OUR

POLICIES

Symbols has policies in place to provide fair and consistent service to our students and their families, and to continue to be a preferred employer for top-notch tutors. From time to time, we adjust our policies to reflect best business practices and the needs of our families, and will always inform our tutors and families ahead of planned changes.

Our policies cover two major areas:  lesson cancellation/rescheduling, and termination of tutoring.

Policies are very tricky to get right. Their main purpose is to protect our tutors’ income. Tutors are paid by the lesson. Without policies, we wouldn’t be able to attract and retain great tutors, and we pride ourselves in having a fantastic team. But overly strict policies are unfair to parents, and we’ve seen too much of that at other learning centres. It’s important to us that our families get excellent value at Symbols, and that both our customers and our tutors always feel like they’re being treated fairly.

Specialized Work Package

Our commitment to our families shows in the way we run our business, and we’re proud of our flexible service delivery. In addition to make-up lessons for occasional missed classes, Symbols offers our unique Specialized Work Package (SWP) – a substantial take-home package prepared by the tutor for the individual student.  SWPs are available where make-up lessons can’t be rescheduled within the allowable time period, and also, when this option is preferred over rescheduling a lesson.

Lessons will not be scheduled or billed for any dates we are closed, including our Winter and Spring Breaks, and all statutory holidays. And, more often than not, we’re on the generous side of enforcing our already-generous policies. For example, our policies state that we require 24 hours’ notice to reschedule a lesson, but usually, as long as we can communicate the cancellation to the tutor before they leave for work in the morning, we’ll accept a cancellation that is sent the night before or even very-early-morning day-of.

Lesson Cancellation/Rescheduling Policy

  • Lessons canceled by parents/caregivers or students are non-refundable.
  • If a lesson is canceled by Symbols, the option of either a make-up lesson or a refund will be offered.
  • With enough notice, a limited number of lessons** may be rescheduled or, in lieu of rescheduling, a Specialized Work Package, which is a substantial, individualized take-home package, may be requested by the parent/caregiver.
    • At least 24 hours’ notice of a cancellation is required to qualify for rescheduling or a Specialized Work Package.
    • At least 3 hours’ notice of a cancellation is required to qualify for a Specialized Work Package.
  • Rescheduled lessons must be with the same tutor during our regular business hours (Mon-Fri, 11am-7:35pm).
  • Rescheduled lessons must take place within two months of the canceled lesson.
  • Given our tutors’ busy schedules, we cannot guarantee that rescheduling will always be possible, but we will always do our best to accommodate.
  • If rescheduling proves to be impossible, the parent may instead request a Specialized Work Package.
  • Scheduled make-up lessons cannot be rescheduled.

**Maximum number of lessons that may be rescheduled:

  • September, October, November, January, February, April, May, June
    • 1 lesson per month
  • December, March
    • 2 lessons per month
  • July, August
    • 6 lessons for the two months combined

Tutoring Termination Policy

Tutoring may be terminated by a parent/caregiver with one month’s written notice. All lessons falling before and within the notice period must be paid for and are non-refundable. All lessons falling after the notice period will be canceled at no charge, and, if pre-paid, will be refunded. This policy applies to terminating tutoring entirely and to reducing lesson frequency.