1. Agreement and Documents

1.1  These Terms and Conditions apply to the hire of Michael Hall School premises. The individual or organisation named in the confirmed booking is referred to as the “Hirer”.  

1.2  The confirmed booking details, these Terms and Conditions, agreed charges, any additional conditions confirmed in writing and Annex 2 – Safeguarding Requirements (where applicable) form the agreement between the School and the Hirer.

1.3  If any documents conflict, Annex 2 takes priority on safeguarding matters. For all other matters, the confirmed booking details and any written booking-specific conditions take priority.

2. Application and Acceptance

2.1  Applications must be made through the Bookings Co-Ordinator. A booking is only confirmed once the School has provided written confirmation and received any required payment and supporting documents.

2.2  The person accepting the booking must be at least 21 years old and authorised to enter into the agreement. Current pupils of the School, including those aged 18 or over, may not independently hire School premises. Where an event is organised by a current pupil or a person under 21, a parent, guardian or another adult aged 21 or over approved by the School must be the named Hirer and accept responsibility for the event.

2.3  School activities and educational use take priority over external bookings. The School may refuse a booking if the activity is unlawful, unsuitable for the premises, presents unacceptable safeguarding, health and safety or security risks, may seriously disrupt School activities, or conflicts with the School’s ethos, charitable purposes or published rules.

2.4  The premises may only be used for the activity, attendance, areas, dates and times agreed in the booking. Any changes require the School’s written approval.

2.5  The Hirer must inform the Bookings Co-Ordinator promptly of any significant change to the booking, including the activity, expected attendance or supervision arrangements. The School may review the arrangements and apply additional conditions where necessary.

2.6  The Hirer may not transfer the booking, sublet the premises or permit another person or organisation to use the facilities without the School’s prior written permission.

3. Charges and Payment

3.1  Hire charges depend on the rooms or facilities booked, the duration of the hire and any additional services required. The Bookings Co-Ordinator will provide a written quotation showing the total amount payable, including VAT where applicable, before the booking is accepted. Room and facility rates may be provided in a separate Charges Schedule.

3.2  Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the following payment arrangements apply:

1. For total quoted charges of £500 or less (including any VAT): payment in full is required to secure the booking.


2. For total quoted charges over £500 (including any VAT): a deposit equal to 50% of the total quoted charge is required to secure the booking. The balance must be paid at least 14 days before the hire.

The deposit forms part of the total charge and is not an additional fee. A booking is only confirmed after the required payment has been received and the School has issued written confirmation. The Bookings Co-Ordinator may agree alternative payment arrangements, confirmed in writing.

3.3  Regular hirers will normally be invoiced at the end of each School term for sessions held during that term. Payment must be made by the invoice due date. Advance payment may be arranged if preferred.

3.4  Setting up, deliveries, clearing away and collection of equipment must take place within the agreed hire period. Any additional time must be agreed with the Bookings Co-Ordinator and may be charged.

3.5  The School may charge reasonable additional costs arising from the hire, including extra cleaning, damage, repairs, replacement, security or staffing. Any such charges will be invoiced following the event.

3.6  Payments must be made directly to the School’s Finance Department using the payment instructions on the invoice. Payments must not be made to individual members of staff.

3.7  Any query or dispute about an invoice must be raised promptly with the School. Any amount not in dispute remains payable by the original due date.

3.8  The written quotation will show the full cost of the hire, including VAT where applicable. VAT is determined by the facilities, equipment and services being supplied in accordance with HMRC requirements. The invoice will clearly show any VAT charged, and the total quoted price is the amount payable for the agreed booking.

4. Cancellations and Refunds

Cancellation by the Hirer

4.1  All cancellations must be submitted in writing to the Bookings Co-Ordinator.

4.2  Where a booking is cancelled at least 14 days before the hire date, the School will refund payments received, less any reasonable costs or losses incurred as a result of the cancellation. Deductions will reflect costs that cannot be recovered and will take account of expenses saved or income recovered by re-letting the premises.

4.3  Where less than 14 days’ notice is given, the School may retain or recover reasonable costs and losses arising from the cancellation, including preparation costs and loss of hire income where the premises cannot reasonably be re-let. The School will take reasonable steps to minimise its losses. Payments exceeding those reasonable losses will be refunded; any additional amount payable will be calculated fairly and in accordance with applicable law.

4.4  Where separate cancellation arrangements have been agreed in writing for regular bookings, those arrangements apply. Otherwise, clauses 4.1 to 4.3 apply to each cancelled session.

Cancellation or Changes by the School

4.5  The School may cancel or amend a booking where the premises are required for School use, giving at least 14 days’ written notice. Where possible, an alternative date will be offered. If no alternative is agreed, payments received for the cancelled hire will be refunded.

4.6  The School may cancel, suspend or amend a booking without prior notice where necessary because of an emergency, safeguarding or safety concern, severe weather, loss of access to the premises, a legal requirement, serious breach of these Terms and Conditions or circumstances beyond the School’s reasonable control.

4.7  Where the School cancels a booking for reasons not caused by the Hirer, payments received for the cancelled hire will be refunded. Where cancellation results from a breach by the Hirer, the School may recover reasonable costs or losses arising from that breach. The School will not be responsible for indirect or consequential losses, except where liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

Outdoor Bookings

4.8  Where weather or ground conditions make an outdoor facility unsafe or unsuitable for the agreed activity, the School and Hirer will consider an alternative indoor facility or a replacement date. Where neither option is available, payments received for the affected hire will be refunded.

5. Access Times and Use of the Premises

5.1  The Hirer and attendees may only use the rooms, facilities, access routes and parking areas agreed with the School. All other areas of the School premises are out of bounds.

5.2  External lettings are permitted outside School hours and during the times specified in the confirmed booking. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, events may not begin before 9.00 am and must finish by midnight, including clearing up and departure. Any use outside these hours, including overnight stays, requires separate written agreement.

5.3  The named Hirer, or an adult representative aged 21 or over authorised by the School, must remain on site throughout the hire and be contactable at all times. Where an event is organised by a current pupil or someone under 21, the named Hirer must be present throughout unless the School agrees otherwise in writing.

5.4  The Hirer must provide appropriate supervision throughout the event, including stewards or additional staff where necessary. The School’s caretaker is first-aid trained and may provide first-aid assistance when on duty. Where additional or specialist first-aid provision is needed, the Hirer must make suitable arrangements.

5.5  The Hirer is responsible for the conduct of attendees, guests, staff, volunteers, contractors and suppliers associated with the booking. All must comply with these Terms and Conditions and follow reasonable instructions from School staff.

5.6  Abusive, threatening, discriminatory or unsafe behaviour is not permitted. The School may require a person to leave where their behaviour presents a risk to others, School property or the safe operation of the premises.

5.7  Noise must be kept at a reasonable level, with consideration for neighbouring residents, other site users and any School activities.

5.8  The Hirer must not exceed the maximum permitted attendance for the booked facilities. Any significant change to expected attendance must be notified to the Bookings Co-Ordinator in advance and may require approval.

5.9  The Hirer must use the agreed entrances, access routes and parking areas and notify the Bookings Co-Ordinator in advance of any accessibility requirements, including wheelchair access, accessible parking or toilet facilities. The School will confirm available facilities and agreed access arrangements before the booking is confirmed.

6. Site Rules

6.1  Smoking and vaping are prohibited inside all School buildings. The School may permit smoking and vaping in designated outdoor areas during a hire, subject to prior written agreement. Smoking and vaping are not permitted elsewhere on the premises.

6.2  Animals are not permitted on School premises, except assistance dogs, unless the School gives prior written approval.

6.3  Confetti, silly string and similar products are prohibited unless the School gives prior written approval.

6.4  No structural alterations, fixings, ground stakes, markings, open fires, bonfires or barbecues are permitted without prior written approval.

6.5  Vehicles must use designated access routes and parking areas. Vehicles must not enter playing fields or playgrounds without prior written approval.

6.6  Glassware is not permitted in outdoor activity areas. Footwear must be appropriate for the activity, and cleats or studded footwear must not be worn inside School buildings.

6.7  The premises must be left clean and tidy, with all property, equipment and waste belonging to the Hirer removed at the end of the hire. A cleaning service may be arranged in advance through the Bookings Co-Ordinator for an agreed additional charge. The School may recover reasonable costs for cleaning required beyond the agreed arrangements.

7. Setup, Decoration and Equipment

7.1  The Hirer must obtain prior approval before bringing staging, temporary structures, amplified sound systems, specialist equipment or decorations onto the premises.

7.2  Decorations and floor coverings must not obstruct fire exits, signs, alarms or safety equipment. Materials must be suitable for their intended use and flame-retardant where required.

7.3  Electrical appliances and equipment brought onto the premises must be safe and in good working condition. The School may require evidence of Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), which involves inspecting and testing electrical equipment for safety. Where appropriate, the School may be able to arrange PAT testing on site if sufficient notice is given to the Bookings Co-Ordinator. Any charge will be agreed in advance.

7.4  Temporary electrical installations must be carried out by a competent person and comply with relevant safety requirements. Connection to the School’s electrical supply requires prior approval.

7.5  School equipment may only be used where included in the booking or approved by the School. Any faults or damage must be reported promptly. The Hirer must not attempt repairs without authorisation.

