Terms of Service

Last Updated: September 17, 2026

Welcome to A-1 English School (“we,” “our,” or “us”). These Terms of Service (“Terms”) explain how our online English lessons and related services are provided. By booking a lesson or purchasing lesson points through our website, you agree to these Terms.

1. About Us

Business Name: A-1 English School
Owner: John Haines
Location: Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
Email: second.wind.japan@gmail.com

2. Services Provided

A-1 English School provides private one-on-one online English lessons for students who already understand some English and want to improve their speaking, listening, pronunciation, fluency, or practical English skills.

Available lesson areas include Conversation & Fluency, Natural American English, Pronunciation & Fluency, Business English, Travel English, IELTS Preparation, and customized English lessons.

Lessons are conducted online using Zoom or Google Meet. Current lesson lengths include 25-minute and 50-minute sessions, as listed on our website.

New students may be eligible for a free 30-minute first lesson, subject to availability. The free first lesson is intended to allow the student and teacher to meet, discuss goals, practice English, and determine whether the lessons are a good fit.

3. Booking and Payment

  • New students arrange their free first lesson by contacting A-1 English School through the website contact form or other contact method provided by us.
  • Lesson bookings and lesson-point purchases must be completed using the payment and booking methods provided by A-1 English School.
  • Lesson times are confirmed only after the booking has been accepted by A-1 English School.
  • Where payment is required in advance, the applicable payment must be received before the relevant lesson or lesson package is confirmed.
  • Prices and point values are listed on our website and may be changed in the future. Changes will not affect already-purchased points or confirmed bookings except where otherwise required by applicable law.
  • Payments may be processed through PayPal or another payment method made available by A-1 English School.

4. Lesson Points and Packages

  • A-1 English School may use a points system for lesson purchases.
  • For pricing display purposes, 1 point generally corresponds to ¥1 unless otherwise stated.
  • Current lesson packages have the validity periods stated on the Lesson Pricing page. Current packages may have validity periods of 6, 8, or 12 months depending on the package purchased.
  • Unused points expire at the end of the applicable validity period.
  • Purchased points are generally non-refundable except where a refund is required by applicable law or where A-1 English School is unable to provide the purchased service.

5. Cancellations and Rescheduling

  • Students may cancel or reschedule a lesson by contacting A-1 English School at least 24 hours before the scheduled lesson start time.
  • Lessons canceled with less than 24 hours’ notice, or lessons missed without notice, may be treated as used and the applicable lesson points or lesson credit may be deducted.
  • If a student experiences an unexpected emergency or other exceptional circumstance, A-1 English School may consider the situation on a case-by-case basis.
  • If A-1 English School must cancel or reschedule a lesson, we will make reasonable efforts to provide an alternative time or restore the applicable lesson credit or points.

6. Lesson Conduct

  • Lessons are conducted through Zoom or Google Meet. Students are responsible for having a suitable internet connection and functioning audio/video equipment.
  • Students should join lessons on time. If a student arrives late, the lesson may still end at the originally scheduled time.
  • Recording of lessons is not permitted without prior permission from A-1 English School.
  • Students are expected to communicate respectfully with the teacher.
  • A-1 English School may end a lesson or decline to provide future services in cases of abusive, threatening, inappropriate, or seriously disruptive behavior.

7. Refunds

Refund requests will be handled in accordance with these Terms and applicable law.

Where A-1 English School cancels a lesson and cannot provide a reasonable alternative, we may restore the applicable lesson credit or points or provide a refund, as appropriate.

If a technical problem on the A-1 English School side prevents a paid lesson from taking place and the problem cannot reasonably be resolved, we will work with the student to provide an alternative lesson, restore the applicable credit or points, or provide an appropriate refund.

Purchased points and lesson packages are generally non-refundable once purchased, except where otherwise required by applicable law or agreed by A-1 English School.

8. Intellectual Property

Teaching materials, lesson materials, written feedback, exercises, and other original content provided by A-1 English School remain the property of A-1 English School or their respective rights holders.

Students may use materials provided during lessons for their own personal English study. Materials may not be commercially reproduced, distributed, published, or resold without prior permission.

9. Limitation of Liability

A-1 English School makes reasonable efforts to provide reliable online English lessons. However, we cannot guarantee uninterrupted access to online services because internet connections, third-party platforms, equipment, and other factors may be outside our reasonable control.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, A-1 English School will not be responsible for indirect or consequential losses arising from circumstances outside our reasonable control.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude or limit any liability or consumer right that cannot legally be excluded or limited under applicable law.

10. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes to our services, pricing, booking procedures, or applicable requirements.

The latest version will be posted on this page with the date of the most recent update. Changes will apply to future bookings and purchases unless otherwise required by applicable law.

11. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of Japan, except where applicable law provides otherwise.

If a question or dispute arises concerning our services, we encourage the student to contact A-1 English School first so that we can try to resolve the matter directly.

Any dispute that cannot be resolved directly will be handled by a court with appropriate jurisdiction under applicable Japanese law.

12. Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact:

A-1 English School
Owner: John Haines
Email: second.wind.japan@gmail.com
Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan