Terms & Conditions

September 2021/2022

These Terms and Conditions together with the current Price List and the School Rules as varied from time to time set out the agreement between you, the parent(s) or guardian(s) nominated on the registration form, and Wimbledon Park Montessori School (‘WPMS’) whose registered address is 206 Heythorp Street, London SW19 5BU. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects the statutory rights of parents or pupils.

Your child(ren)’s attendance at WPMS will be governed by these Terms and Conditions. Please read through them carefully as we want you and your child(ren) to be happy.

1. The School

1.1 WPMS aims to provide a happy, secure and stimulating environment in which each child can develop at his/her own pace and reach their full potential academically, socially and emotionally. Parents are expected to support the school’s aims and ensure that the children maintain appropriate standards of behaviour.

1.2 WPMS takes the safety and wellbeing of its pupils very seriously and accordingly:

1.2.1 All staff are Disclosure and Barring Service checked; and
1.2.2 WPMS observes the Ofsted regulations and complies with all applicable laws.

2. Application and Enrolment

2.1 The following items are required in order for an application for a place at WPMS to be processed:

2.1.1 a completed registration form and payment of the current registration fee; and
2.1.2 once a place has become available, the duly completed acceptance form and payment of the deposit specified in our price list per child to whom a place has been offered which will be held by WPMS as set out in clause 3 below.

3. Deposits and Fees

3.1 The Deposit: Should you accept an offer of a place for your child(ren), the deposit specified in the offer letter to you, becomes immediately payable. This deposit will be repaid by means of a bank transfer without interest on your child(ren) leaving WPMS provided proper notice has been given to WPMS as set out below.

3.2 Fees: WPMS’ fees are set out in its current price list available on request. Fees are reviewed each year in April and the new fees structure will not start until the new academic year which starts in September of each year.

3.3 When to pay: The first term’s fees are payable on the last day of the previous term. Subsequent terms’ fees are payable termly in advance. Unpaid fees will incur a late payment administration charge of £30 and interest will accrue on a daily basis at the rate of 1.5% per month. If overdue fees remain unpaid at any time, WPMS reserves the right to exclude the child.

3.4 How to pay: details of how to pay the fees will be set out on the invoice.

3.5 Early Education and Childcare Place: The early Education and Childcare Place (EECP) 3 and 4-year-old funding is accepted by WPMS, but parents must agree to our extras packages to obtain their free 15 hours from the government. In order for WPMS to claim the EECP entitlement grant, you will need to provide proof of the child’s date of birth by way of birth certificate or passport.

3.6 Child Care Vouchers: WPMS accepts Childcare vouchers for fees payments and Holiday Fun session payments. Child Care vouchers may not be used for payment of the Registration Fee or the Deposit.

3.7 Extras packages: WPMS extras packages include highly qualified teachers, small child to adult ratios, extra-curricular classes, school trips and consumables to create wonderful arts and crafts. The price of extras is set out in our price list and changes each term depending on the funding received by the government.

3.8 Refunds: we are unable to refund fees for sessions not taken due to illness, absence or where WPMS is forced to close due to reasons beyond its control.

4. Events requiring notice in writing –PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT CLAUSE–

4.1 Cancelling acceptance: If for any reason you wish to cancel your acceptance of a place or your child does not attend WPMS after a place has been accepted, the deposit will be retained by WPMS.

4.2 Withdrawing your child(ren) from WPMS: a term’s written notice must be given before a child is withdrawn from WPMS failing which a term’s fees will become immediately due to WPMS. A ‘term’s notice’ means that you must give written notice no later than the day before the start of the child’s intended final term.

5. How WPMS may cancel your child’s place or suspend childcare services

5.1 WPMS may cancel your child’s place and/or suspend your child from attending with immediate effect if:

5.1.1 you fail to pay your fees when due; or
5.1.2 you have breached your obligations under this agreement and have not put right that breach within a reasonable period of being asked to do so; or
5.1.3 your child’s behaviour is unacceptable or endangers the safety and wellbeing of any other children at WPMS.

5.2 WPMS may suspend childcare services and/or serve notice on you terminating your child’s place if:

5.2.1 financial, business or commercial reasons compel WPMS to radically change the nature of WPMS’s operations, including but not limited to permanent closure of the nursery, change of childcare services, re-registration of child numbers and age groups or changes to the registration and booking policy; or
5.2.2 forces beyond our control compel us to either close the school or reduce the available hours, such as an outbreak of disease or pandemic, severe weather which significantly impairs safe travel to and from the school, industrial action affecting travel to and from the school or provision of utilities, an Ofsted inspector instructs WPMS to do so or any other reasonable cause beyond our control forces WPMS to close.

