Rea Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 charge! Call it a holding fee, that way if anyone from LA objects you can explain its to avoid no shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 You can call it whatever you want but its quite clear- a funded place must be free of any charge at point of delivery. We charge a £30 refundable deposit to all- that is returned in their last half term, however i think we probably shouldn't even be doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) But they aren't funded when they register and until they start with you and you check details you won't know if they are eligible. Edited July 29, 2013 by Rea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) Edited because that last post reappeared! Edited July 29, 2013 by Rea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 this is really a tricky situation. you are quite right not funded when they register. I like that idea then maybe refund it when they have completed a term or so? we had to juggle a lot of days around this year to fit everyone in. without those 4 we probably would not have needed to. so is it a deposit to hold a place as we cannot guarantee places will be available? or do I only do it when I offer a place? buttercup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 We don't refund unless they decide not to come. We have all got, in our admission policies, wording such as '...regardless of age, ethnicity, gender and family background'. I dont see why that can't equally be applied to the deposit. I do the funding forms for playgroup, i have no idea who is going to eligible for funding until a few weeks into term, so they are not funded! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 But all 3/4 year olds are eligible aren't they? Dont get me wrong I'm niot saying dont do- how can I, it's something we do ourselves and it is a slight deterrent to parents accepting a place. However I think- call it what you will, charge it when you like and as ridiculous as it is- if challenged it is something that we would probably be stopped doing. That said we have always refunded this deposit in the last half term of a child being with us- which meant for a lot of parent sthat had been with us for two tears it came as a surprise to have it handed back to them. Over the last two years we have sent out a letter saying the following: Dear Parents, When your child started preschool you paid a deposit of £30 which is due back to you during this half term. Should you wish to reclaim these monies back please complete and return the attached form by the date stated. To enable the Treasurer to balance the books before the end of term it is essential that you return your form by this date. If your form is not returned by then we will assume you wish to donate this money to the preschool. Should you choose not to claim this money your contribution will go towards the running costs of the preschool and we would offer our sincere thanks in advance for this donation. Please ensure you complete the reply slip fully and delete where appropriate as mistakes may prove difficult for us to rectify later. Thank you for your support. We then attach a reply slip on the bottom- to return, usually giving them barely a week to do so. This year out of 19 children leaving we had just one request it back. Last year out of 28 leaving we had 3 request it. So far no one has complained, it was totally a parents (committee) idea & decision and as I said it is working a treat. WE (my dep & myself) had decided this year that instead of absorbing the monies into pre school funds (as they are paid we transfer them to a deposit account) we would use them to actually buy something. So next year we can say to parents ' your children have enjoyed using XYZ as past parents donated their deposits' That way, everything is a voluntary donation!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 All 3&4 year olds are eligible, but not necessarily with us. They might choose to do other sessions somewhere else claiming all their entitlement there. I won't know until I do the forms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 lynn I like your idea but we are a private playgroup so not sure if we can do that. our next intake will be January. Really going to have to re think the way we do things. buttercup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairygarden Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 LA's can't have it all. They want business plans, cashflow forecasts, underfunded places etc etc. Depending on your area, I am not sure they can afford to lose anyone offering funded places. What will they do about it? Nothing I would imagine. If you need to charge a deposit (or call it what you want) why not, it is not the end of the world if it is a modest amount and we all know those real hardship cases who couldn't take up the place if they couldn't pay this fee. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 That's the key word voluntary contribution, use it all the time as we couldn't afford to take ours to forest school without a voluntary contribution from all parents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts