STUDENT ABSENCE AND MAKEUP POLICY
Student Absences:
· If your child/children are unable to attend a class, it is your responsibility to report their expected absence.
· Absences MUST be submitted on your Reading Bees app or your online account. This process immediately notifies your Reading Bees educator that your child/children will be absent AND opens up that spot for another family to use as a makeup class or trial class. For these reasons, notifying Reading Bees of your child/children’s absence via phone or email is unacceptable.
· Absences are required to be submitted via your Reading Bees app or online account at least 2 hours prior to your class start time to be eligible for a makeup class.
· If you do not submit an absence or do not do so by the required time & your child/children are absent from their class, you will lose the option to book a makeup class. This action is taken to account for inadequate notice for Reading Bees to reallocate staffing if required and insufficient time to allow another student to utilise that class.
· All notified absences received within the required time, via the required process will be given the opportunity to attend a makeup class.
Makeup classes:
· Makeup classes are booked using a makeup token
· Makeup tokens are automatically issued to your account when absences are received within the required time (at least 2 hours prior to the start time of the class in question)
· Makeup tokens will only appear in your account once class attendance is taken on the day of the missed class, i.e. once a Reading Bees educator or staff member has confirmed your child/children’s absence
· Makeup tokens may be issued in advance by request to Reading Bees if you wish to attend a makeup class earlier in the same week as your child’s regular class
· Makeup tokens are automatically created with a 60-day expiry from the date of issue.
· Makeup tokens can be used to attend an equivalent class at the same level at any learning studio, based on class availability.
· Reading Bees cannot guarantee the suitability or availability of equivalent makeup class days or times.
· If Reading Bees is unable to offer an equivalent makeup class within those 60 days, a credit or refund will be offered.
· Makeup token expiry may be extended by request to Reading Bees; however, makeup tokens are ONLY valid within the same calendar year, with no exceptions.
· Makeup tokens can ONLY be used when a child is currently enrolled with Reading Bees. If an enrolment is ended, any makeup tokens in your account will be forfeited.
· Makeup tokens are not transferable to another student
· Once a makeup token has been used to book a makeup class, the same absence requirements apply, i.e. you must submit an absence for your makeup class at least 2 hours prior to the class in question, or you will lose your makeup class/makeup token if the booked class is not attended.
ENROLMENT POLICY:
- Classes are booked on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Classes are not transferable to another student.
- Enrolments are secured on a term basis. Once enrolled, your child/children will remain in that chosen class, unless otherwise notified by you.
- Term fees are calculated as cost per class multiplied by the number of weeks that class is offered in that particular term. For enrolments that commence during a term, fees are adjusted pro rata according to the remaining weeks.
- Upon completion of the current term, your child/children will automatically be enrolled into the same class in the following term, and an invoice will be issued to you unless you inform Reading Bees that your child/children will not continue with the program. You are required to notify Reading Bees prior to the commencement of the following term if you wish to cease enrolment in the program. Notice will only be accepted via email to hello@readingbees.com.au
- Payment of term fees will still be required if your child/children stop coming to class without notification. This action is taken to account for the holding of your child/children’s place in that class, resulting in Reading Bees’ inability to offer that place to another child as a result.
- Payment of full term fees is required in advance of student attendance.
- All students are also required to pay an additional one-off annual fee for their workbook pack and classroom materials/consumables. This is charged when your first invoice is raised each calendar year.
- Reading Bees reserves the right to refuse to offer classes to you should you fail to pay the quoted fees in advance.
- Reading Bees offers a 10% discount on a second and any subsequent enrolments, applicable only to siblings from the same household.
- It is your responsibility to ensure that your child/children attend his/her scheduled class or to notify of their absence (see STUDENT ABSENCE AND MAKEUP POLICY for details)
- Reading Bees will seek to ensure that all scheduled classes are run, but Reading Bees also reserves the right to cancel classes if necessary.
- If your child/children’s class is cancelled due to an unforeseen circumstance, you will be contacted via text, phone or email. Reading Bees will give as much notice as possible under the specific circumstances but without guaranteeing a specified amount of time prior to the cancelled class.
- If Reading Bees cancels a class, you are not expected to arrange a makeup class. Reading Bees will credit the class fee back to your account in the first instance. If a credit is unable to be used, the amount of this credit will be refunded to you.
