Our policies

We are aware of the vital importance of ensuring that our courses meet the needs of the people who take them.  These notes explain our approach in this area.

Our starting point is to run a wide variety of different courses, often quite specialised.  In many cases merely by selecting one course or another the participant is indicating specific needs and maximising the chances that they will be met.

Before the course is selected we are often in touch with the participant, or their agent, to discuss course suitability, and the website goes into considerable detail so that an informed choice can be made.

After we receive a booking, the following procedure takes place:

1.   All Course Participants (CPs) receive a pre-course questionnaire (PCQ).  These are specifically tailored for different courses so they address client needs in some detail.  We try to ensure that these are returned although inevitably the rate of return is less than 100%. All CPs are also sent a link to an online placement test so that we can get a rounded view of their level.
   

2.  All PCQs are studied by a courses manager on receipt and if there is any reason to query course suitability they will contact the client or agent, telephoning the individual participant if necessary.  If a CP’s level seems to be borderline or unsuitable, we arrange a zoom call to check in more detail. This limits the chance of someone booking a course that is unsuitable for them.

3.  Every CP gets a written weekly timetable. On all courses, a CP has a provisional timetable by Tuesday morning after discussion with their trainer to ensure that the provisional plan meets their needs. A finalised copy is given to all CPs on a Friday as a written record of work covered that week.

4.  In courses that last longer than one week, CPs have opportunities to discuss aspects of the course and areas they find most interesting or difficult to help develop the plan for the group for the rest of the course. On one week courses, the trainer will check with CPs individually to ensure the course is meeting their needs and expectations.

5.  CPs on weekly courses receive a Learner Plan through their online portal every Friday. This is completed by their trainer and specifically looks at the progress made and suggested areas for continued improvement. CPs on a longer course will receive a Learner Plan in their first week and the final week of the course block so that they can specifically monitor their progress.

6.  Whether or not they are teaching the CP for the next course (the next week or the next month, depending on circumstances) all trainers do an end of course handover for the next trainer.  This is designed to ensure that the continuing programme has coherence and also to help us gauge progress over the course of their stay.

The focus of our Quality Control policy is threefold:

-  external auditing and management systems
-  internal auditing and management systems
-  feedback from participants actually taking our courses 

1.  External auditing and management systems 

We are accredited by the British Council, the UK’s official national accreditation system, and have been since the very first official inspection systems were started in 1957. 

1.1  Although the inspection system does not offer any form of official grading it does mark areas of strength as Points of Excellence, and it is always our aim to achieve as many of these as possible. 

1.2 We are members of IALC – The International Association of Language Centres - and as a condition of membership undergo regular quality control checks by their auditors. 

1.3  We are members of Quality English, an international quality marque for English Language training organizations, and also undergo quality checks as a condition of membership. 

1.4  We are certified under the International Standards Organisation ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management Standard.  This means that we are inspected annually under the ISO scheme, helping us to ensure that we have a constant focus on quality improvement.

2. Internal auditing and management systems 
2.1     Quality control starts at the point of selecting staff.  So we only use
-  staff who can add value to the organisation, are good team players and who have a customer service mindset
-  qualified and experienced trainers
-  trainers with a long-term commitment to teaching/training
-  for specialist 1-1 work, the most appropriate trainer available.

2.2   Before we use any trainer, we conduct a careful interview and seek references.  We are looking for people who, in addition to appropriate qualifications and experience, show a real commitment to their work, and a track record in satisfying demanding clients. 

2.3  All trainers undergo a thorough induction and mentoring process with experienced colleagues, and have a reference pack which explains procedures, performance expectations, client profiles etc. 

2.4   Before trainers work on any new course type, they undergo a period of in-service training and may co-teach a course with a more experienced colleague before taking full responsibility for a group.  

2.5  For all courses we seek to get the maximum information in advance in the form of a detailed pre-course questionnaire (PCQ).

