The booking conditions as below apply to all school residential bookings and all school activity day bookings at Porthpean Outdoor Education Centre, hereafter referred to as POEC.  In the booking conditions, the Company, we, our, and us refers to Cornwall Adventure Limited (t/a Porthpean Outdoor Education Centre/ Porthpean Outdoor) and you, your, and your school refers to the School as named on the booking confirmation.

Please be advised that separate booking conditions apply to all other bookings, inclusive of group bookings.

All prices detailed are exclusive of VAT.

Should an inaccuracy be displayed on our website or within our marketing material, the terms as stated in these booking conditions will prevail.

1. Your Contract

(1a) Our acceptance of your initial payment forms a contract between Cornwall Adventure Limited and your school. A contract only exists after payment has been received by us and we have confirmed your booking by way of an email confirmation.

(1b) At the time of booking, you will be required to provide your school’s details and confirm that you have accepted the booking conditions on behalf of the group. We will ask you to list those teachers with authority to discuss the booking on your behalf.  We cannot discuss the booking or enter into communication with any unlisted representative of the school, parent, or 3rd party. In the event that the individual school staff member co-ordinating the booking is not actually taking part in the trip, the same booking conditions apply.

(1c) All booking notification and payment-related correspondence from us is sent via email.  Unless informed otherwise, it will be deemed by us that all emails have been received and understood. You will be responsible for any balance payment of the booking.

(1d) You are deemed to accept the booking conditions contained herewith. No other conditions will apply to this contract unless confirmed by us to you in writing.

2. Booking

(2a) Once availability has been confirmed by us we can put an option on your chosen dates to ‘hold‘ your place.  At this time, we will issue a system-generated quotation.  To proceed, you will be required to accept your online quote.  Quotes are typically valid for 7 days without obligation.  Your expiry date will be noted on your quote.  Upon expiry of your quote, you will be unable to accept the quote and the held place will be released.

(2b) Once you accept your online quote, an invoice for the booking deposit will be generated.  We ask for payment to be made within 14 days of the date of your booking deposit invoice.  Payment of a booking deposit will ‘reserve‘ your place at POEC. To reserve a place, you are required to make a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit payment.  The unit deposit amount will depend on your length/type of booking:

• School Activity Day: £20 per child place
• 1-night/2-night School Residential: £50 per child place
• 3-night/4-night School Residential: £100 per child place

Please note that failure to settle the booking deposit invoice by the date as detailed on your invoice may result in the cancellation and release of your held place.

(2c) If any booking details are incorrect in your deposit invoice, we ask that you advise us immediately. If you do not receive an invoice within 72 hours of booking, please notify us immediately.  We may not be able to accept responsibility for any errors concerning your booking after a period of 72 hours after booking.

(2d) After the deposit payment has been paid to reserve your school’s booking, the balance is payable 10 weeks prior to arrival. You will be sent a balance reminder email 12 weeks prior to arrival.

(2e) All bookings made within 10 weeks of the start of your stay will require the full balance to be paid at the time of booking.

(2f) Once the balance has been paid, your booking status becomes ‘confirmed‘.

(2g) All payments must be made by BACS. Our bank details are noted on all invoices. We are unable to accept credit card payments or cheques.  A booking cannot be accepted unless you are able to pay by BACS.

(2h) All rates and booked child places are based on shared* accommodation with full unit occupancy, with the number of units allocated in accordance with your final gender breakdown.  *All units are private, shared only with your group, and located within your own Camping Village, separated from all other resident groups.  Our bunkhouse tents sleep up to 12 people as standard**.  You can allocate as you wish with the units provided in accordance with friendship dynamics.  At peak times, when the group gender size exceeds multiples of 12 by up to 6 places, we reserve the right to provide and allocate additional bell tents/other tented accommodation.  All additional units will be sited within your camping village, adjoining your bunkhouse tents.  When exceeding multiples of 12 by 7 or more, you will be allocated a further bunkhouse tent. **We reserve the right to add a 13th bed to a bunkhouse tent when the gender size leaves 13 people in a unit.  We reserve the right to add additional bell tents/other tented accommodation in our Timber Camping Village to accommodate your gender breakdown and to maximise our availability.

(2i) Whilst we endeavour to accommodate all special requests, we cannot issue any such guarantees.

(2j) Should you need accommodation/activities for persons with special requirements, please refer to our Accessibility Statement.

