For the purposes of this document Wise Owls Club shall hereinafter be called ‘The Club’ and those wishing to use the services of Wise Owls Club, shall hereinafter be called ‘The Client’.

The Club will only undertake business on these following Terms and Conditions, each of which shall be incorporated or implied in any agreements between The Club and The Client. No variations of these Terms and Conditions shall be binding unless expressly confirmed by The Club in writing and signed by the Director of The Club. The Client is bound by these Terms and Conditions once it commences using the services of The Club.

The Club reserves the right to revise these Terms and Conditions and undertakes to display the most recent version on the The Club’s website.

OPERATING

• 1. The After school Club section of the ‘The Club’ acts as a registered childcare facility for children between the hours of 15:15 and 18:15, from Monday to Friday, during The Club’s term time. (Dates are available on The Club’s website).
• 2. The Club operates on the basis of 1 staff member to 8-10 children. Should the Client’s child require a 1:1 ratio, the child may attend the club in the normal way accompanied by his/her carer (which may be arranged through the resources of the Local Authority).

REGISTRATION

• 3. The Client pays an admin fee and deposit for each child upon making a booking request. This can be done once you know your child’s school. You can register your child in preparation and make a booking request once your school is allocated in April.
• 4. The Registration process gives the club permission to collect the Client’s child from school by club minibus, staff vehicle or on foot. Should the Client’s child require a 1:1 ratio, the child may attend the club in the normal way accompanied by his/her carer. If a child is not able to listen and follow instructions this could become a danger to themselves, other children or staff and will be unable to participate in this area.
• 5. It is the parents’ responsibility to add to our registration form any information required to care for the child to the best of our abilities. This is behaviour related, needs related, family background. We may contact you before starting to assess if our staff are able to attend to your child’s needs or if 1:1 care will need to be provided. Failure to inform us in advance could result in your child being unable to attend the booked session.

FEES

• 6. Club fees are paid in full for one half term/roughly six weeks at a time. The Club must receive payment before the first day of term and requires The Client to send payment via BACS with the reference child’s full first name initial, surname and ASC for example John Smith JSmithASC
• 7. The Club accepts payment via all childcare vouchers and tax-free childcare payments. With this method, payment is still due on or before the first day of term. Where possible ensure you put the payment reference for example: reference child’s full first name initial, surname and ASC for example John Smith JSmithASC
• 8. If fees are not paid on time (we will have a grace period of just one week), a £5.00 charge per week will be added to the next invoice. If The Client has difficulty paying on time The Client must contact The Office. Failure to do this could result in a ‘money claim online’ in order to retrieve the payment due and/or the child not being accepted at The Club, and no prior notice will be given.
• 9. Bookings are charged for our full terms, including inset days and bank holidays if they fall in term time. Our term dates are available on our website. The Client must advise The Club if the child is unable to attend and the fee remains payable.
• 10. In the event of an inset day or closure of a school when The Club is operating, The Club will still charge for the booked session(s) within our term dates. Your child is still able to attend.
• 11. If the school attended by The Client’s child, or operation location by The Club closes due to circumstances outside The Club’s control (for example, bad weather, health and safety issues, an Act of God, diseases etc.), The Club may not be able to operate and will contact The Client by e-mail in the first instance. If The Client is aware of a school closure, it is the Client’s responsibility to contact the Club via club mobile phones or The Club’s office. Under no circumstances will the Club operate if by doing so, the health and safety of children within the care of The Club is at risk. If schools are in operation during bad weather, The Club will also aim to remain open, but The Club will, do so at its absolute discretion, decide whether it will operate and whether it will run the usual bus collection service. No refund of the fee will be due under these circumstances.
• 12. The Club fees are reviewed regularly with our operational costs. The Club undertakes to advise The Client of revised fees a minimum of 6 weeks in advance.

BOOKING

• 13. When The Client makes a booking for The Club, the child must attend at least one (1) day every week, unless agreed otherwise in writing. The child will automatically be booked in for the day(s) The Client has chosen or specified, each term. The Client must give The Club six (6) weeks’ notice in writing of the child either being withdrawn from The Club completely or to cancel a booked permanent session which will be acknowledged by The Club. If The Client fails to receive such acknowledgement, The Client must contact the office. If sent by e-mail, the address is info@wiseowlschildcare,co.uk. Without this procedure being followed, The Client will be charged for the booked session (s).
• 14. Permanent bookings commence from the beginning of the term unless agreed with a Director in writing.  Due to our operational and staffing costs, we are not able to offer scattered start dates.