8. Food, Alcohol and Kitchen Use

8.1  The sale or supply of alcohol requires the School’s prior written approval. The Hirer must obtain any necessary licences or Temporary Event Notices and comply with relevant legal requirements. Alcohol is not permitted at events organised by current pupils or primarily intended for young people under 18.

8.2  Use of the School’s kitchen facilities must be agreed in advance with the Bookings Co-Ordinator. The Hirer must comply with food hygiene and safety requirements, ensure appropriate supervision and follow instructions from the School’s Catering Team.

8.3  Children under 15 are not permitted to enter or work in the kitchen during a hire. Animals are not permitted in the School kitchen or any area used for food preparation or storage.

8.4  Food may only be stored on School premises outside the agreed hire period with prior written approval. Kitchen equipment, work surfaces, sinks and floors must be left clean, and all food, waste and personal equipment removed at the end of the hire. Additional cleaning charges may apply where necessary.

9. Licences and Public Events

9.1  The Hirer must inform the Bookings Co-Ordinator in advance if the event involves public performances, live or recorded music, dancing, film screenings, the sale or supply of alcohol, gambling, food sales or any other activity requiring a licence or special permission.

9.2  The Hirer is responsible for obtaining any licences, copyright permissions or other approvals required for the event and complying with their conditions, unless the School confirms in writing that an existing School licence covers the activity.

9.3  Public events must have sufficient, clearly identifiable stewards or marshals. The Hirer must comply with maximum attendance limits and any event management arrangements agreed with the School.

10. Safeguarding

10.1  All Hirers must comply with the safeguarding requirements relevant to their booking, as set out in Annex 2 – Safeguarding Requirements, which forms part of these Terms and Conditions.

10.2  Where a booking involves organised activities for children or young people under 18, the Hirer is responsible for their safeguarding and supervision and must provide the required safeguarding documentation before the booking is confirmed.

11. Health, Safety and Risk Assessment

11.1  The Hirer is responsible for managing risks associated with its activity and must comply with relevant health and safety legislation and reasonable School instructions. The School remains responsible for the safety and condition of the premises under its control.

11.2  The Hirer must prepare a suitable activity-specific risk assessment covering participants, equipment, setup, access, supervision, first aid, emergency arrangements and any other relevant hazards. A written risk assessment must be provided before the first hire for organised children’s activities and other higher-risk events identified by the School. For other bookings, an assessment must be provided on request.

11.3  The Hirer must maintain an accurate attendance record or head-count system suitable for evacuation and ensure attendees are accounted for at the assembly point. Where requested, the Hirer must provide attendance numbers to the School’s duty contact. Appropriate first-aid and emergency arrangements must be maintained throughout the hire.

11.4  Accidents, near misses, hazards, damage and attendance by emergency services must be reported promptly to the School’s duty contact and recorded as directed. Risk assessments must be reviewed following significant changes to the activity or a relevant incident.

12. Fire, Security and Emergency Arrangements

12.1  The Hirer must nominate a responsible person who will remain on site throughout the hire, be contactable at all times and take responsibility for the Hirer’s fire and emergency arrangements. That person’s name and telephone number must be provided to the School before the hire begins.

12.2  Before the event begins, the responsible person must be familiar with the emergency arrangements for the specific building or area hired, including its exact location, emergency service access and location details, fire alarm procedures, emergency exits and escape routes, the designated assembly point, maximum occupancy and the School’s emergency contact details. The School will provide the relevant site-specific emergency information.

12.3  Escape routes, corridors, stairs, fire doors, call points and firefighting equipment must remain unobstructed and available at all times. Fire doors must not be wedged open unless held by an approved device.

12.4  If emergency services are called, the Hirer must notify the School’s duty contact as soon as it is safe to do so and provide relevant information, including the location, nature of the incident, known hazards and attendance information.

12.5  Emergency services: 999. Where urgent medical assistance is required, the Hirer must follow advice from the emergency services or NHS services as appropriate.

12.6  The Hirer must comply with the School’s security and emergency procedures and reasonable instructions from School staff or the duty contact. Staff, volunteers and others assisting with the activity must be briefed on the relevant emergency arrangements.

12.7  The Hirer must cooperate with School procedures for evacuation, invacuation, lockdown or emergency communication. In an emergency or security incident, the Hirer must follow instructions from the School, emergency services or other authorised personnel and assist in communicating these to attendees.

12.8  The Hirer must take reasonable steps to maintain access control during the booking and promptly report suspicious activity, unauthorised access or security concerns to the School’s duty contact. Where there is an immediate risk to life or safety, emergency services must be contacted without delay.

12.9  The Hirer must not obstruct, disable or interfere with any fire-safety, security, access-control or emergency equipment or arrangements.