5.3 In the event of cancellation or suspension as set out at clause 5.2 above, regrettably WPMS will not be able to refund any fees or the deposit. Dependant on the nature of the closure, WPMS may be able to seek compensation via its insurers or government scheme and every effort will be made to minimize the disruption and/or cost to parents or carers.

6. Health, safety and looking after your child(ren)

6.1 WPMS is under a legal obligation to report to the appropriate authorities any incident where it considers a child may have been abused, neglected or harmed either physically or emotionally. This may be done without informing the parent or carer in accordance with our Child Protection Policy.

6.2 WPMS reserves the right to administer basic first aid and treatment to your child where necessary. Parents will be informed of all accidents and be required to sign an accident form. For accidents of a more serious nature, involving hospital treatment, all attempts will be made to contact you or the emergency contact notified to WPMS. In the event we are unable to do so, you hereby authorise WPMS to act on your behalf in order for the child to receive necessary emergency treatment.

6.3 You are responsible for informing WPMS of all medical, dental, dietary, educational and special needs regarding your child(ren) prior to arrival. Any new or changes to existing medical conditions must also be made known to WPMS as soon as you are aware of them.

6.4 WPMS will administer prescribed medicines if you complete a ‘Medicine Consent Form’. However, the first dose of medicine should be given at home (in case of an adverse reaction) and you must take all medicines home at the end of each day unless otherwise agreed.

6.5 WPMS may ask you to withdraw your child from school if it has reasonable cause to believe that they are or may be suffering from a contagious disease/infection and that there remains a danger that other children at the school may contract such disease/infection. To this end, WPMS reserves the right to make temperature checks or any other tests approved by public health authorities to establish the health of the child.

6.6 WPMS accepts no responsibility for children contracting contagious diseases or infections whilst at the school. However, WPMS will publish infection notices in the school to keep you informed.

6.7 Children who are unwell should not attend WPMS. Children who have suffered sickness or diarrhoea will not be admitted back to school within 24 hours of the last bout. If children fall ill during the day, you will be contacted to arrange to collect them in the first instance. If you are unavailable, your authorised contact will be contacted.

7. Students Property

7.1 WPMS will endeavour to take reasonable precautions to ensure the safety and security of children’s’ possessions, but cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage to any child’s personal property caused by theft, fire, flood, computer virus or any other cause except where loss or damage is caused by WPMS’s negligence or that of it’s employees.

7.2 WPMS recommends that nothing of sentimental or high monetary value is brought to the school and that you insure their personal property against damage or loss.

8. Changes to the Prospectus

The prospectus describes the broad principles on which WPMS is presently run and gives an indication of its values and ethos. Although believed correct at the time of printing, the prospectus is not part of any agreement between WPMS and you and may be amended from time to time at WPMS’s discretion. If there is any aspect that you are placing particular reliance on, please seek written confirmation of that matter before entering into this agreement.

9. Promotional Material

Photos or videos may be taken of children during their time at WPMS with your consent. This is for use in future promotional materials of WPMS only.

10. Responsibility / Liability

10.1 WPMS accepts responsibility for any negligent acts of its employees which result in death or bodily injury of any child whilst under the care and control of WPMS.

10.2 To the maximum extent permitted by law, WPMS will not be held liable for any loss or damage of any kind including, without limitation, any direct or indirect financial costs or other loss suffered by a child, parent or guardian except where this is caused by the express negligence of WPMS or an employee of WPMS.

10.3 WPMS shall not be held responsible for any injury, loss, damage or expense incurred due to a delay to the provision of child care services, a variation of services provided to what is advertised or the failure to provide services arising from circumstances beyond WPMS’s control or a force majeure. This includes, but is not limited to, the following circumstances: pandemic, volcanic ash, earthquake, flood, storm, act of God or of public enemies, incident of terrorism, national emergency, invasion, insurrection, riots, industrial disputes and strikes, boycotts, interruption of services rendered by any public utility, or interference from any local, national or supra-national government agency or official.

11. Data Protection

WPMS processes personal information in relation to you and your child in accordance with its Privacy Policy a copy of which is available on request or can be found at www.wpms.co.uk .

12. Severability

Should any of the terms in this agreement be found to be unlawful, they shall be removed and replaced with words which give as near the original meaning as may be fair and the remainder of this agreement continues in full force.

13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions are governed by English law and all parties irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of English Courts for the determination of disputes arising under this agreement.