parents and the School set out in these Terms and Conditions comes into effect on the date of signature.
15.2. The agreement shall be valid until the student ceases to be enrolled in the School and for as long as each party fulfils its obligations under this agreement.
15.3. A pupil who engages in, or has engaged in, unlawful behaviour may be excluded from the School as soon as these facts become known to the School, irrespective of the date on which such behaviour took place.
15.4. The exclusion or expulsion of a pupil in the cases set out in clauses 11.4, 15.3, 1.4 and 13.5 implies the termination of the agreement made between the parents and the School by means of this document, and this termination does not entail the reimbursement of any school fees previously paid by the parents to the School.
15.5. Parents may unilaterally terminate the agreement, provided that they give notice in writing and on the understanding that any amounts previously paid will not be refunded. If notice of termination of the agreement is given in August, September, October or November, the school will not refund any amount and reserves the right to demand payment of up to thirty per cent of the second term’s tuition fee (30% of €7,666.67). If notice of termination is given in December, January or February the school will not refund any amount and reserves the right to demand payment of up to 20% of the third term’s tuition fee (20% of €7,666.67).
15.6. Any additions and modifications made to the agreement shall be valid when signed by all parties.
DATA PROTECTION POLICY
Your personal data has been collected in accordance with Organic Law 3/2018 of December 5th on the Protection of Personal Data and guarantee of digital rights and with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 27th, 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data.
In accordance with the above legal framework, you are entitled to exercise your rights of access, rectification, cancellation, limitation, opposition and portability free of charge by writing to THINK AHEAD ACADEMY, S.L. with address at C/ Valportillo II, 14 CP 28108, Alcobendas (Madrid) or by e-mail to raul.garcia@academiathinkahead.es.
In order to comply with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and following the Recommendations and Instructions issued by the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD), THINK AHEAD ACADEMY, SL.
REPORTS
That there is the possibility of making communications through instant messaging systems such as WhatsApp in order to expedite the management of contracted services, for which you are requested to consent, by signing and submitting these Terms and Conditions, to the use of this type of personal information.
That the personal data requested and provided by you are included in a privately owned file, which is duly registered with the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD), and for which THINK AHEAD ACADEMY, SL is the sole responsible party and recipient.
That only those data strictly necessary for the adequate provision of the requested educational service will be requested, and it may be necessary to collect contact details of third parties, such as legal representatives, guardians, or persons designated by them.
That all data collected has the confidentiality commitment required by the regulations, with the legally established security measures, and in no case are transferred or processed by third parties, natural or legal persons, without their prior consent, except in those cases in which it is essential for the correct provision of the educational service requested.
That, once the student is no longer enrolled at the School, his/her data will be archived and kept for a minimum period of 5 years, after which time it will continue to be archived or, failing that, it will be deleted.
CONSIDERING
That I have been informed that the data I provide will be included in the file called Enrichment Programme of THINK AHEAD ACADEMY, SL, for the purpose of managing the assigned treatment, issuing invoices, contact, etc., to which I express my consent.
That I have also been informed of the possibility of exercising my rights of access, rectification, cancellation, limitation, opposition and portability by writing to THINK AHEAD ACADEMY, S.L. with address at C/ Valportillo II, 14 CP 28108, Alcobendas (Madrid) or by e-mail to raul.garcia@academiathinkahead.es.
© 2023 THINK AHEAD ACADEMY, SL. All rights reserved.
ANNEX – School Policies
Las políticas de Colegio se articulan a través de varios documentos, los cuales están permanentemente disponibles en el sitio web (www.virtuscollege.es).
- Visitor Policy
- Student Code of Conduct
- SEND Policy
- Safeguarding Policy
- Numeracy Policy
- Homework Policy
- Equality, Diversity, Politics and Activist Policy
- EAL Policy
- E-Safety Policy
- Complaints Policy
- CEIAG Policy
- Bullying Prevention Policy
- Admissions Policy
- Academic Honesty Policy
- Health and Safety
