Terms and conditions

1. ADMISSIONS

  • A child does not have to be of French nationality or have French as his/her mother tongue in order to be admitted to Ecole du Parc. The school makes every effort to communicate in English as well as in French.
  • Parents who are not UK or Irish nationals should check that they, and their children, have a right to reside in the UK before applying for a place. It is not the responsibility of the admission authority or co-ordinated local authority to check.
  • Ecole du Parc is a non-denominational pre-school which operates a strict non-discriminatory policy, both with regard to children wishing to attend the school and with regard to prospective staff.
  • The school requests that you complete a registration form and send it back together with a registration fee (non-refundable) of £80.00 and a signed copy of these Terms & Conditions, to Ecole du Parc (email and mail addresses above). The signature of the Term & conditions can be done electronically on our website.
  • Please note that registration means a child is placed on Ecole du Parc’s waiting list. It does not guarantee a place at the school.
  • Admission to the school is based on a child’s position on the waiting list, which is determined by the date of registration on the waiting list. A priority is given to siblings of existing and past pupils of l’Ecole du Parc.
  • Both parents are required to sign the offer letter. In the absence of a second signature, the parent with sole responsibility will be required to provide evidence of sole parental responsibility.
  • Acceptance of the offer letter implies acceptance of the present Terms and Conditions.
  • L’Ecole du Parc requires the following minimum attendance: At least three times a week for under 3 year olds (Crèche and Pré-Petite Section). 4 or 5 times a week is strongly recommended to allow the child to settle in and make good progress in the learning language(s).
  • Full time attendance for over 3 year olds (Petite and Moyenne Sections)
  • If we determine, in our sole discretion and after appropriate and reasonable analysis that we cannot adequately welcome a child, then the school will be permitted not to offer a place. This decision will be final.


2. FEES

  • School fees are paid termly in advance.
  • Term fees are due in full by the first day of each term, except for a child’s first term where they will be due one calendar month in advance. Any payment made after the first day of term will result in a penalty of 5% of the amount due. Persistent or recurrent non-payment of school fees may also result in forfeiting a child’s place at Ecole du Parc.
  • Please note we require a commitment for the term for before and after-school clubs. No fees can be reimbursed if a child is not able to attend the clubs.
  • No fees can be reimbursed if a child is not able to attend school, whatever the cause of the absence.
  • After the offer of a place has been accepted, days of attendance can only be decreased with a full term’s notice.
  • Swapping days on an ad hoc basis is never possible. Changing days of attendance between two terms can be considered but a positive outcome is not guaranteed.
  • Additional days can be requested on an ad hoc basis via email. Availability will be confirmed in writing within 48 hours and the additional cost will be added to the next invoice.
  • Given reasonable notice, Ecole du Parc reserves the right to amend the school fees’ amounts.
  • All three and four year-old children benefit from a financial entitlement called Early Education and Childcare Place (EECP) from Wandsworth Council, starting the term after they turn three. The Council currently funds 15 or 30 free hours of nursery attendance at a given rate. This funding does not usually cover the full cost of your child's experience at l’Ecole du Parc. In this case, parents are financially responsible for paying an agreed additional package, including extra hours as well as teaching in French and/or English by our qualified teaching staff, all organic snacks and meals, music classes, extra-curriculum activities and outings, and a smock embroidered with your child's name.
  • Fully funded places are offered at Ecole du Parc. Availability and booking patterns vary. If parents require a fully funded place, then they must make this known at the time of registration and we will discuss the options available directly with the parents.
  • Ecole du Parc also offers the 9m to 2 year old grant for working parents provided the parents are eligible and have applied through the government website for the code. Parents will also need to accept a package of agreed services to benefit from the full provision offered at Ecole du Parc.
  • For parents of 2y old children who are looking for the Fully funded offer these are offered and availability and booking patterns vary. Those parents who do not wish to agree to an agreed package of additional services must make this known at the time of registration and we will discuss the options available directly with the parents.
  • Nappies are not included in the fees, parents of children who are not potty trained must provide them.


3. DEPOSIT

  • When parents of a child on Ecole du Parc’s waiting list are offered a place at the school, they will be asked to pay a deposit of £1,300, in order to secure the place for their child.
  • The deposit will be refunded in the two weeks following the end of the child’s final term at the school, provided the following conditions are met:
  1. A written notice of at least one full term that a child will be leaving during the school year (by 1st September for the Spring Term and by 20th December for the Summer Term) or A written notice given on the 31st of March at the latest that a child is not coming back in the Autumn term.
  2. Full payment of all outstanding fees due on the child’s last day of attendance.
  3. Unfortunately, should a child whose parents have accepted a place not attend Ecole du Parc, the deposit will not be refunded.


4. CANCELLATION AND TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT

  • Cancelling acceptance before entry: the deposit will be retained by Ecole du Parc in full if the parents cancel their acceptance of a place before the first day of term. The deposit should only be paid once a firm decision to join Ecole du Parc has been made.
  • Termination by parents: Parents may terminate this agreement with one full term’s written notice (by 31st March for the Autumn Term, by 1st September for the Spring Term and by 20th December for the Summer Term).
  • Failure to serve the required notice will result in:
  1. The deposit to be retained by Ecole du Parc in full
  2. Payment of outstanding fees (including full termly fees for the current term and any unused portion of the funded place for three and four year-old children – see below) being due in full.
  3. Parents of “funded children” ( two year, three and four-year-old children in receipt of a Free Early Education and Childcare Place) received the full entitlement termly in advance, itemised on the term’s school fees. Should a “funded child” leave the setting before the end of the term (with or without notice) parents are liable for the refund of the proportion of unused funding to the school as the school will have to reimburse the Council. The exact amount of the refund will be calculated by Wandsworth Early Education and Childcare team. Provisional notice is not accepted.
  • Termination by Ecole du Parc: If we determine, in our sole discretion (after appropriate and reasonable analysis) that reasonable adjustments cannot be made for a child and as such we cannot continue to adequately provide for that child (or admit them as the case may be) then we shall be permitted to request that you withdraw the child without being charged fees in lieu of notice.