12.10  The Hirer must provide reasonable cooperation and information requested by the School in connection with its security and emergency arrangements, including arrangements under the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 and any associated legal requirements or guidance in force.

12.11  Main site coordinates: 51.09361, 0.02862. What3words reference: plotting.aquatic.daffodils. The relevant building and emergency access point will be confirmed for the booking.

13. Insurance, Liability and Damage

13.1  For private, non-commercial events, the School may provide insurance cover under its existing arrangements. The Bookings Co-Ordinator will confirm in writing whether the booking is covered and which conditions apply. Where appropriate cover is confirmed, separate public liability insurance will not be required for the agreed activity.

13.2  Businesses, clubs, organisations and individuals independently providing activities or services on School premises must hold appropriate public liability insurance. Evidence must be supplied before the booking is confirmed. The School may specify a minimum level of cover appropriate to the activity.

13.3  Where the Hirer engages external contractors, caterers, entertainers or other suppliers, the Hirer must ensure they hold appropriate insurance for their activities. The School may request evidence.

13.4  The Hirer is responsible for loss or damage to School premises, facilities or equipment caused by the Hirer or those attending under the Hirer’s authority, except where caused by the School’s negligence or breach of duty.

13.5  The Hirer may be required to reimburse the School for reasonable costs, losses or claims arising from the Hirer’s negligence, unlawful activity or breach of these Terms and Conditions, subject to applicable law.

13.6  The School is not responsible for loss of or damage to personal belongings, equipment or vehicles brought onto the premises, unless caused by the School’s negligence or other breach of duty.

13.7  Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

14. End of Hire and Uncollected Property

14.1  At the end of the hire, the Hirer must remove all personal property and waste and return any School equipment used to its agreed location.

14.2  Property left behind may be stored temporarily by the School. The Hirer is responsible for arranging collection, and reasonable handling or storage charges may apply if the property is not collected promptly following notification.

15. Breach, Suspension and Termination

15.1  Where the Hirer fails to comply with a minor requirement, the School may allow a reasonable opportunity to resolve the issue, provided it is safe and practical to do so.

15.2  The School may stop an event, suspend or terminate a booking, or require people to leave immediately where there is a safeguarding, health and safety or security concern; unlawful activity or serious misconduct; a serious breach of these Terms and Conditions; non-payment; false or misleading booking information; or refusal to follow reasonable instructions from School staff.

15.3  Where a booking is suspended or terminated because the Hirer has failed to comply with these Terms and Conditions, the School may recover reasonable costs or losses arising from that failure, subject to applicable law. Any refund or cancellation charges will be handled in accordance with Section 4.

16. Data Protection and Publicity

16.1  Each party is responsible for complying with data protection law in relation to the personal information it holds. The Hirer must not collect, use or share personal information on behalf of the School unless agreed in writing.

16.2  The Hirer must not use the School’s name, logo, images or address in a way that suggests sponsorship, partnership or endorsement without prior written approval.

16.3  External providers running organised activities for children must ensure appropriate permissions are obtained before taking or sharing photographs or recordings. Images and recordings must be handled in accordance with the Hirer’s safeguarding procedures and data protection requirements.

17. General

17.1  If the School does not enforce a condition on one occasion, this does not prevent it from enforcing that condition in the future.

(For example, allowing extra time to clear a room once does not mean the same arrangement will apply to future bookings.)

17.2  If any part of these Terms and Conditions is found to be legally invalid or unenforceable, the remaining conditions will continue to apply.

(For example, if a cancellation condition is found to be legally unfair, the other conditions will still apply.)

17.3  Any changes to a confirmed booking must be agreed by the School and the Hirer and confirmed in writing, except where these Terms and Conditions allow the School to cancel or amend a booking.

(For example, a change to the hire date, time or room must be agreed and confirmed by email.)

17.4  These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales, subject to any applicable consumer rights.

(This means English and Welsh law applies while a Hirer’s legal consumer rights remain protected.)

18. Contact Details

18.1  Bookings: Kirsty Grant-Howard, Bookings Co-Ordinator, is the main contact for bookings, arrangements, changes and cancellations. All changes to a booking must be confirmed in writing.

18.2  During the hire: For urgent site matters, access problems, accidents, damage or emergencies, contact the School’s duty contact on: 07442 040594. In an emergency requiring Police, Fire or Ambulance services, call 999.

18.3  Safeguarding: Matters relating to the hire must be handled in accordance with Annex 2. School Designated Safeguarding Lead: Rebecca Lidert, [email protected], 01342 822275

Annex 1 – Booking Details and Acceptance

To be completed for each hire. The School will confirm the booking and agreed charges in writing.

Safeguarding requirements: Hirers providing organised activities for children under 18 or adults at risk must read and comply with Annex 2 and provide any applicable safeguarding documentation before the booking is confirmed.