A fair rule is one a family can read in ten seconds, a teacher can rely on, and you can apply the same way every time. Pick one notice window, decide what each outcome costs the family and pays the teacher, give the academy’s own cancellations the same weight, and write it all down before the first class.
Step 1: pick one notice window
The notice window is how long before a class a family must cancel to avoid being charged. It exists because the teacher reserved that time. A shorter window is friendlier to families; a longer one protects teachers’ income.
Questions that help you choose:
- Can a teacher realistically fill or reuse a slot freed with this much notice?
- Do families in your time zones get up in time to cancel a morning class?
- Will the rule still feel fair to a parent with a sick child?
Use one window for everything. Different windows for different classes, or for families and teachers, are where disputes start.
| Window | Feels like | Works when |
|---|---|---|
| A few hours | Friendly | Teachers have other students or flexible days |
| 12 hours | Balanced | Teachers plan their day the evening before |
| 24 hours or more | Strict | Teachers depend on each class for their income |
Step 2: decide what each outcome means
Write one table that answers both questions, “is the family charged?” and “is the teacher paid?”, for every outcome:
| Outcome | Family | Teacher |
|---|---|---|
| Cancelled with enough notice | Not charged | Not paid |
| Cancelled inside the window | Charged | Paid a share or in full |
| Student did not join, teacher waited | Charged | Paid |
| Teacher cancelled with notice | Not charged, makeup offered | Not paid |
| Teacher cancelled late or did not join | Not charged, makeup offered | Not paid, counted |
| Teacher joined late | Charged, missed time made up or credited | Pay reduced |
Two choices matter most:
- How long the teacher waits before a class becomes a no-show. Half the class is a common, easy-to-explain choice.
- How much a teacher earns for a late cancellation. Paying a share (for example half) recognises the lost slot without rewarding cancellations.
Step 3: hold the academy to the same standard
Families accept charges more easily when they can see the academy is held to the same rule. Never charge for a class the academy cancelled, offer a makeup or a credit quickly, and treat repeated teacher lateness as seriously as student no-shows. Track both in the same report.
Step 4: allow a small, written exception
Real emergencies happen. One waived late cancellation per term, at the office’s discretion, removes most of the anger from the rule without making it meaningless. Write the exception into the policy so it is not a favour you grant to some families and not others.
Step 5: write it down and get agreement
- Put the table in your enrollment policy and your teacher agreement. Templates: enrollment and cancellation policy and teacher agreement.
- Ask families to agree before the first class, by signature or a written “I agree”.
- Repeat the rule in one line on every invoice.
- Give 30 days’ notice before changing it.
Consumer law in the family’s country can limit what you may charge, especially for prepaid services. This is general information, not legal advice; check with an adviser in your country.
Step 6: apply it from records, not memory
A rule only feels fair when it is applied the same way to everyone. Record every class outcome on the day, with the time the cancellation arrived and how many minutes late anyone joined. Bill and pay from that record. If you track this in a spreadsheet, the payroll calculator and invoice template are built around these outcomes.
How Halqora handles this
Halqora applies one set of rules to every recorded outcome. A student cancellation at least 3 hours ahead is not billed; a later one is billed in full. A student no-show, where the teacher waited half the class, is billed and paid. A teacher cancellation under 4 hours is never billed and counts against the teacher. Lateness up to 2 minutes is free. Per-teacher and per-student rates show up in analytics.