5. ILLNESS

  • Parents must notify the office if their child is absent from the school through sickness on the day of absence (by email or a phone call).
  • The school office must be notified if children have been in contact with any infectious diseases. The school reserves the right to refuse entry to any child the school considers to be unwell or suffering from any contagious or infectious complaints. In the event of an accident or illness requiring urgent medical treatment, every effort will be made to contact the parent/carer. If all else fails, the school will take the child to hospital or the child’s doctor. Please note fees have to be paid in full and cannot be swapped or compensated in regards to children unable to attend the school through sickness, holidays or for any other reasons.
  • In the event of a pandemic, the school will follow any government guidance imposing special arrangements for early years settings. The guidance may require that cases (child/ carer and/ or the whole class) be sent home and self-isolate for a certain number of days. Any missed days due to the implementation of such guidance will not give rise to a refund of fees.
  • A full copy of our sickness and illness policy is available from the office.


6. FORCE MAJEURE AND EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES

  • In exceptional circumstances, the school reserves the right to alter the manner in which the services are provided over the term of the contract. If such alteration has a significant impact on the services provided, then the school shall provide written notice of such a significant change to the parent, including any modifications to the terms hereby agreed.
  • Ecole du Parc shall not be liable for delay in performing, or failure to perform any of its obligations under this agreement if such delay or failure result from events, circumstances or causes beyond its reasonable control, including (but not limited to) acts of God, adverse weather conditions (including snow, flood, etc.), outbreak of disease (e.g., swine flu, coronavirus, etc.), damage to ability to provide utilities or failure of utilities or service providers, damage to buildings of the Nursery, closure of the Nursery by local authorities or other bodies with appropriate authority, prevention of access to the building due to neighbouring buildings or an event outside of the school’s control, strike or threat or terrorist action (“Force Majeure Event”).
  • As long as the school can continue to offer an educational service (whether remotely or face to face), full payment of the Fees due will be required in accordance with Clause 2. However, the school will endeavour to pass on any potential savings to parents. These will be deducted to the next invoice.
  • Refund of deposit: if a parent decides to withdraw his / her child from the school due to the force majeure event, this decision will not give rise to a refund of the deposit.


7. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION

  • Any information held by Ecole du Parc about a child in its care, and on his/her family, is strictly confidential.
  • No information will be shared about the child, or his/her family, without prior permission from the child’s parents except to comply with our safeguarding duties.
  • Any personal data related to you or your child will be dealt with in accordance with our GDPR privacy notice, which is sent to parents as part of the welcome pack.


8. LOSS AND DAMAGE

  • Ecole du Parc does not take responsibility for loss or damage to property or clothing at the school (including belongings left in the storage shed).
  • All clothing, personal items, buggies and scooters should be clearly labelled.


9. WELFARE REQUIREMENTS AND INCLUSION POLICY

  • Please note that our school abides by the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage under the Childcare Act 2006 which includes responsibilities for the welfare and safeguarding of each child, including the duty to report a concern of abuse or neglect to the local authority.
  • We welcome staff and children from many different backgrounds and ethnic groups. Human rights and freedoms are respected and we will do all that is reasonable to ensure that our culture, policies and procedures are made accessible to children who have disabilities and to comply with their social and moral obligations under the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 or Equality Act 2010 in order to accommodate the needs of children, applicants and members of staff who have disabilities for which, after reasonable adjustments, we can cater adequately.
  • Regarding behaviour support procedure, please refer to our Behaviour Management policy. A full copy is available on our website or from the office.
  • The school uses emergency procedures for accidents, evacuations, incidents and allergic reactions, please refer to the individual policies and procedures. A full copy is available on our website or from the office.


10. PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

  • At Ecole du Parc, we are convinced that working in partnership with parents makes a big difference for each child. We therefore require the following from parents / carers:
  • Provide to us such information as we may reasonably require about:
  1. The child including

a. Any known medical condition, health problem, developmental concern, allergy, or diagnosed dietary requirement;

b. Any prescribed medication;

c. Any lack of any vaccination which the child would ordinarily have by their age;

d. Any family circumstances or court orders affecting the child;

e. Any concerns about the child’s safety;

2. Your contact details, and those of anyone allowed to collect the child.

  • You must ensure that these details are accurate and keep these details up-to-date, by promptly informing us in writing whenever they change.
  • On an on-going basis, we operate a very transparent communication with parents and request them to do the same and raise any concern promptly to the staff / office.
  • We require all parents / carers to respect punctuality at pick-up and drop off as being late can impact the well-being of their child & the setting’s organisation.


Please note that, given reasonable notice, Ecole du Parc reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time.

“Ecole du Parc” is the trading name for Sequoia Organisation Limited, a limited liability company registered with Companies House UK under 04485112.