These terms and conditions ("the Agreement") govern the basis on which we, Widcombe Acorns Pre-School ("Acorns") agree to provide childcare services to you as parents or carers.

 

1. OBLIGATIONS ON ACORNS

 

1.1 We will:

 

1.1.1 Provide the agreed childcare facilities at the agreed times (subject to any days when Acorns is closed). If we change the opening hours of Acorns we will give you as much notice as possible.

 

1.1.2 Try and accommodate any requests you may make for any additional sessions and/or extended hours of childcare at Acorns. Please note the latest date for any session changes prior to the start of term in September is Friday 15th July, as Acorns will be closed during August. Sessions as confirmed on this date will be deemed to be binding, and subject to our notice period as laid out in paragraph 4.1 below. 

 

1.1.3 Provide you with regular updates on your child's progress.

 

1.1.4 Notify you as soon as possible of any days on which Acorns will be closed.

 

2. OBLIGATIONS ON PARENTS OR CARERS

 

2.1 You will:

 

2.1.1 Provide us with any information we may reasonably require from you in order to fulfil our obligations to Ofsted or other governing body including BANES Council.  This includes providing medical documentation if requested.

 

2.1.2 Complete and return to us our Data Admission Form and Photograph Permission and Sunscreen Application Consent Forms on the day your child starts at Acorns and immediately inform us of any change to the information provided.

 

2.1.3 Complete a Prescribed Medical Consent Form if you require our staff to administer any prescribed medicines to your child at any time.

 

2.1.4 Immediately inform us if your child is suffering from a contagious disease or condition. For the benefit of the other children at Acorns, you must not allow your child to attend Acorns if they are suffering from a contagious disease or condition, which could easily be passed on to another child during normal daily activities of Acorns. A list of common contagious diseases and conditions are set out in our New Parent’s Pack, which may be varied from time to time. We will notify you in writing of any changes to this policy.

 

2.1.5 Keep Acorns informed as to the identity of the persons who will be collecting your child by filling in the ‘Pick Up Book’ at the classroom doorway and/or telephoning us if necessary. We reserve the right to request proof of identity from persons not usually responsible for collecting your child.

 

2.1.6 Inform us if you are unable to collect your child from Acorns by the usual collection time.

 

2.1.7 Adhere to our Confidentiality Policy, a copy of which is set out in the Operational Plan, referred to at paragraph 5.4 below.

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3. PAYMENT

 

3.1 Our fees are based on the extras that your child will receive above and beyond the basic early years entitlement funding. For example: the qualifications and experience of the staff team, our adult to child ratio of one to five, daily Forest School sessions, regular yoga sessions, fortnightly baking sessions, a substantial snack each session, all resources such as clay/paint/glue/sand/paper/collage materials etc. Acorns reserves the right to review these fees and revise them upwards to such extent as it deems necessary in its complete discretion but shall inform you of the revised amount at least 1 month before the change takes effect. If you do not wish to pay the revised fees, you may terminate this Agreement by giving us 4 week’s notice in writing.

 

3.2 Fees must be paid on a monthly or termly basis, within 5 days of date of invoice.

 

3.3 All payments made under this Agreement must be by bank transfer, cheque or cash. Cheques are to be made payable to Widcombe Acorns Pre-school.

 

3.4 If you have requested additional sessions and as a result we have provided you with additional childcare services, we will charge you for additional childcare in arrears. We will invoice you accordingly.

 

3.5 No refund of fees will be given for periods where your child's place at Acorns is unfilled due to illness or holidays or in the event of closure of Acorns due to circumstances beyond our control.

 

4. TERMINATION

 

4.1 You may terminate this Agreement or reduce the number of sessions your child attends by giving us at least 4 week’s notice in writing, in advance. Failure to give the requisite notice may result in 4 week’s fees being charged in lieu. In such circumstances Acorns will take all reasonable steps to fill your child's place so as to avoid fees being charged in lieu.

 

4.2 We may immediately terminate this Agreement by written notice to you and require you to pay 4 week’s fees by way of notice if:

 

4.2.1 You have failed to pay your fees by the end of the term in which they fall due.

 

4.2.2 You have breached your obligations under this Agreement and you have not or cannot put that breach right within a reasonable period of us asking you to.

 

4.2.3 Your child's behaviour is in our reasonable opinion unacceptable or endangers the safety and well being of other children at Acorns.

 

4.2.4 Your behaviour as Parents or Carers is deemed by us to be unacceptable and contrary to the interests of Acorns and its staff.

 

4.2.5 We take the decision to close Acorns. We will give you as much notice as possible of such a decision.

 

4.3 You may immediately terminate this Agreement by written notice to us if:

 

4.3.1 We have breached any of our obligations under this Agreement and we have not or cannot put right that breach within a reasonable period after you have drawn it to our attention.

 

4.3.2 We suffer any event of insolvency.

 

5. GENERAL

 

5.1 Please note that in the interests of children’s safety significant and unexplained changes in their behaviour/appearance will be investigated, with the parent/carer normally being the first point of reference. If Acorns staff still have any legitimate anxieties, and normally with parent/carer consent, the matter will also be taken up with the Social Services Referral and Assessment team. In exceptional circumstances, the Social Services Referral and Assessment team will be the first point of reference.

 

5.2 If you have any concerns regarding the services provided by Acorns, please refer to our New Parent’s Pack for details of our complaints procedure (alternatively this is set out in our Operational Plan referred to below).

 

 

 

5.3 Acorns cannot accept any responsibility for loss or damage to any toys brought in to the pre-school. Further we advise that you dress your child appropriately for a pre-school which involves lots of messy but fun activities as Acorns cannot accept responsibility for damage to clothes.

 

5.4 If you require more information on our governing policies and procedures, for example Child Protection, Equal Opportunities, Behaviour Management Policy, Data Protection, these can be found within our Operational Plan, a copy of which can be found on the parent’s table, or ask a member of staff. 

 

5.5 This Agreement forms the entire agreement between us and shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales.