Iluka Preschool

Our fees are reviewed on an annual or need basis.  

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The Government has granted parents "Start Strong Fee Relief".

Families with children who are at least 3 years old on or before 31 July 2023, and who are accessing a preschool program in a community preschool setting may save up to $4,200 in 2023. This fee relief is provided through the NSW Government's Start Strong Affordable Preschool initiative.

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To enable our service to provide high quality early education and care for children we need to ensure we are financially viable at all times.  Prompt payment of fees allows us to plan with certainty.  We have a commitment to ensuring our fees are as affordable as possible and that all families have access to any subsidies that are available to reduce these fees.  Our service will advocate with governments for all children’s right to access early education and care regardless of their family’s financial situation.

 

Goals – What are we going to do?

 

Our service’s financial health and access to our service will be maximised by:

 

• ensuring families are aware of all fees and fee payment requirements upon enrolment;
   

• keeping fee increases to a minimum;

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• following the appropriate priority of access requirements;
   

• following all legal requirements required by our access to government funding;
   

• managing fee collection to avoid bad debts;
   

•  families are notified as far ahead as possible and no less than 14 days of any changes to fees or the ways fees will be collected;
   

• ensuring we issue fee statements on a regular basis every term.

 

 

Strategies – How will it be done?

 

Priority of Access

 

Fees

 

The Approved Provider will:

 

• Ensure vacant places are filled under the appropriate priority of access policy for the service type. For NSW state funded community based preschools the Priority of /access Guidelines are defined by NSW State Government funding agreements.  In no particular order, these are: Children who are at risk of harm, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, Children from low income families, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities, children in their year before school (with highest priority given to children closest to school entry. (See Priority of Access Policy)
   

• Ensure adequate records of attendance are kept for each child as required;
   

• Comply with Australian Government or NSW Government funding agreements as required;
   

• Ensure the service remains financially viable and can meet its debts and other obligations as they fall due;
   

• Review fees twice annually in line with CPI and market forces;
   

• Issue statements for all children in respect of whom fee reductions are provided to provide families with a complete record of their attendance and/or other fee reductions that have been provided by the service at least every three months;
   

• Only collect and disclose personal information about children and families to NSW Department of Education where the disclosure is legally required.
   

• The Approved Provider reserves the right to alter any number of days a child is enrolled due to the inability to pay the fees.

These will be :
     
      - At least 4 year old on or before the 31st of July in that preschool year and not yet in compulsory schooling; or
       - And at least 3 years old on or before the 31st of July and from a disadvantaged background (ie. From a low income Health Care          Card holding family and/or Aboriginal).

 

• A yearly Registration fee of $35.00 which is paid upon enrolling your child.

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• A Termly Parent Involvement Bond of $100.00 per year will be added to your fees, if you wish to come into the centre and read a book with the children or even do some weeding or help out at our working bees this will be at $25.00 per term and taken off of your next terms invoice.

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The Nominated Supervisor will:
 

• Ensure all families are made aware of service fees and available subsidies on enrolment.
   

• Ensure statements of fees are given to all families no less than every three months(every term).
   

• Join in advocacy actions designed to reduce the cost of early education and care fees for families wherever possible.

Families will:
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• Record the arrival and departure times of their child or children attending care.

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Payment of fees

 

Our centre’s operation is dependent on maintaining fees.  Please read the following information carefully.  Bonds will be applied to families who choose not to opt into the Start Strong Fee Relief. Fees must be paid for two in advance.  Parents pay for a place therefore payment is required whether your child attends or not.  Fees are payable when your child is sick and when on leave.  The Centre does not charge for Public Holidays/School Holidays. 

 

You are asked to pay your fees promptly to ensure the viability of the service. 

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When paying fees:
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• Bank Deposit into our account at Banana Coast Credit Union​​

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The account BSB and account number are on the fee invoice, please use your child’s name as a reference.

 

Fee accounts will be on your Owna app or emailed.  Details on individual family’s accounts and all completed forms are confidential and may only be accessed by the family concerned and those centre staff who need to access the information.

 

Anyone experiencing difficulties in meeting their fee payments can speak to the Director or Administrator who can make mutually agreeable repayment arrangements.  If your fees are more than two weeks overdue and you have not made arrangements to pay or have not kept to arrangements made, your child’s place will be cancelled.

 

If you wish to withdraw your child from the Centre you are asked to provide two weeks written/verbal notice or pay fees due in lieu of this notice. 

 

Please inform the Director if your child is going to be away for longer than one week.

 

 

The Nominated Supervisor will:

 

• Ensure families are aware of electronic bank transfers.

 

• Implement an overdue fee process with any families whose fees are not paid.

 

• Each Terms Fees are payable in full in 14 days from receiving the invoice.​​

 

• In Term 4 all families with children who must attend school the following year must have all payments finalised by Week 9.

 

• Your child may be removed from enrolment, should your fees not be paid for by the due date or you default on a regular payment contract. This will place your child at the bottom of any waiting list should you wish to re-enrol.

Families will:

 

• Ensure all fees are kept two weeks in advance at all times.

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Late Fees

 

The Approved Provider will:

 

• Levy a late fee for families who arrive after the service closing time.  This fee is set at $5 every 15 minutes.

 

• If any past fees are outstanding from the previous term or from any previous years, beginning a new term, re-enrolment or enrolling any of your family’s children will not be permitted until all fees, including any debt collection and /or legal fees, are paid.

 

• Re-enrolment with a history of payment default has strict conditions once the debt is cleared;

     Fees for the current term are payable only in advance no later than the first day of enrolment.

     Only cash or bank cheque will be accepted.

 

 

The Nominated Supervisor will:

 

• Ensure families are made aware of late fee on enrolment;

 

• Organise for separate invoicing of late fees to be paid within 14 days.

 

Public Holidays

 

• Families do not pay for any day which falls on a public holiday

 

• If the preschool is unable to operate due to natural disasters eh fire, flood etc ... you will not be charged fees.

 

 

Absences

 

• If your child is absent fees are still due.  Your place is only held for two weeks unless the Nominated Supervisor is informed of the absence.

 

Withdrawal from Iluka Preschool

 

Nominated Supervisor will:

 

• Provide all families with a statement of outstanding fees on receipt of notification or withdrawal of a child from the service.

 

Families will:

 

• Provide 2 week’s notice of withdrawal from service.  If a child does not attend during this 2 week notice period fees will be charged. Failure to provide notice will incur a two week fee penalty.  If you have paid fees in advance of two weeks, you will be able to receive a bond refund if no other money is outstanding.

 

 

Eveluation

 

Families pay fees on time and collect children on time.  Fees are kept as low as possible whilst ensurieng the service’s financial health.

 

Our service’s financial health and access to our service will be maximised by ensuring families are aware of all fees and fee payment requirements upon enrolment.