2.6  The PCQ is studied carefully by a courses manager and if there are any queries about the suitability of the course for the client, or the client for the course, we telephone to check. 

2.7  When we run a course we structure its content to meet the needs of the individuals taking it (we do not adopt a ‘one size fits all’ approach).

2.8  When we run a course, trainers have access to
-  a bank of London School of English materials which is regularly updated  
-  a library of published materials, much of it specialist, which is regularly added to
-  internet resources to ensure maximum topicality

Where necessary we create new materials to meet specific needs.

2.9  We offer a wide range of stimulating work to our staff, with the result that we have a very slow turnover and a high level of retained experience. 

2.10  All trainers are observed – in the early days more often than when they are well-established with us, but the process continues throughout someone’s time with us.

2.11  We seek to ensure high quality in all aspects of the course, not limited to the teaching but including, for example, administration, flexibility, speed of response to client query, materials presentation, equipment , punctuality, atmosphere and attitude. 

2.12  We seek to improve quality by learning from situations where we are less successful.  If there are any errors or problems in the administration, we formally review what went wrong and why and try to reformulate processes so that it will not happen again. 

2.13  We try never to stand still.  We know that quality expectations rise, and what is seen as state of the art today will in time look ordinary.  So we constantly review our services and activities with a view to their continuous improvement. 

2.14  As part of our ISO certification, we have both internal and external quality audits conducted annually.  These help us to remain focused on improvement and, where we discover a weakness, have a robust system in place that not only fixes the problem, but also addresses the underlying cause of the problem.

3.  Feedback from participants taking our courses
3.1  We adopt an open style of training, which encourages client participation in the style, content and delivery of the course. 

3.2  Early in the course we give all participants an initial feedback form, which allows us to spot any problems before the course has progressed too far. 

3.3  In the middle of the course, clients complete an online mid-course freedback questionnaire. At this stage any problems or issues can be identified and dealt with. 

3.4  At the end of every course all participants complete a more detailed evaluation, the results of which are analysed and discussed. 

3.5  Any shortcomings highlighted by these evaluations are noted and an action plan put in place to rectify them. 

3.6  Our objective is to ensure that all school services are in line with (or, preferably, exceed) the expectations of the people actually taking the courses.

Click here for a copy of our Quality Policy as displayed in our centre.

We hope that you’re enjoying yourself in our school. Our staff work hard to give you the best experience possible, but sometimes you may have a problem or things can go wrong.

Here’s what to do if this happens:

• If you have a problem, please tell us. We are here to help you, but we can’t do this if we don’t know about your problem. Your problem may be practical – for example about your course or your accommodation, or it may be personal – for example about a member of staff, another student, or something more private. Please tell us when you feel unhappy. You can speak to anyone that you feel comfortable with, and all our staff wear blue name badges.
• The person you speak to will try to help you with your problem if they can. If they can’t, they will contact the right person to help you.
• If you’re still not happy or there is no solution, please speak to a manager. We take all complaints very seriously, and we will look at your problem carefully and tell you within 24 hours what action we will take.
• If you are not happy with the action we have taken, you may ask to speak to our CEO, Hauke Tallon. He is usually available at the school, but sometimes he works online. If he is unavailable, another director will talk to you instead.

We are a member of English UK – the association for accredited English Language Schools in the UK. You can take any complaint to English UK if we don’t find solution to your problem, or if you are still unhappy. English UK are independent, and they will look at your complaint by getting information from both sides. They will then recommend a solution and the school promises to follow the decision they make. https://www.englishuk.com/comp...

The school is also accredited by the British Council, and you can also contact this organisation with a complaint about our services. https://www.britishcouncil.org...

We are committed to creating a harmonious environment in which our employees, partners and clients are treated with equality and respect. We recognise that discrimination and bullying are unacceptable and we ensure that nobody is treated less favourably due to their age, race, religion or belief, disability, gender/gender reassignment, sexual orientation or maternity.