(2k) All bookings are made in good faith. In the unlikely event that your booked accommodation is made unavailable, we will endeavour to provide alternative accommodation.

(2l) The Teachers Stay Free offer allows your first 3 teaching staff to stay at POEC without charge.  Subsequent free teaching staff places are subject to a strict ratio-based policy.  Taking account of the 3 existing places, we offer free teaching staff places on the ratio of 1 teacher per 10 paid child places.  i.e. with a group of 30 children and 4 teaching staff, one staff place would be chargeable.  Should the confirmed group ratio be less than 1:10 (at the balance payment stage), free places will be removed from the booking accordingly.  Additional teacher places are charged at the reduced rate of £50 per night.  Staff required to attend to fulfil 1:1 support provision, outside the ratio of 1:10, will also be charged at the reduced rate of £50 per night.  We are unable to offer any exceptions with respect of free places.

(2m) If you have booked a School Residential, will be required to submit a completed a Pre-Arrival Form and a completed Accommodation Allocation Form.  If you have booked a School Activity Day, you will be required to submit a completed Pre-Arrival Form only.  All forms are requested at least 8 weeks prior to arrival.  It is your responsibility to relay all requested information, to include relevant medical and dietary information, to us by this time using our forms.  Use and submission of these forms form a contractual part of your booking with us.  We reserve the right to refuse your booking until the forms have been completed.

(2n)  We operate a minimum group number booking policy.  For our Canvas Camping bookings, groups will be charged for a minimum of 20 child places.  For groups of 20-30 child places where gender splits do not fill at least 10 beds in any one unit, we reserve the right to provide additional tents alongside our Bunkhouse tents to accommodate your group.  For our Timber Camping bookings, groups will be charged for a minimum of 28 child places.  If your confirmed group numbers fall below our group number booking policy from your initial booking, you will be invoiced for our minimum booking places as above.

(2o) We reserve the right to periodically review our rates.

(2p) We do not offer a discounted rate or a day only rate for any guest that chooses to/is unable to stay overnight or not partake in all timetabled activities as part of school residential booking.

3. Whilst Staying With Us

(3a) Your school residential experience commences at 1pm on the stated day of arrival.  We ask you to arrive at the centre at this time to attend your Welcome Meeting and check-in to your accommodation before your activities start at 2pm.  Should you wish to arrive at the centre before the arrival time to unload luggage, we offer a drop-off window from 10am-11am.  We will only access to our centre before your booking commences at this time.  For all luggage drop-offs, you must obtain prior agreement in writing from POEC management. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide or accommodate any form of activity or entertainment at the centre before the booked time. For early arrivals, we can provide suggestions for off-centre, teacher-led provision.  Please note that we cannot accept any liability for stored luggage at our centre.

(3b) Your school residential experience at POEC finishes at 12pm on the stated day of departure. At 11.45am on the stated day of departure, you will be provided with a packed lunch which you are welcome to enjoy on centre grounds. We must ask that your group vacates the centre by 12.30pm. We kindly ask that you vacate your accommodation by 9am on the stated day of departure before taking part in the final day’s activities.  You are welcome to store your luggage with us in an undercover storage area. Please note that we cannot accept any liability for stored luggage at our centre.

(3c) Only those named in the booking may stay at POEC. In the interests of security and safeguarding, visitors are strictly prohibited from entering the centre.

(3d) All vehicles are left at the owner’s risk. We cannot accept any responsibility for any damage caused to a vehicle parked in our car park.  You will be asked to register your vehicle at check-in.  No vehicles are allowed on site save the designated car park.

(3e) With prior agreement with a teacher from your school, our management reserve the right to enter any tent/camping pod at any time. Subject to the nature of the need to enter the accommodation, we may have to request that our staff member is accompanied by a teacher.

(3f) We must note that you use all accommodation and centre facilities at your own risk. The Company cannot accept liability for the loss or damage in respect of your personal possessions.  We recommend that no valuable items are taken on a school residential, and as the centre is a ‘screen-free zone’ for children, we ask that mobile phones and devices at left at home to allow everyone enjoy the great outdoors and connect with friends.

(3g)  We do not supply bedding or towels. All teachers and children will need to bring their own sleeping bag, pillow and towels. A complete Kit List will be made available prior to arrival.

(3h) In the unlikely event of damage being sustained with your booked accommodation/within the centre, we will meet with you to discuss the settlement of any costs incurred.  We would ask that any breakages are reported to us at the very earliest opportunity.  An accommodation inspection will be carried out by us after check-out.

