Terms of Service

Welcome to The Reading Fluency Assessment Tool ("we," "our," or "us"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of our online fluency reading tool and website (the "Service").

By accessing or using our Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you disagree with any part of these Terms, you may not access the Service.

1. Service Description

Our Service provides an online reading fluency assessment tool designed to help educators and parents track and improve children's reading fluency through systematic assessment, progress tracking and data analysis.

2. User Accounts and Eligibility

2.1 Account Creation

• You must provide accurate, current and complete information during registration
• You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials
• You must notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account
• You may not share your account credentials with others

2.2 Age Requirements

• Users under 13: May use the software or the resources but only under parental supervision. They may not create their own account.
• Users aged 13-17: Parental supervision recommended
• Schools/educators: May create accounts on behalf of students with appropriate permissions

2.3 Educational Use

• The Service is designed for educational purposes
• Teachers and parents may monitor student progress through provided tools
• Student data must be used only for legitimate educational purposes

2.4 School and Organisational Accounts

3. Acceptable Use

3.1 Permitted Uses

• Personal educational use
• Classroom and homeschool instruction
• Supporting students with reading development
• Professional development for educators
• Assessment and progress tracking

3.2 Prohibited Uses

You agree NOT to:

• Share account credentials with unauthorised users
• Attempt to reverse engineer or copy our software
• Upload harmful, offensive, or inappropriate content
• Use the Service for any illegal purposes
• Interfere with the Service's security features
• Create multiple accounts to circumvent limitations
• Scrape, harvest, or collect data from the Service
• Resell or redistribute access to the Service

4. Subscription and Payment Terms

4.1 Free Tier

Free users can access up to 3 assessments (total, lifetime) with full features. This allows you to trial the Service before subscribing.

4.2 Paid Subscriptions

4.3 Payment Processing

• Payments are processed securely through Stripe
• All prices are in GBP (£) unless otherwise stated
• You authorize us to charge your payment method for subscription fees
• Payment failures may result in service interruption

4.4 Refunds

• Annual subscriptions: Refund available within first 14 days
• Monthly subscriptions: No refunds except as required by UK consumer law
• Exceptional circumstances: Considered on case-by-case basis
• To request refund: Contact support@readingfluency.co.uk

4.5 Cancellation

• You may cancel your subscription at any time
• Access continues until the end of the current billing period
• No refunds for partial billing periods
• Cancel through your account settings or by contacting us
• Upon cancellation, you revert to free tier (3 assessments total)

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 Our Rights

• The Service, software and content are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws
• We retain all rights to our proprietary technology and content
• Our trademarks and logos may not be used without written permission
• Reading passages and assessment materials are owned or licenced by us

5.2 User Content

• You retain ownership of any student data you input
• You grant us licence to use this data to provide the Service
• We may use anonymised, aggregated data for service improvement
• You are responsible for ensuring you have rights to upload any content

5.3 Licence to Use

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use the Service for your personal or educational use in accordance with these Terms.

6. Privacy and Data Protection

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

6.1 GDPR Compliance (UK/EU Users)

If you are located in the United Kingdom or European Union, additional protections apply under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

7. Service Availability and Modifications

7.1 Service Availability

• We strive for 99% uptime but cannot guarantee uninterrupted service
• Scheduled maintenance will be announced when possible
• We are not liable for service interruptions beyond our reasonable control
• Force majeure events (natural disasters, internet failures, etc.) may affect service

7.2 Service Modifications

• We may modify, update, or discontinue features at any time
• Significant changes will be communicated to users in advance when possible
• Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance
• We reserve the right to remove features without liability

8. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

8.1 Educational Disclaimer

• Our Service supplements, not replaces, traditional reading instruction
• Results vary based on individual student needs and effort
• We make no guarantees about specific educational outcomes
• Consult qualified educators for students with learning difficulties
• The Service is a tool for assessment, not diagnosis

8.2 Service Disclaimer

8.3 Limitation of Liability

Note: Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded under UK law.

9. Children's Privacy and Safety

9.1 Age Restrictions

• Users under 13 require parental consent
• We comply with children's online privacy protection laws
• Parents/teachers control student accounts in educational settings
• Children should not create accounts without adult supervision

9.2 Safety Features

• Content is age-appropriate and educationally focused
• We do not display advertising to children
• Student data is protected with enhanced security measures
• No chat features or public profiles

10. Dispute Resolution

10.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

10.2 Dispute Resolution Process

Before filing any claim:

• Contact us at support@readingfluency.co.uk to attempt informal resolution
• We will respond within 14 business days
• We will work in good faith to resolve the dispute
• If unresolved, disputes may proceed to formal proceedings

10.3 Jurisdiction

For UK users: The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes arising from these Terms.

11. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

12. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify users of material changes via email or prominent notice on our website at least 30 days before changes take effect. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms. If you do not agree with the changes, you must stop using the Service and may cancel your subscription.

13. Account Termination

13.1 Your Right to Terminate

• You may delete your account at any time through account settings
• All your data will be deleted within 30 days (except as required by law)
• Refunds are subject to Section 4.4
• You may contact support@readingfluency.co.uk for assistance

13.2 Our Right to Terminate

We may suspend or terminate your account if you:

• Violate these Terms
• Engage in fraudulent activity
• Fail to pay subscription fees
• Use the Service for illegal purposes
• Attempt to compromise Service security
• Abuse or harass other users or our staff

13.3 Termination Process

• We will provide 7 days' notice before termination when possible
• Immediate termination for serious violations (fraud, illegal activity, security threats)
• You may appeal termination by contacting support@readingfluency.co.uk
• Upon termination, your access ends immediately
• No refunds for terminated accounts except as required by law

14. Miscellaneous

14.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Service.

14.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

14.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of those rights.

14.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights under these Terms without restriction.