Participants on our courses receive this information in their Welcome Packs and it is also displayed in our classrooms. If you, as a course participant, feel that you, or anyone else, have been bullied or discriminated against in any way please inform a Courses Manager.

We aim to have a workforce that is truly diverse and representative of all sections of society and we value the diversity of our staff. All employees, both permanent and freelance, are recruited and promoted purely because of their skills and aptitude to do their job and are treated with equality and fairness throughout their tenure with us.

Our employees are prohibited from discriminating directly or indirectly against each other or our partners and clients and this is clearly stated in our staff handbook and induction process. All our trainers are required to commit to our Training Standards which include showing respect to other cultures and non-acceptance of bullying or discriminatory behaviour in the classroom.

Any member of staff who witnesses any discriminatory behaviour is required to report this to their line manager. Discrimination will be treated as a disciplinary offence and will be dealt with through our disciplinary procedure.

Disability
We consider the needs of disabled people and make reasonable adjustments where possible to meet the needs of disabled members of staff or clients according to the limitations of our premises.

• Holland Park Gardens is a mid-19th century building, located in a protected conservation area. This means we do not have wheelchair access to the building.

Visual and hearing impairment, special educational needs 
Our trainers do not hold specific qualifications in teaching students with special learning, visual or hearing needs but we are always sensitive to these needs and able to make appropriate arrangements. We ask all students entering for an exam if they have learning needs such as dyslexia and will make arrangements with the exam board.

Loneliness and homesickness 
All employees are trained to recognise and respond to the emotional well-being of our students. A named member of staff acts as the Student Welfare Officer and we also have a Long-stay Consultant who has regular meetings with any student enrolled for 12 weeks or more.

Mental health
We are aware that course participants may experience distress or mental illness during their stay. When this comes to our attention we will do our best to support them. If necessary, we will liaise with their family, agent or sponsor and will support them to access specialist help where needed.

The UK is generally a very safe country, but with a population of over 65 million people it is always good to think about your personal safety. The British Council has produced a useful guide to help you understand the laws in the UK and how to keep yourself safe at all times. In the unlikely event of a genuine emergency or crisis, we do have a Crisis Management Policy to ensure that we are well-prepared to deal with unexpected situations.

We have never experienced any kind of radicalisation or extremism in any of our centres, but we nevertheless need to be aware of the theoretical risk and therefore have a policy outlining how we manage the risk.  You can read it here.

We can usually help clients with some difficulties with their sight or their hearing but our courses are probably not suitable for the totally blind or the very deaf.  Please contact us if you think you may need special arrangements.

If you are dyslexic it is very helpful if you can tell us in advance.  In particular, if you are planning to take an examination we can make special arrangements for you but we need to know in good time.

The London School of English is committed to operating in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and all applicable regulations made under the Act so far as reasonably practicable. 

We recognise that health and safety ranks equally with other responsibilities associated with running the business.  It is important and may be a call on funds.  We do everything reasonably practicable to prevent personal injury in the delivery of our services or in associated back up operations, and strive at all times to maintain a safe and healthy place of work for staff, clients and contractors.  A section in the Employee Handbook is dedicated to Health and Safety issues. 

It is the stated duty of all employees to act responsibly, and to do everything they can to prevent injury to themselves and fellow workers. Although the implementation of policy is a management responsibility, it must ultimately rely on the co-operation of those who actually work in the business and take the risks.

The Chief Executive accepts personal responsibility for the implementation of policy, and in particular offers himself as a point of reference for any manager who may be faced with a conflict between the demands of safety and the demands of delivering the services offered by the company.

Organisation (people and their duties)

All line managers are aware of the need to monitor the activities of their staff and to ensure that safe practices are followed. 

Departments which are inherently more hazardous, such as the Technical and Facilities Department, have a higher and more explicit responsibility in this area.  Responsibility for Health and Safety is explicitly stated in the Facilities Manager job description. The Facilities Manager reports direct to the Chief Executive.

We ensure that we always have an adequate supply of Appointed Persons to administer basic First Aid where this is appropriate. 

