Our commitment to you:
Terms & Conditions:
by enrolling my child with Thinking Caps for Kids Ltd (Thinking Caps), I understand and agree that:
- my child will automatically be re-enrolled for each new term until I inform Thinking Caps in writing that my child is not continuing.
- any catch-up my child may be given is for one absence due to illness per term.
- catch-ups are only available if I pay each invoice in full on or before the due date.
- catch-ups or credits will not be given for family holidays.
- if a school event (e.g. class trip/visiting speaker/camp) falls on my child’s tutoring day, it is my responsibility to inform Thinking Caps more than 2 days before.
- if Thinking Caps are unable to take my child because of a scheduled school event, my child will not be granted a catch-up.
- invoices are for one school term in advance and I am required to pay within 7 days (unless a prior written agreement is made with Thinking Caps management to make progress payments).
- Thinking Caps have the right to withdraw my child if I fail to make payment.
Absences:
Please text, phone or email if your child is going to be away. Any catch-up lessons are given at the discretion of Thinking Caps management. As a rule, we allow one catch-up per term due to illness. This offer is only available to parents who pay invoices in full on or before the due date. Catch-up’s can be redeemed in the holidays or after school and need to be arranged with Thinking Caps management in advance. Please note that catch-up’s will not be given for family holidays.
Allergies:
Please let us know if your child has any allergies or medical conditions that we need to be aware of. Together, we will formulate an action plan for when your child is working with us.
Books:
We provide your child with a 1B5 exercise book to use at tutoring. Each week, children record their work in their tutoring book and this is an excellent way for you to see what they have been working on. It is recommended that you look through your child’s book with them each week.
Catch-ups:
Catch-up’s are given for one absence due to illness per term. Catch-up’s are only available for families who pay invoices in full on or before the due date. Catch-up’s can be redeemed in the holidays or after school and need to be arranged with Thinking Caps management in advance. Please note that catch-up’s will not be given for family holidays.
Carparking: after school sessions (Hibiscus Coast):
* As safety in the carpark is of primary concern, we ask that you please take extra care when dropping off/collecting your child. * The driveway will be busy, particularly at 4pm and again at the changeover of groups at 5pm. Extra care will be needed around these times. * Extra carparking is available on David Sidwell Place. * Children are to be collected in person from our office.
Contact Us:
We are committed to doing the very best for your child while they are learning with us. If there are things you would like to talk to us about, please don’t wait. Make contact with us as soon as there is something you wish to discuss and we will make a time to talk with you to resolve any issues or concerns you may have. It is important to us that your children are happy and that you are happy too!
Emails:
Email is often the best way to get in contact with us, as we are tutoring during the day. We will endeavour to reply to emails promptly.
Emergency Procedures:
During school time, we will follow school safety procedures in the event of an emergency. After school, our designated assembly point is at the letterbox on the roadside.
Enrolments:
Each new pupil will be required to submit an enrolment form. It provides us with contact details for you and it requires your agreement to these terms and conditions.
Feedback about your child's progress:
The best way for us to provide regular meaningful feedback to you on your child’s progress is through their tutoring book. It is therefore important that children bring these books to each session. We would appreciate your support with this.
Each set of holidays, we run extra tutoring sessions. These are available for families wanting to continue their child’s learning during the break and also for agreed catch-up’s. Holiday sessions can be booked through our online booking system – sent to you via newsletter at the end of each term..
Homework:
We usually do not set specific homework, however we do ask that you look through your child’s tutoring book with them and perhaps ask them a few questions similar to the ones they have been working on with us. Working on goals from your child’s knowledge goal sheet is also a great way for you to provide extra support at home.
Invoicing:
You will be invoiced for one term’s tuition at a time. Invoices will be sent to you via email. We ask that invoices are paid within 7 days of issue. This will ensure your eligibility for acatch-up due to illness. Late payments will be followed up (see late payment procedures for details) Please make regular checks of your SPAM box, just in case our invoice ends up there.
Knowledge Goals:
Your child’s knowledge goal sheet will be glued into their tutoring book. These are facts that they will need to be able to recall instantly (off by heart!) Any extra time you can put into helping your child get these knowledge goals off by heart will really benefit their progress. We will make regular checks on their goals and provide you with feedback in their book.
Strategy describes the mental processes students use to estimate answers and solve problems with numbers. Knowledge describes the key items of knowledge that students need to learn. It is important that students make progress in both. We spend most of our time helping children develop their number knowledge. Our knowledge goal sheets will give you a clear idea of what your child does know and what they need to work on next.
Late Payment Procedures:
We ask that invoices are paid in full within 7 days of issue. Due dates are clearly displayed at the bottom of each invoice. Invoices outstanding after this period will be followed up with a phone call. Thinking Caps for Kids have the right to withdraw your child if payments have not been received.
Newsletters:
Each term we put together a newsletter to provide you with relevant and up to date information. Please make sure you agree to receive our newsletters in the enrolment form to ensure you are keep up to date.
Numeracy Project:
The Numeracy Project frameworks are the NZ Maths Curriculum taught in NZ schools. We follow the Numeracy Project frameworks, so our tutoring is directly relevant to the Maths your child will learn in class.
Office:
Our head office is 6 David Sidwell Place, Stanmore Bay, Whangaparaoa. Our office phone number is (09) 424 3536. The best time to contact us there is between 1-3pm. Outside of these times, you can leave a voice message and we will endeavour to reply within 24 hours.
Parents Role:
The best way for you to get involved in your child’s Maths is to chat with them about their lesson with us and to look through their tutoring book on a regular basis. Spending time with your child working on their knowledge goals is also vital to ensure they make great progress!
School Events: in-school sessions
If a school event (e.g. class trip/visiting speaker/camp) falls on your child’s tutoring day, it is your responsibility to inform us more than 2 days before, so we can make arrangements to fit around them. If we arrive at school on our usual day and are unable to take your child because of a scheduled school event, we will be unable to change the day or provide a catch-up. Therefore, please let us know of any school events that may interrupt your child’s tutoring as soon as you know of the clash.
Students Role:
It is important that your child comes prepared for tutoring by bringing their tutoring book with them each week. It is also important for them to work on their knowledge goals, so they are keeping up the momentum during the week.
Written Work:
Each week your child will record their work with us in their tutoring book. Sometimesthese may be just a series of numbers that they have written as answers to basic facts questions. Some weeks there may not be a great amount of written work, as we may have spent a good deal of time on equipment and less time writing down their thinking. It is important also that children are learning to verbalise their thinking, so a good part of our sessions involves children discussing their thinking in the group.