- Class educators and assistants are subject to change without notice. Reading Bees will seek to ensure consistency of teaching staff; however, this may not always be possible due to sickness and other circumstances.
REFUND POLICY:
- Reading Bees enrolment fees are non-refundable for non-attendance. No deduction can be made on account of absences, as the temporary absence of individual students does not lessen the expenses incurred in maintaining the efficiency of the program.
- Enrolment fees are non-refundable when the enrolled student/s elect to leave Reading Bees prior to the conclusion of the term.
- Enrolment fees are non-refundable where the enrolled student/s are unable to receive services due to circumstances outside of Reading Bees’ control. E.g. in cases of emergencies, enforced evacuations, etc. Reading Bees will endeavour to schedule a replacement class in these instances but cannot guarantee its suitability for you.
- In the event of enforced studio closures (e.g. under COVID restrictions), Reading Bees reserves the right to deliver classes online to provide continuous service delivery. Online classes will be considered as a provision of your child/children’s normal class. For any classes that are not able to be provided by Reading Bees (either in-studio or online), credits will be offered & applied to your next term's invoice. If this is not possible (i.e. occurs during the last term), Reading Bees will fully refund the class fees for any classes not provided.
TRIAL CLASS POLICY:
- Free trial classes are only available to students who have never attended a Reading Bees class.
- Class numbers are limited; therefore, bookings are essential.
- Trial class attendance is limited to once per child.
- Standard student absence guidelines apply (see STUDENT ABSENCE AND MAKEUP POLICY for details). It is your responsibility to ensure that your child/children attend his/her scheduled trial class or to notify of their absence at least 2 hours before the trial class begins. If you do not submit an absence or do not do so by the required time & your child/children are absent from their class, you will lose the option to book another free trial class.
GENERAL CONDUCT AND EXPECTATIONS:
- Reading Bees will not be held responsible or liable for any damage to and/or loss of any property brought into any Reading Bees premises by your child/children or yourselves. It is the preference of Reading Bees that students do not bring valuable property to classes. It is your responsibility to ensure any personal items are adequately named.
- It is your responsibility to ensure the health and safety of your child/children prior to and after their scheduled classes.
- It is your responsibility to ensure your child/children are dropped off and picked up on time. Reading Bees will not be held responsible or liable for the health and safety of student/s before and after their scheduled classes. If you are more than 10 minutes late to pick up your child, $1 per minute will be charged. If you are more than 30 minutes late and unable to be contacted, Reading Bees is obliged to notify the police.
- It is your responsibility to inform Reading Bees of any medical condition and/or illness of your child/children that requires any specific treatment, medical or otherwise. Reading Bees will inform you as soon as possible should your child/children require medical or similar treatment. In the case of an emergency, Reading Bees will contact ”000” for assistance. You acknowledge that you will be fully responsible and liable for all medical expenses incurred in the monitoring and/or treatment of your child/children.
- Reading Bees will endeavour to provide a healthy and safe environment for your child/children. However, Reading Bees is not responsible or liable for any natural disasters, accidents, injuries, deaths, losses, damages, expenses or liabilities that are sustained and/or incurred by your child/children other than that imposed by law.
- Reading Bees will be released from any indemnity for any claim or action brought against Reading Bees by your child/children, or on behalf of your child/children, family members and/or any other party related to or connected with your child/children, arising out of any natural disasters, accidents, injuries, deaths, losses and/or damages other than that imposed by law.
STUDENT INFORMATION:
- It is your responsibility to ensure that the student information you provide to Reading Bees is true and correct and can be relied upon.
- It is your responsibility to inform Reading Bees should any student information or your contact details change.
- You acknowledge and accept that Reading Bees is authorised to use the information that you have provided for the purposes of
a) enrolling your child/children at Reading Bees;
b) informing you of any changes to your child/children’s enrolment and/or classes;
c) contacting you to obtain general consent, authority, advice and/or information;
d) contacting you in the case of an emergency and/or to seek medical instruction, advice and/or attention;
e) providing updates regarding the progress of your child/children;
f) providing updates regarding the operations of Reading Bees and;
g) any other purpose deemed necessary or relevant to the provision of Reading Bees’ services.