Arrangements (systems and procedures)

Health and Safety is a regular agenda item on the Management Meeting agenda, and also on the agenda of the Open Meeting held for all staff twice a year.  In addition, all staff are invited to express any concerns they may have in this area to their manager at any time.

Formal Risk Assessments are in place and regularly reviewed for the premises occupied by the company.

The business requires the use of very few hazardous substances, but where they are purchased they are clearly indicated as such and handled appropriately.

No articles are purchased which can be shown to be unsafe or unsuited to their purpose.

No one is permitted to work at height without taking adequate precautions.

Regular fire drills are conducted and the building evacuation monitored and recorded.

No client leaves the premises in the company of one of our staff unless a formal written risk assessment has been conducted on the activity undertaken.  It is the responsibility of the Courses Management team to ensure that this has been completed and filed in all cases.

Any accident or other incident is recorded in the Accident Book and a formal assessment conducted as to whether the incident calls for a change in procedures or some physical alterations.

Portable Appliance Testing is conducted annually.  All other equipment is maintained in line with manufacturers’ recommendations.

This statement is reviewed annually in the light of current conditions.

The London School of English is aware of the impact that our operations may have on our customers, staff, freelancers, contractors, suppliers, neighbours and the wider environment and wishes to act in a professional and socially and environmentally conscious manner.

We have therefore adopted the following Corporate Social Responsibility Policy.

Customers

1. All our services are guaranteed to be of high quality, client focused, accurately described and delivered as promised.
2. If any client is unhappy with any aspect of our services we will investigate with an open mind and seek to find a solution which satisfies them.
3. In case of any dispute we will abide by any award made by the Ombudsman of our Professional Association.

Staff

1. All employment is freely chosen.
2. There is no discrimination in pay, hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, and termination of employment or retirement on the grounds of gender, race, nationality, religion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
3. The company seeks an open relationship with all staff, sharing information with them.
4. All staff are entitled to belong to trade unions and collective bargaining is respected.
5. Working conditions are safe and hygienic.
6. Terms and Conditions of employment are clearly stated, all staff have job descriptions, and the Staff Handbook is a full and comprehensive statement of all employment-related matters
7. Child labour is not used.
8. Salaries are fair and compare well with other businesses in our field.
9. Working hours are not excessive.
10. Regular employment is provided for those who are employed on a permanent contract.
11. No harsh, cruel or degrading treatment or practices are allowed.
12. No bribery, corruption, blackmailing or bullying is permitted.

Freelancers

1. We treat freelance staff with as much consideration as if they were employees, to the extent that we are able to, respecting their non-employee status.

Contractors

1. We treat all contractors fairly and with consideration.
2. We pay their invoices on time and without unreasonable deduction.
3. We ensure that to the best extent possible we provide a safe and fair working environment for their staff.
4. We expect them themselves to operate a fair and ethical business and will seek assurances that they do so.

Suppliers

1. We treat all suppliers fairly and with consideration.
2. We pay their invoices on time and without unreasonable deduction.
3. We expect them themselves to operate a fair and ethical business and seek assurances that they do so.

Neighbours

1. We seek at all time to be good neighbours, acting with consideration towards those in our immediate vicinity.
2. We do not make excessive noise at unreasonable times, pollute the locality or behave in ways which have adverse effects on others.
3. We do our best to ensure that any contractors or suppliers also act with consideration towards our neighbours.

The social dimension

1. We seek to work in partnership with the community by behaving in a considerate and socially responsible manner.
2. We offer pro bono opportunities where we can and seek to make educational opportunities available to people who cannot afford our services by the use of scholarships and upgrades.
3. We act with cultural sensitivity, respecting the different habits and attitudes of clients and other contacts.

