Terms and Conditions – School Visits

Booking a school tour to Hoghton Tower indicates agreement with the following terms and conditions. These terms and conditions (the “Terms and Conditions”) shall cover all bookings using the School Booking Form (the “Form”) and made between:

(1) the Board of Trustees of the Hoghton Tower Preservation Trust, Hoghton Tower (“Hoghton Tower”); and

(2) the school/college as set out on the Form (the “School”).

Hoghton Tower is committed to working with schools and teachers to ensure that each school visit to Hoghton Tower achieves its educational objectives and is conducted in a safe and professional manner.

In consideration of a £5 + VAT per head charge and subject to these Terms and Conditions, Hoghton Tower shall:

• permit the School group access to the House and Grounds for the purposes of the visit
• provide an educational experience around the House lead by volunteer guides. This will be tailored to the school requirements if specified at time of booking and agreed between both parties;
• provide the school group with costumes for the role play activity;
• provide the School group with a dining facility or outside space for picnicing (any food and beverage charges to be borne by the School), where applicable;
• Provide each student with a goody bag (additional charge applies) or access to the gift shop (any charges to be borne by the School or the students) as agreed at point of booking.

Booking & payment

• The School should complete and submit a booking request enquiry form on the Hoghton Tower website. Please include the following information: name of school, name of key contact person, contact telephone number(s), approx number ofchildren and day requested for tour.
• Subject to availability, if Hoghton Tower accepts a provisional booking for a School group to visit on one of the dates and times requested (the “Visit Date”), Hoghton Tower will send provisional booking documents via email. It is the School’s responsibility to review the details of the provisional booking.
• Bookings shall be paid in full via BACS, cheque or debit card as advised.
• Bookings are only taken for a minimum of 20 people. If fewer than 20 people attend on the visit date, the school undertakes to pay the full amount for the total number of students originally booked for.

Alteration and Cancellation of Bookings

• Hoghton Tower will endeavour to provide the programme booked with the School however Hoghton Tower reserves the right to offer an alternative programme (at its sole discretion) where it considers this necessary e.g. where a school group arrives later than the arrival time set out in the Confirmed Booking.
• Hoghton Tower reserves the right to postpone or cancel a School’s visit should it (at its sole discretion) consider it necessary to do so. Hoghton Tower shall give the School as much advance notice of a postponement or cancellation as is possible and shall use reasonable endeavours to rearrange the visit to an alternative date suitable for the School.

Supervision

• The School shall designate a teacher or other qualified adult as the teacher in charge of the booking (the “School Contact”) and of the group on the Visit Date (the “Lead Teacher”) and shall notify Hoghton Tower of the name of that person at the time of requesting a booking.
• Should it be necessary to change the “School Contact” or “Lead Teacher” the School shall inform Hoghton Tower at the earliest opportunity.
• The School shall ensure that a sufficient number of adults (the “Supervising Adults”) accompany and supervise students at all times whilst on Hoghton Tower’s premises. This is to be in line with their Local Authority Guidelines.
• The School shall ensure that all Supervising Adults are familiar with the programme for the day.
• Students and Supervising Adults remain the sole responsibility of the Lead Teacher and the School at all times during the visit.
• Supervising Adults are admitted free of charge.
• Risk Assessments: It is the responsibility of the School to carry out a risk assessment for its own students. Hoghton Tower has produced an access statement and information sheet to assist schools in preparing their risk assessment document.
• Hoghton Tower recommends that the Lead Teacher attends a full familiarisation visit to Hoghton Tower before the Visit Date. A date should be booked at the same time as the Visit Date is booked.
• School’s Obligations: The School shall ensure that the Lead Teacher, Supervising Adults and students are aware of and comply with these Terms and Conditions
• The School shall ensure (and shall be responsible to Hoghton Tower for any failure to ensure) that:
  • the Lead Teacher is responsible for and able to administer medication and first aid required by any member of the School group;
  • the Lead Teacher and Supervising Adults are aware that:
    • surfaces may be uneven and slippery
    • the house and grounds may also be used by members of the public during the School’s visit and due consideration should be given to them at all times;
  • o the Lead Teacher and Supervising Adults ensure appropriate behaviour by students at all times and make reasonable and careful use of the House and Grounds; and
  • o the Lead Teacher, Supervising Adults and students obey instruction signage and follow any specific instructions given by Hoghton Tower staff, particularly with regards to issues of safety, access and behaviour.
• The School shall remain responsible for any acts or omissions of the Lead Teacher, Supervising Adults and students whilst at Hoghton Tower including, but not limited to, damage to Hoghton Tower’s property.
• In the event that any member of the School group breaches any of the Terms and Conditions, Hoghton Tower shall be entitled at its sole discretion to refuse the School group access to Hoghton Tower or to require the School group to vacate Hoghton Tower or part thereof.
• Use of the Facilities: Hoghton Tower accepts no responsibility for the safekeeping of any items brought into the House and Grounds.
• There is a strict no smoking policy in all buildings and Grounds.

Limitation of Liability

• Subject to the following clause, Hoghton Tower’s total liability in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty), misrepresentation, restitution or otherwise, arisingin connection with the performance or contemplated performance of its obligations governed by these Terms and Conditions shall be limited to the Administration Fee and Any Activities Fees paid to Hoghton Tower by the School in each case.
• Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall exclude Hoghton Tower’s liability
  • for death or personal injury caused by Hoghton Tower’s negligence; or
  • under section 2(3) of the Consumer Protection Act 1987; or
  • for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or
  • for any matter which it would be illegal for Hoghton Tower to exclude or attempt to exclude its liability or which would otherwise be unenforceable.
• Hoghton Tower shall under no circumstances be liable for any indirect, special or consequential loss (including loss of anticipated profit or third party claims) howsoever arising either from breach or non-performance of any of its obligations in relation to these Terms and Conditions, even if Hoghton Tower has been advised of the possibility of such potential loss.

Miscellaneous

• Hoghton Tower is not liable for any breaches or delays in the performance of its obligations under these terms and conditions arising from any event outside its control, including (but not limited to) fire, flood, storm, strike, lock out, electrical failure, Act of God, explosion, war, terrorist activity or acts of governmental or parliamentary authority. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of such circumstances arising Hoghton Tower will not be liable to refund any amount paid by the School.
• These Terms and Conditions shall not be enforceable by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 by any person who is not a party to them.
• These Terms and Conditions shall be construed solely in accordance with English law. Any disputes arising from these Conditions shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts

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