(3i)  Whilst the main message will be to have fun, a Code of Conduct will also be addressed as part of your Welcome Meeting.

(3j)  For all bookings, you agree to act in loco parentis at all times.  Teachers are required to accompany their group and manage behaviour on all activities and at all times whilst in residence at the centre.  We reserve the right to delay/postpone the commencement of an activity until a teacher is in attendance.

(3k) You will be issued with a timetable prior to arrival, with full details confirmed as part of your Welcome Meeting.  This will include all meal times and activity times.  For the smooth running of our timetables, we must respectfully ask you to ensure you are on time for all booked meals and activities.  We reserve the right to postpone a meal/activity should your group be late.

(3l) We operate a screen-free policy for all under 18s visiting the centre.  We ask that all mobile devices (including iPads/tablets) are left at home.  We reserve the right to request that a mobile device be handed over to an instructor if it is known to be in the possession of an under 18 year old.

(3m) We operate a smoke-free and flame-free policy at the centre.  Smoking and vaping is strictly prohibited anywhere on centre grounds.

(3n) We are unable to welcome dogs at the centre (including school dogs/therapy dogs), other than assistance dogs.

4. If You Change or Cancel Your Booking

(4a) Should you be forced to change the dates of your booking, we ask that you contact us at the earliest convenience to discuss.

(4b) All notification of changes to your booking must come from you in writing from a listed email account (as per 1b).  We must be notified of any change to contact details or change to group member names at your earliest opportunity.

(4c) In the event of an individual child place cancellation more than 10 weeks prior to arrival (before the balance has been paid), we would be grateful if you could update us accordingly. This is especially important at the 12 week balance reminder stage, as we issue your balance invoice (which will be based on the numbers supplied to us at the initial booking stage). When you are forced to change numbers, your booking will be reconfigured and the final balance invoice will be adjusted accordingly and reissued.   Please note that as all deposits paid are non-refundable and non-transferable, the £50 per child place deposit will be retained and will not be used against the balance.  For cancellations made less than 10 weeks prior to arrival once the balance has been paid, we will be unable to amend the booking to refund individual cancellations.  The date of cancellation is the day of receipt of written advice.  If any cancellation brings the number of children below the minimum number required to qualify for the Teachers Stay Free offer or any other special price/offer, then the trip price will be adjusted accordingly.   All monies paid to us are non-refundable in the event of a group cancellation.

(4d) Should you decide to leave before the booked departure date for any reason, no refund will be available for the remaining night(s).

5. Is There Any Way My Booking Can Be Terminated?

(5a)  We ask for the final balance invoice to be settled 10 weeks prior to your arrival.  In the event that the balance payment becomes 7 days overdue, this will be a breach of the contract between us, entitling us to treat the booking as cancelled by you.  We will of course communicate with you throughout.  It is important to note that all monies paid to us are non-refundable in the event of a cancellation. Payment schedules and booking cancellations clauses of this nature must be in place to protect our business. In the event of a booking cancellation, you will receive an email from us to confirm the cancellation of the contract.

(5b)  We reserve the right to cancel a booking at our discretion if there is an observed concern or fear over the behaviour of group organisers or members of a group which could impact safety or enjoyment of others.

6. Complaint Procedure

(6a) We always aim to provide you with the best experience possible. However, in the unlikely event that a problem should arise we kindly ask that you inform us immediately. By following this procedure you will enable us to deal with the situation effectively and promptly. We regret that it is unlikely we can accept liability for any complaints after your departure.  It is therefore paramount that issues are raised immediately, or at the latest, by the end of the day.

(6b) We cannot be held responsible for the loss of enjoyment or additional expenses caused by circumstances amounting to force majeure such as industrial dispute, actual or threatened terrorist activity, act of God, governmental action, adverse weather or natural disaster.  Guest safety will not be compromised with unsafe weather conditions.  The Company shall not be held liable in the event that partner services are not available due to circumstances beyond its control.  We will always aim to offer alternative activities in the instance of advertised activities being made unavailable.

7. Data Protection & Photography

(7a) We will retain the information which you provide at the time of booking. This information will not be passed on to any 3rd parties, other than when required by law.

(7b) We occasionally take pictures/video for promotional purposes, including online and printed material. If any member of your group wishes NOT to appear in any such photography/video we must be notified in advance.  You will be issued with a Photographic Consent Form as part of your Pre-Arrival form.