The wider environment

1. We comply with all applicable laws
2. We take action to eliminate or reduce, as far as practicable, any potentially adverse environmental impact of our operations by preventing pollution, reducing waste and ensuring that, wherever practical, measures are implemented to protect and preserve natural habitats
3. We take all practical steps to ensure that potential hazards and risks to the environment are identified and that suitable and effective prevention, control and reporting measures are implemented. 
4. We fully comply with the statutory duties placed upon us, whilst at all times complying with, as a matter of best practice, the requirements and duties set out within Approved Guidance as issued by the Environment Agency and other organisations. As part of our commitment to maintaining the highest levels of environmental management, it is our intention to work towards environmental management systems compliant with ISO14001.
5. Wherever possible, employees are provided with the necessary resources, equipment, information, instruction and training to fulfill the requirements of this policy, and are expected to follow it at all times unless they have notified their manager of any difficulties in doing so.
6. Management and supervisory staff have responsibilities for the implementation of the policy and must ensure that environmental issues are given adequate consideration in the planning and day-to-day supervision of all work.
7. We seek to promote environmental awareness amongst our suppliers, contractors and partners by implementation of operational procedures
8. All sub-contractors are expected to co-operate and assist in the implementation of this policy, ensuring that their own works, so far as reasonably practicable, are carried out without risk to themselves, others or the environment. This includes co-operating with management on any environment- related matter.

The directors have overall responsibility for all environmental matters. The operation of this policy and the associated procedures will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. This policy has been endorsed by the board of directors who give their full support to its implementation.

Basic objectives and general content of statement 

1. Definitions
1.1    “First aid” means the treatment of minor injuries which do not need treatment by a medical practitioner or nurse as well as treatment of more serious injuries prior to assistance from a medical practitioner or nurse for the purpose of preserving life and minimising the consequences of injury or illness. 

1.2   “Staff” means any person employed by the School and self-employed people working on the premises.

2. Aims of this Policy
2.1  To ensure that The London School of English has adequate, safe and effective first aid provision in order for every course participant, member of staff and visitor to be well looked after in the event of any illness, accident or injury, no matter how major or minor. This could be a physical condition but may also include an emotional or psychological condition such as severe stress, an anxiety attack or an emotional breakdown. 

2.2  To ensure that all staff and course participants are aware of the procedures in the event of any illness, accident or injury. 

2.3  To ensure that first aid provision is available during all normal working hours.

Organisation (people and their duties) 

3. Who is responsible
3.1  Hauke Tallon, as the Chief Executive, has overall responsibility for ensuring that there is adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and qualified first aid personnel and for ensuring that the correct first aid procedures are followed.  

3.2  Hauke Tallon delegates to the Facilities Manager responsibility for ensuring that there is adequate first aid equipment, facilities and qualified first aid personnel across both sites.

3.3  The Facilities Manager delegates to the Front of House Manager the responsibility of ensuring first aid provision is adequately maintained. This includes the proper re-stocking of first aid boxes and the correct following of first aid procedures.

3.4  The first aiders: The main duties of first aiders are to give immediate emergency first aid to course participants, staff or visitors when needed and to ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is called when necessary. First aiders are to ensure that their first aid certificates are up to date by liaising with the Facilities Manager.

To be an effective first aider, a person needs to be reliable, able to stay calm in an emergency, have a good standard of personal hygiene and be fit enough to rapidly attend an incident. The person must be willing to provide first aid to anyone at any time whilst at work. First aiders are selected from staff who can be easily contacted and who are usually based in the area where they are providing cover. All first aiders are permanent members of staff.

The following staff have completed an approved emergency first aid course and hold a valid certificate of competence in emergency first aid. 

• Tamas Molnar - Facilities Manager, responsible for first aid provision
• Julia Stofast - Customer Experience Manager
• Peter Bures - IT Manager

3.5  All Staff must be aware of the first aid procedure and know who to contact in the event of any illness, accident or injury. All staff should use their best efforts at all times to secure the welfare of course participants and visitors to the school. 

3.6  Anyone on School premises is expected to take reasonable care for their own and others’ safety. 

Arrangements (systems and procedures)

4. First Aid Boxes
4.1  First aid boxes are checked regularly and are available from reception in accordance with the suggested guidelines in the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 – Code of practice and guidance. 

Providing Information

• All staff must be informed about location of equipment, facilities and first aid personnel.
• First aid signs and notices can be found in public areas (reception staff board, corridors on ground floor and basement)

To get the right number of first aid trained staff we consider the following points:

• We have first aiders permanently based on each site
• Age group, gender etc of clients, to cover all requests
• Location of school - not inaccessible for emergency services
• Number of staff, clients, visitors in the building
• The school in general is a low risk environment, however in certain cases we might have some temporary hazards such as building works, deliveries etc with higher risk.
• The kitchen is a medium risk environment.
• Adequate provision in case of absences

5  Procedure in the event of an accident or injury
5.1  If someone is injured, or becomes unwell and needs help the nearest first aider should be contacted and asked to attend. The first aider will assess the situation, provide help, request assistance from other first aiders if necessary and stay with the casualty until recovered or arrangements for further care are made. Arrangements for further care may include the need to call an ambulance or to arrange for further professional medical help. 

5.2  If the casualty is unable to stand and needs to recover in a quiet area provisions should be made in a spare room, as advised by the courses manager. First aid beds and blankets are available. 

5.3  If attempts to summon a first aider fail then the casualty should be assisted to the nearest A&E department by calling an ambulance. 

5.4  An accident form should be completed in the accident book. An entry must be made in the book each time a first aider provides assistance to a casualty, including when the problem was illness rather than accident. As well as the usual details of the accident (if appropriate) the name of the person giving first aid and summary details of the treatment given should be recorded. 

5.5  Any failure to obtain first aid support when required should be reported to Hauke Tallon (Chief Executive). 

5.6  In order to ensure the School fulfils its obligations under the Data Protection Act, and in line with Health and Safety Executive guidance, the Accident book only holds blank copies of forms. Completed entries in the accident book contain sensitive personal information, in terms of the DPA, and in order to ensure compliance, the information held within these books is kept confidential. Accident records are kept on file within the school for at least 3 years after the accident and then confidentially destroyed.

6  Monitoring
6.1  This policy is reviewed annually in the light of current conditions.

Trainers

We use a recruitment strategy aimed at maintaining an established, long-term body of permanent training staff capable of teaching and developing a wide range of courses. Alongside the permanent trainers we have a team of freelance trainers. This allows us flexibility to meet changing demand for our combination courses and 1-1 as well as fluctuating demand for general English.

We aim to provide varied work schedules, timetables, and motivational new projects, to all trainers. We aim to offer and preserve valued terms & conditions in order to make every effort to keep those trainers who have solid LSE experience and have been trained up in specialist areas.  We offer training development opportunities to all trainers including those on freelance arrangements.

Trainers offered permanent contracts are required to have the DELTA or equivalent with usually 3-4 years’ experience, some of it abroad. 

Trainers working for us on a freelance basis have the CELTA or a higher certificate. 

For 1-1 teaching, we also look for people who have a professional background, in finance or law for example. 

Non-trainers

At times we have made an internal promotion and then given training – either formal or on the job – to allow someone to move across to their new role.  However, we may feel that specific qualifications and experience are essential.  The Technical and Facilities Department was completely re-organised so as to use specialists.  Similarly, we recruited a Digital Marketing Manager for a role requiring a highly specialised skill set.

In general we seek to ensure that any prospective employee has the qualifications and experience appropriate to the position we are recruiting for.  In some cases formal qualifications may not be critical and we are more interested in establishing the extent to which a prospective employee is capable of performing a particular role; in the spirit of equal opportunities, we feel that everyone should have a chance to prove themselves.  We would certainly wish to gauge how someone responds to a particular scenario we may present at interview.  In some cases we may set a task; for example, in the case of a role that requires good numeracy skills we may ask a candidate to complete a spreadsheet-based task.

