Staunton Montessori Nursery School Terms and Conditions:
In setting out the Nursery School’s standard Terms and Conditions below, we hope to assure parents of our commitment to the children under our care; and of our determination to avoid parents being asked to pay fee increases that are caused by the defaults of others. Parents with a child on or entering the waiting list are not subject to the following Terms and Conditions.
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1.Definitions
– Unless the context otherwise requires:-
“parent(s)”, “you” means any one or more parents and/or guardian(s) of the child and you all jointly and severally.
“school”, “we”, “us” means Staunton Montessori Nursery School as now or in the future constituted and or the Directors and any person to whom any of their functions has been delegated.
“child” means the child named on the Enrolment Form.
“fees” means the fees at the rate we set from time to time and current at the start of each term. Fees include any enrolment fees payable.
“term” means each of the three terms of the Nursery School year. The duration of the term is at the discretion of the Directors.
“newsletter” means the written information that we send out to parents from time to time and which forms part of these Terms and Conditions.
2. Entry to Staunton Montessori Nursery School
Enrolment – You will be asked to fill out an Enrolment Form and to pay an enrolment fee at the rate set. The Nursery School reserves the right to offer the place to another child if the full enrolment fee has not been paid and/or the Enrolment Form has not been satisfactorily completed. Filling out the Enrolment Form, paying the enrolment fee and accepting a place either verbally or in writing constitutes a binding agreement on the basis of these Terms and Conditions, which we reserve the right to vary, as circumstances require. The Enrolment Form and Newsletter issued from time to time are incorporated into this agreement.
The Offer of a Place is at the sole discretion of the Directors. The filling out of an Enrolment Form and/or the payment of the enrolment fees does not guarantee a place. The offer of a place is only guaranteed when the induction deposit is paid in full at the rate set.
Duration of Agreement – The agreement lasts until the child has completed their final term before moving on into a primary or prep school environment, unless earlier terminated in accordance with these terms and conditions.
Behaviour and Rules – The child will be encouraged to follow the customs of the Nursery School, including age appropriate rules of behaviour. The Directors are duly authorised by the Governing Body in all matters affecting the day to day running of the Nursery School including the suspension or removal of a child; the parents will accept the authority of the Directors at all times.
Staunton Montessori Nursery School Curriculum and Programme – Filling out the Enrolment Form and taking up a place offered, means that the parents undertake that the child will participate in the Nursery School’s usual programme, as set out in the Prospectus and/or Newsletters. In addition to classroom based Montessori education, the programme includes early years physical education and play, along with natures walks around the School.
3. Fees
When payable – Fees are payable on or before the first day of term and time is of the essence. An account is deemed paid when monies are received by the Directors or deposited directly into the Staunton Montessori Nursery School bank account, in the name of Mr & Mrs R. Staunton.
Fee increases – If there is an increase in fees we normally give two months notice, but the right is reserved to increase fees at any time without notice and without any of the Terms and Conditions being affected.
By Whom Payable – The liability to pay the fees is the liability of the person who has signed the Enrolment Form as father, mother, step-parent, or guardian of the child and/or any person who has from time to time paid or guaranteed payment of the fees or who has legal or de facto responsibility for the child and has acquiesced (other than as supervising adult) in bringing the child to Nursery School.
Non-payment – We reserve the right to suspend the attendance of any child from School and/or to exercise a lien over any property of the child at the time when there are unpaid fees.
Instalment Arrangements – If Staunton Montessori Nursery School should agree to accept payment of part or all fees by instalments the same shall be regarded as an arrangement only which may be cancelled by the School on 30 days written notice to you and thereupon any amount of fees which (but for the instalment arrangement) would have been due shall become due and payable forthwith as a debt and the remainder of these Terms and Conditions shall apply accordingly.
Refund and Appropriation of Fees – There will be no refunds for absence because of sickness or for any other reason. Staunton Montessori Nursery School reserves the right of appropriation of all payments that are made on behalf of any child belonging to the same family.
4. Withdrawal of a Child by Parents
(Required Notice – You must in every case (including those child’s fees paid by a sponsor) give half a term’s written notice which is actually received by the Directors or pay a full half term’s fees in lieu where:
you are cancelling the child’s registration or entry into the Nursery School less than half a term before the child’s first term;
you are for any reason withdrawing the child from the School or reducing the number of sessions;
Any waiver of the requirements of this clause is effective only when written and signed by one or both of the Directors and if the Directors accept a provisional notice it is valid for one term at a time.
Fees in Lieu of Notice – are a debt and the School will not be required to mitigate its loss or give credit for any mitigation or for the fact that the place is subsequently filled. Under no circumstances shall the school be required to disclose details of its waiting or entry lists or any other such confidential information. Fees paid in lieu of notice shall be at the rate which applies to the term in question.
