Terms & Conditions

Terms and Conditions

Common Space Project

Last Updated: January 2026

2. About Common Space

Common Space is an online educational platform providing Recognition of Acquired Learning (RAL) pathways to formal qualifications for working-class adults in construction and related trades. We plan to offer City & Guilds and Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) qualifications from Levels 3-6.

2.1 Our Educational Philosophy

Common Space recognizes and credentials your existing workplace competence. We position education as validating your lived experience, not starting from scratch.

2.2 Awarding Body Partnerships

Our mission is to become a registered centre delivering qualifications approved by City & Guilds and ILM. These awarding bodies set assessment standards and quality assurance requirements that we must meet.

3. Eligibility and Registration

3.1 Age Requirement

You must be at least 18 years old to use Common Space. Our platform is designed for "Adult Returners" aged 24 years and over.

3.2 Account Registration

You agree to:

• Provide accurate, complete, and current information
• Maintain the security of your login credentials
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access
• Take responsibility for all activity under your account

3.3 One Account Per Person

Each student may maintain only one active account. Multiple accounts may result in suspension.

4. Subscription and Payment Terms

4.1 Subscription Fee

Access to Common Space requires a monthly subscription of £15, billed automatically via Stripe.

4.2 Payment Authorization

By subscribing, you authorize us to charge your payment method on a recurring monthly basis until you cancel.

4.3 Price Changes

We reserve the right to modify subscription fees with 30 days' advance notice. Continued use after the notice period constitutes acceptance of new pricing.

4.4 Cancellation

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. No refunds are provided for partial months.

4.5 Failed Payments

If payment fails, we will attempt to notify you and retry charging. Continued payment failure may result in account suspension after 7 days.

4.6 Refund Policy

We do not offer refunds except:

• Technical platform failure preventing access for >7 consecutive days
• As required by consumer protection law
• At our sole discretion in exceptional circumstances

5. Educational Services

5.1 Course Delivery

Common Space provides:

• Asynchronous learning content (videos, readings, activities)
• Live synchronous classes (scheduled via platform calendar)
• RAL portfolio development support
• Assessment and feedback
• Access to learning community

5.2 Learning Materials

All course content is licensed to you for personal educational use only. You may not:

• Share login credentials with others
• Redistribute, sell, or republish course materials
• Use content for commercial purposes
• Remove copyright or proprietary notices

5.3 Fieldwork and Portfolio Development

Most courses require substantial student fieldwork in your workplace. You are responsible for:

• Completing assigned activities and reflections
• Gathering portfolio evidence
• Uploading evidence by assessment deadlines
• Ensuring evidence authenticity

5.4 Assessment Standards

Your work is assessed against learning outcomes set by City & Guilds and ILM. Assessment focuses on validity, sufficiency, currency, and authenticity of evidence.

5.5 Academic Integrity

You must submit only your own original work. Evidence of plagiarism, fabrication, or falsification will result in:

• Assessment failure
• Potential qualification disqualification
• Account suspension or termination
• Reporting to awarding bodies

5.6 No Guaranteed Outcomes

While we provide high-quality education and support, we cannot guarantee:

• Qualification completion timeframes
• Pass rates or specific grades
• Career advancement or employment outcomes
• Acceptance into further education programs

6. Platform Access and Use

6.1 License Grant

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use Common Space for personal educational purposes.

6.2 Platform Availability

We strive for 99% uptime but cannot guarantee uninterrupted access. We may suspend service for:

• Scheduled maintenance (with advance notice when possible)
• Emergency repairs
• Security updates
• Force majeure events

6.3 Technical Requirements

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining compatible devices and internet connectivity
• Using supported browsers and operating systems
• Backing up your own copies of submitted work

6.4 Mobile and Desktop Access

You may access Common Space via mobile app for discovery and enrollment, then migrate to desktop LMS for full coursework functionality.

7. Student Conduct and Behaviour

7.1 Community Standards

Common Space is built on mutual respect, dignity, and collective learning. All students must:

• Treat fellow students, tutors, and staff with respect
• Engage constructively in learning activities
• Support an inclusive, welcoming environment
• Respect diverse perspectives and experiences
• Maintain confidentiality of others' personal information shared in learning contexts

7.2 Prohibited Conduct

The following behaviours are strictly prohibited:

Harassment and Bullying

• Targeting individuals with repeated unwanted contact
• Creating intimidating, hostile, or offensive environments
• Making derogatory comments about protected characteristics (race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, etc.)

Trolling and Disruption

• Deliberately provoking, baiting, or antagonizing others
• Posting inflammatory content to derail discussions
• Spam, flooding, or repeatedly off-topic posting
• Impersonating other users or staff

Inappropriate Content

• Sexually explicit material
• Hate speech or discriminatory content
• Violent, graphic, or disturbing content
• Promotion of illegal activities

Academic Misconduct

• Plagiarism or falsifying portfolio evidence
• Sharing exam answers or assessment solutions
• Submitting others' work as your own
• Unauthorized collaboration on individual assessments

Platform Abuse

• Attempting to hack, breach security, or access restricted areas
• Scraping, data mining, or automated access
• Sharing account credentials
• Circumventing payment or access controls

Professional Misconduct

• Making false claims about credentials or experience
• Misrepresenting your work to awarding bodies
• Using platform access to solicit business inappropriately
• Bringing the platform or qualifications into disrepute

7.3 Reporting Violations

If you experience or witness conduct violations:

1. Use the "Report" function within the platform

2. Email conduct@commonspaceproject.org with details

3. For urgent safety concerns, contact us immediately

All reports are treated confidentially and investigated promptly.