Irrespective of the roles we recruit for, we are an equal opportunities employer and as such welcome all applications.

References and other checks

We will normally seek written references from previous employers where applicable.  We recognise that many organisations have a policy of not providing a written reference, so we may ask for a verbal reference.  We will also require proof of eligibility to work in the UK prior to appointment (a passport or other form of ID) and will ask to see any relevant certificates evidencing qualifications.

Providing our staff with Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities is important.  It is one of the key ways in which we motivate and retain staff.  We actively encouraging CPD on both the academic and administration sides of the business.

Continuing professional development can be delivered in many ways:

• Internal development seminars
• Informal internal training sessions
• Peer observation (internal)
• Peer observation (external - including visits to other schools)
• Appraisal interviews including CPD discussions
• External training - day or evening sessions
• External training - extensive

The School’s business conduct is based on its commitment to acting professionally, fairly and with integrity and as such the School does not tolerate and upholds all relevant laws relating to any form of bribery and corruption.

Bribery is committed when an inducement or reward is provided in order to gain any commercial, contractual, regulatory or personal advantage for the School or any employee or contractor of the School.

No bribes of any sort may be paid to or accepted from customers, suppliers, politicians, government advisors or representatives, private person or company by any employee (permanent or temporary) or contractor.  All workers should avoid any activities that might lead to, or suggest, a conflict of interest with the business of the company.  If in doubt, an employee should refer the matter to a member of the School’s Senior Management.

The prevention, detection and reporting of bribery and corruption is the responsibility of all employees and therefore if any employee wishes to raise a concern or suspicion, they should do this through the Whistle Blowing Policy and Procedure outlined in this handbook. 

This policy does not prohibit the following practices providing they are customary in a particular market, or are proportionate and are properly reported to Senior Management prior to accepting or giving:

• normal and appropriate hospitality (given or received); and
• the giving of a gift on a festival or at another special time.

Special care must be taken in accepting or giving gifts or entertainment.  The exchange of social courtesies is acceptable when there is a clear business purpose and they remain within good taste and could not be viewed as excessive.  If an employee is in any doubt as to whether gifts and entertainment are appropriate, they should raise their concerns with a member of the School’s Senior Management prior to accepting or giving any such gift or entertainment.

Employees who request, accept or provide entertainment, gifts or favours which could be judged as excessive or substantial or would create a real or perceived conflict of interest will be subject to disciplinary action under the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure outlined in this handbook.

The London School of English has a clear commitment to being as environmentally sensitive as possible.  The organisation constantly strives to make improvements and welcomes input from all stakeholders as a part of its policy of continuous improvement. 

In particular the company: 

• Will ensure that to the best of its knowledge it meets all environmental legislation and regulations and, where possible, strives to exceed them.
• Seeks the advice of experts to work towards an ongoing lowering of its carbon footprint
• Routinely implements initiatives such as the installation of low energy lighting, the replacement of inefficient heating systems where feasible and the introduction of water-saving devices throughout its buildings
• Has a policy of reducing power usage through the purchase of energy efficient technology where possible and a regular review of its ‘Green ICT’ plan to reduce emissions
• Uses locally-sourced ingredients wherever possible for its restaurant services at all sites
• Makes every effort to encourage recycling and the reduction of pollution and waste, rejects the usage of disposable products where suitable alternatives exist and minimises activities that create unnecessary waste, such as Christmas card mailings.
• Undertakes to inform and encourage all stakeholders, including staff, accommodation providers and other suppliers to strive to take steps to improve their carbon footprint and adopt best practice
• Encourages clients to use public transport or zero-carbon alternatives in preference to taxis when transporting to and from the school premises and when hosting non-school based activities 

The London School of English has a designated Environmental Officer, Csaba Simon, who regularly reviews our performance in this area and actively seeks to make continual improvements.  He regularly reports to the Chief Executive on new initiatives and actively promotes the importance of environmental sensitivity to all stakeholders.

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