5. Notices
Half a Term’s Notice – means a full half term. For example:
written notice received between the first day of the Autumn Term and the end of the half term holiday expires at the end of the Autumn Term.
To Whom Notice is Given – Notice must be given in writing to the Directors. Notice given verbally or given in writing to any other person will not count as good notice. Notice shall not be deemed to have been received by the Directors unless you have received written confirmation of the receipt by the Directors.
6. Removal of Child
Circumstances – If in the opinion of the Directors it is considered necessary in the interests of the individual child, of other children, or of the School to request the parent to remove the child from the School there will be no refund of fees for the balance of the term in which such a request is made but in that event no charge will be made for fees in lieu of notice.
Discretion – The decision to remove the child from the School and the manner and form of any announcement shall be at the sole discretion of the Directors.>
7. Recovery of Unpaid Fees
Interest – The right is reserved to charge you interest (at currently 1.516% per month or part month, APR 19.78%) on unpaid fees including any fees in respect of which an instalment agreement has been terminated.
Costs – All costs incurred in the collection of unpaid fees including our administration costs and any costs and disbursement paid to solicitors acting on behalf of the School shall be recoverable in full.
8. Medical
Medical Supervision – The Directors must be notified in writing of any existing or new medical condition or any learning difficulty of the child for which particular medical or other special supervision is required.
Emergency Medical Treatment – The parent hereby grants to the Directors full authority to give parental consent to the carrying out of emergency medical treatment or procedures which are certified by a medical practitioner to be necessary to the safety of the child. The Directors or their staff will use best endeavours within the constraints of time, first to contact the parent by telephone.
Illness and Disease – If the child contracts an infectious or contagious disease or illness, we must be notified in writing immediately; for the duration of the disease the parent must not allow the child to return to School and we will not permit the child to remain in School without the consent of medical advisors.
9. Insurance
Personal Property of the Child – You are asked that you have private insurance, if you deem it necessary, that will cover the child’s property at Nursery School or on the way to or from School or any School sponsored activity away from School. The School is not liable for damages or losses of items belonging to the child when in the School or School related setting.
Non-Agency – The School does not undertake to provide or maintain any insurance covers beyond those prescribed by Law and in no circumstance will the School be constituted your agent for insurance purposes. You must in each case satisfy yourself that the pupil has the cover required.
10. General
Parental Agreement – In all cases other than those in which Staunton Montessori Nursery School has got a copy of a Court Order to the contrary, we regard both parents as sharing responsibility for the child and we regard the instruction or agreement of either parent as sufficient authority for taking a particular course of action with regard to the child. Parents must ensure that they communicate adequately between themselves in regard of the child.
Special Precautions – Any Court Order restricting contact with the pupil or parental responsibility and any other circumstances which might give rise to the need for special precautions to be taken for the protection of the child or which may result in a parent being unable to pay fees must be notified in writing to the Directors and by a personal visit in the case of an emergency.
Progress of Child – Information provided to parents concerning the progress of the child is given in good faith but without liability on the part of the Nursery School. Parents should be aware that we will pass on information pertaining to the child to his/her next school.
Parent Absent from UK – In the event of a parent being not normally resident in the UK or being absent from the UK for more than 48 hours during term time over a day when the child is in School, the Directors must be notified in writing of the name, address and telephone number of a guardian resident in the UK who is acceptable to the Directors.
Prospectus – In the prospectus we have set out details of Staunton Montessori Nursery School including our aims, ethos and curriculum. Although we believe the content to be accurate at the time of issue, nothing contained in the prospectus shall form part of any contract between the Nursery School and the parent or any other person and the parents confirm that they have not relied on its contents in entering into this Contract.
Variations – Staunton Montessori Nursery School may at its absolute discretion and without notice, vary any or all of these and its other Terms and Conditions from time to time. The Nursery School reserves the right to make alterations at any time to the way in which the School is run, to the situation of the School and any part of it, to the timetable of the day, week and year and to any aspect of the School without reduction in fees.
Indulgence etc. – Any indulgence, relaxation or non-enforcement by the Nursery School of its rights under these terms and conditions shall not act as a waiver of and shall be without prejudice to these rights.
Interpretation – headings and sub-headings are for ease of reading only and do not form part of these terms and conditions. This document will be construed as a whole and in conjunction with the Enrolment From and any other information sheets.
Proper Law and Forum – The Proper Law of this Contract shall be that of England and the parties shall submit to the jurisdiction of England.
We will adhere to the principles of the General Data Protection Regulations (2018) when collecting and processing information about you and your child. We explain how your data is processed, collected, kept up-to-date in our Privacy Notice which is given to you at the point of registration.