7.4 Enforcement Actions

Depending on severity and context, violations may result in:

Warnings

• First offense for minor infractions
• Written notice explaining the violation
• Expectation of immediate behaviour correction

Temporary Suspension

• Repeated minor violations
• Single serious violation
• Access suspended for 7-30 days
• Must acknowledge Terms before reinstatement

Permanent Ban

• Severe violations (harassment, hate speech, violence)
• Repeated serious violations after warnings
• Academic dishonesty undermining qualification integrity
• Immediate account termination without refund
• Notification to awarding bodies if relevant

7.5 Appeals Process

If you believe enforcement action was unjustified:

1. Submit written appeal to appeals@commonspaceproject.org within 14 days

2. Include your account details and explanation

3. We will review and respond within 21 days

4. Our decision is final

7.6 No Liability for User Content

We are not responsible for content posted by students. However, we reserve the right to monitor, review, and remove content violating these Terms.

8. Intellectual Property

8.1 Common Space IP

All platform content (videos, activities, assessments, branding, software) is owned by Common Space or licensed to us. This includes:

• Course curricula and learning materials
• Platform design and functionality
• Trademarks and branding

8.2 Student IP

You retain ownership of your original work and portfolio evidence. By uploading content, you grant us:

• A license to use your work for assessment, quality assurance, and accreditation
• Permission to use anonymized examples for educational purposes
• Right to share necessary evidence with awarding bodies

8.3 Awarding Body Requirements

City & Guilds and ILM may require access to your work for:

• External quality assurance
• Certification verification
• Standards moderation

9. Data Protection and Privacy

Your personal information is handled according to our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms. Key points:

• We collect educational, payment, and usage data
• Data is shared with awarding bodies as required for qualification delivery
• You have rights under UK GDPR to access, correct, and delete your data
• We implement robust security measures

See our full Privacy Policy at [link].

10. Limitation of Liability

10.1 Educational Services

Common Space provides educational services "as is." We are not liable for:

• Employment outcomes or career advancement
• Awarding body decisions on certification
• Third-party content or external links
• Student disputes or interactions

10.2 Financial Limits

Our total liability to you for any claims shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

10.3 Exclusions

We are not liable for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits, data loss, or business interruption.

10.4 Exception

Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for death/personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or other liability that cannot be legally limited.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Common Space, its staff, partners, and awarding bodies from any claims, damages, or costs arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Your submitted content or portfolio evidence
• Your use of qualifications or certifications
• Misrepresentation of your credentials

12. Third-Party Services

12.1 Awarding Bodies

Your enrollment creates direct relationships with City & Guilds and ILM, which have their own terms, policies, and standards.

12.2 Payment Processing

Stripe processes payments independently. Their terms apply to payment transactions.

12.3 External Links

We may link to external resources. We are not responsible for third-party content, privacy practices, or terms.

13. Termination

13.1 Your Right to Terminate

You may cancel your subscription anytime. Your access continues until the end of your billing period.

13.2 Our Right to Terminate

We may suspend or terminate your account for:

• Violation of these Terms (especially conduct violations)
• Fraudulent payment or chargebacks
• Behaviour threatening platform integrity
• Inactivity exceeding 6 months

13.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Access to platform ends immediately
• No refunds for unused subscription time (except as required by law)
• You may request your portfolio evidence for 30 days
• We may retain data as required for legal/regulatory compliance

14. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms to reflect:

• Platform developments or new features
• Legal or regulatory requirements
• Awarding body policy changes
• Operational improvements

Notice: We will notify you of material changes via email or platform notice at least 30 days in advance. Continued use after changes take effect indicates acceptance.

15. Dispute Resolution

15.1 Informal Resolution

We encourage you to contact us first to resolve concerns: support@commonspaceproject.org

15.2 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

15.3 Jurisdiction

Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

15.4 Alternative Dispute Resolution

We participate in alternative dispute resolution through the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) for education-related complaints.

16. General Provisions

16.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any course-specific requirements, constitute the entire agreement between you and Common Space.

16.2 Severability

If any provision is found unenforceable, remaining provisions continue in full effect.

16.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right does not constitute a waiver of that right.

16.4 Assignment

You may not transfer your account or obligations. We may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale.

16.5 Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failures due to circumstances beyond reasonable control (natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, internet outages, etc.).

17. Contact Information

General Enquiries: support@commonspaceproject.org

Conduct Violations: conduct@commonspaceproject.org

Academic Appeals: appeals@commonspaceproject.org

Data Protection: privacy@commonspaceproject.org

Registered Office:

Common Space Project

[Your registered address]

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Acknowledgment

By clicking "I Agree" during registration or continuing to use Common Space, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

Last Updated: January 2026

Version: 1.0

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Common Space is built for you. These Terms exist to protect our community of learners and ensure everyone can pursue qualifications with dignity, respect, and mutual support. We're committed to recognizing your competence and providing pathways to formal credentials that reflect your true capabilities.