Terms of Service

1. Introduction

These terms of service ("Terms") govern your use of the website and services provided by Thornfield Institute Ltd ("we", "us", "our"), a company registered in England and Wales under company number 10927438 with its registered office at 12 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD, United Kingdom. Our VAT registration number is GB 304 5891 72.

By accessing our website or enrolling in any of our professional development programmes, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you should not use our website or services. Please read them carefully before submitting any forms or making any payments.

2. Services

We provide professional development programmes for system administrators. Our programmes are delivered in cohort-based sessions led by working instructors. Each programme consists of weekly live sessions, practical homework, and an end-of-programme assessment. We currently offer three tracks: Quick Fixes (6 weeks), Strategic Overhaul (10 weeks), and Ongoing Improvement (8 weeks). The specific content, duration, and pricing of each track are described on our website and may be updated from time to time.

3. Quotes and Enrolment

Submitting a quote request through our website does not constitute a binding agreement. When you submit the form, you are expressing interest in our services. We will respond with a written quote by email. Enrolment is confirmed only when we have received your signed enrolment agreement and any deposit or full payment as specified in the quote. We reserve the right to decline an enrolment if a programme is full or if we determine that our offering is not a suitable fit for your requirements.

4. Pricing and Payment

All prices listed on our website are in pounds sterling (GBP) and exclude VAT unless explicitly stated otherwise. VAT at the prevailing rate will be added to all invoices for UK-based clients. For clients outside the United Kingdom, VAT treatment will be determined in accordance with applicable law.

We issue invoices with 30-day payment terms for business clients. We accept payment by bank transfer (GBP, EUR, or USD) and by card through our payment processor. Payment must be received in full before the start of the programme unless an alternative payment schedule has been agreed in writing.

5. Cancellation and Refunds

We understand that plans change. Our cancellation policy is as follows:

• 14 or more days before the programme start date: full refund of all fees paid.
• 7 to 13 days before the programme start date: 50% refund of all fees paid.
• Fewer than 7 days before the programme start date, or after the first session has taken place: no refund will be issued.

All cancellation requests must be made in writing by emailing courses@thornfieldinstitute.co.uk. The date we receive your email will be used to determine which tier of our cancellation policy applies. Refunds will be processed within 14 business days using the original payment method.

6. Deferrals

If you are unable to attend your enrolled programme after it has started, you may defer your place to the next available cohort running the same track. Your first deferral is free of charge. Deferral requests must be made by emailing courses@thornfieldinstitute.co.uk.

If you need to defer a second time or more, a re-enrolment fee of £200 (excluding VAT) applies per deferral. Deferrals are subject to availability in future cohorts. We will make reasonable efforts to place you in the next cohort, but we cannot guarantee a specific date.

7. Programme Delivery

Sessions are delivered live by our instructors through video conferencing. We make reasonable efforts to maintain a consistent schedule, but occasionally sessions may need to be rescheduled due to instructor illness, technical issues, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control. If we need to reschedule, we will give you as much notice as possible and arrange an alternative date.

Each programme has a maximum of 16 participants per cohort. We may combine participants from different organisations within a single cohort. If your organisation requires a private cohort, this can be arranged at an additional cost — ask us for details when requesting a quote.

8. Intellectual Property

All course materials, including slides, exercises, handouts, recordings, and written content, are the intellectual property of Thornfield Institute Ltd and are protected by copyright. Enrolled participants are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use these materials for personal professional development purposes only.

You may not reproduce, distribute, sell, or make publicly available any of our course materials without our prior written consent. Session recordings are provided for the personal use of enrolled participants and must not be shared with individuals who are not enrolled in the programme.

9. Limitation of Liability

Our programmes are designed to provide practical knowledge and skills for system administrators. We do not guarantee specific outcomes, career advancement, salary increases, or certification results. The application of knowledge gained through our programmes is your responsibility.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability to you for any claims arising out of or in connection with these Terms or our services shall not exceed the total fees you paid for the specific programme giving rise to the claim. We shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, or business opportunity.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under the laws of England and Wales.

10. Your Obligations

By enrolling in one of our programmes, you agree to:

• Attend sessions regularly and participate constructively.
• Complete homework and assessments in your own work, without plagiarism or the submission of work done by others.
• Treat instructors and fellow participants with respect. We operate a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, discrimination, or disruptive behaviour.
• Not share login credentials, session recordings, or course materials with individuals who are not enrolled.
• Inform us promptly if your contact details change during the programme.

We reserve the right to remove a participant from a programme without refund if they breach these obligations. This is a last resort and we will always attempt to resolve issues through dialogue first.

11. Website Use

You may use our website for lawful purposes only. You must not use our website in any way that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair our servers or network, or that could interfere with any other party's use of the website. You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of our website, server, or any connected database.

The content on our website is provided for general information purposes. While we make reasonable efforts to keep the information accurate and up to date, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or suitability of the information.

12. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations where such failure or delay results from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, power failures, internet outages, or industrial disputes. In such cases, we will use reasonable efforts to minimise the impact and resume delivery as soon as practicable.

13. Amendments

We may update these Terms from time to time. The updated version will be posted on our website with a revised "last updated" date. If we make material changes that affect enrolled participants, we will notify you by email at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of our website or services after the changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

14. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

If you have a complaint about our services, please contact us at courses@thornfieldinstitute.co.uk. We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 business days and aim to resolve it within 14 business days. If we are unable to resolve the matter to your satisfaction, you may pursue the matter through the courts or through an alternative dispute resolution service.

For any questions regarding these Terms, please contact us at courses@thornfieldinstitute.co.uk or write to us at 12 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD, United Kingdom.