EXTRA SESSIONS

• 15. The Client may purchase Ad Hoc sessions via the website by making a booking and paying by credit/debit card, childcare vouchers or tax-free childcare at the time of making the booking. If the client requests a place and we are unable to accommodate that request the client will receive a full refund, if a place is available the club will confirm by email.
• 16. When booking an Ad hoc session, The Club requires four (4) days’ notice to book the selected day. If The Club is full on that specified day, The Club will not be able to accommodate the child and The Client will receive a full refund.
• 17. If The Client wishes to cancel an Ad Hoc session after an official booking, The Club requires seven (7) days’ notice for the Client to receive a refund.
• 18. If The Client wishes to book an extra day or days for the child to attend The Club as well as the days already booked, this may be arranged only through the office. This will only be available if there are spaces on the day requested. The Client may not exchange sessions and once booked, no refund will be given for non- attendance. For any extra sessions booked, The Client will be charged at our ad hoc rate. The Club requires seven (7) days’ notice to cancel the booked extra session.

COLLECTING YOUR CHILD

• 19. The Client must collect the child by 18.15 but should The Client be unable to do so in unforeseen circumstances, The Club must be notified before 18.00 of the revised collection time. There is then an additional late fee charge of £5 per 15 mins. After 18.30 The Client will incur a further fee equating to the cost of retaining the supervisors for the extra time required. This will be for two members of staff who must be kept advised as to The Client’s expected arrival time. These terms have been devised in recognition of the fact that The Club’s staff have other commitments after their working day.
• 20. Should the school attended by The Client’s child finish early, The Client should notify The Club and if possible, The Club will endeavour to make arrangements for an earlier collection. The cost for this service will be at the minimum rate relating to the additional time the staff are required to cover, depending on numbers. Any additional fees will be added to the Client’s invoice. The Client is required to give The Club one (1) week’s notice if the collection service for that child is not required.
• 21. In the highly unlikely event that The Club fails to collect the child on the day he/she is due to attend The Club, the child should report to the school reception where the Club’s details are held. Arrangements will then be made for collection of the child as quickly as possible, while waiting with the security of the school staff.
• 22. The Club reserves the right to withdraw the collection service from the Client’s child’s school should the numbers for collection drop to an uneconomic level. The Club must give 6 weeks’ notice in writing to The Client of its intention to withdraw the collection service and The Client must respond within the following 14 days as to whether to continue the sessions with The Club and provide private transport arrangements.

REPORTING AN ABSENCE

• 23. If The Client’s child is unable to attend a session due to illness or other activities, The Club should be notified via the office, by phone or email before 14.00 to prevent the late running of the collection and inconvenience to other children in The Club’s care. The Club will respond to a message regarding absence/non-attendance and if there is no such response, The Client must continue to contact the office before 14.00.

SICKNESS POlICY

• 24. If your child is sick or has diarrhoea, we have a 48-hour policy. With other illnesses please see NHS guidance notes.

LIABILITY

• 25. The Club endeavours to maintain the highest standards of health and safety at all times but is not liable for any accidents which may occur. We will do all we can to care for your child safely, however, if an accident happens due to the child not listening or following instructions we are not liable.
• 26. It is The Client’s responsibility to ensure the child has all their belongings. The Club cannot be responsible for loss or damage to items brought to the club from home. Lost property will be taken to charity shops one (1) week later.

PHOTOGRAPHS

• 27. It is The Club’s practice to use photographs of children attending The Club for advertising, displays and website and other promotional purposes, and their name(s) may accompany any such images used. The Client should indicate appropriately on the online Registration Form if permission for their child to appear in such images is withheld. If not these images may exceed their child’s attendance.

COMMUNICATION

• 28. It is The Client’s responsibility to collect any letters/communications from The Club at the Signing Out table and to read any posters displayed about changes or information.
• 29. The Club will contact the Client by the e-mail address recorded on the Registration Form and it is therefore vital that this information is correct at all times and that email communications from The Club is read without delay. Further, it is The Client’s responsibility to ensure that the child’s school and year group are correctly recorded on the Registration Form, (so that the child is on the correct collection list).
• 30. The Club is not your school, it is your responsibility to be aware of term dates, communications, outings, closures etc. that your school is doing. Please ensure you contact your school directly and communicate this information to the club as required.
• 31. The email and phone at our office will be manned from 10am – 2pm Monday – Friday we will endeavour to respond to you within 3 working days. Our club phones are operational during the club times only 3pm – 6.30pm Monday – Friday term time only, please avoid child collection times as our focus is the children in our care.

FACILITIES

• 32. The Club may on occasion be required to use other facilities because of functions arranged by the school (such as Parent’s Evenings). The Club may arrange a special outing for the children and in those circumstances, The client will be advised by email and a poster displayed at the Sign Out desk and the Club will notify The Client of any additional charges which will be added to the next invoice.

BEHAVIOUR

• 33. The Club reserves the right to withdraw its services if The Client’s child is disruptive and/or aggressive in such a manner as to pose a safety risk to the other children at The Club. A verbal warning will be given to the Client and if matters do not improve, The Club will demand the immediate removal of the child. The deposit will not be refunded.
• 34. Equally if a parent/ child is aggressive or rude to our staff at The Club or a child within our care, this behaviour will not be tolerated and The Club reserves the right to withdraw its service with immediate action. No refund of care or deposit will be received.