ECCE Montessori & "Voluntary" Contributions

nesf

Yeah, this is fairly insane Dades. Our boy was in a naoinra (preschool through Irish) that cost €250 a month but when the ECCE came in the year was free with no voluntary fee bull**** attached. Report them, complain to them, make their lives difficult, if creches in the big cities can afford to just survive on ECCE then so can these guys.

Dades

sheebah wrote: »

why are you leaving the child in that creche? you should have transferred in January which is the only time you can transfer unless calling that number. you may have to pay elsewhere.

community creches are no different than private (which i am) i have heard of places taking deposits but of one weeks fee of 64.50 not 500!!

Hmmm.

This isn't about a creche - it's about a Montessori that my daughter is/was due to start in September this year. She's currently in playschool.

The actual way they work the deposit is sly. You pay a refundable deposit of €150 this month, but that is only refundable out of the €600 "voluntary" contribution you pay in May which is to cover the first term.

Naturally your deposit of €150 doesn't guarantee you a place. I guess only the €600 gets you that.

Anyhow, as I've said before, I'm going to assess all my options first but my priority is my daughter.

lip

Have to say,out of principal there would be no way I would send my child to somewhere where they are so underhand and money grabbing. Where only the people with the finances can attend. I don't care how good this Montessori school is,its wrong what they're doing and they should be reported.

Dades

My principle were already compromised in favour of my children's education when they got baptised... That's life.

A report will be made, whatever the outcome. Other than that remains to be seen but I'm encouraged by the support here.

Orion

Dades wrote: »

Anyhow, as I've said before, I'm going to assess all my options first but my priority is my daughter.

Do you want your daughter to be taught by people who consider ethics to be optional?

Dades

Orion wrote: »

Do you want your daughter to be taught by people who consider ethics to be optional?

I suspect they employ plenty of cognitive dissonance.

unkel

Report them, that's nasty / sly charging

My youngest is currently in her ECCE year in Montessori and we paid a €130 deposit (refundable at the end of the year)

It's a very good pre-school and there is a waiting list. We got in by booking early and / or having had 2 previous kids in there

The private fee used to be €280 per month for 3 hours a day and that included lunch. Now on the ECCE scheme you pay nothing, but if you want lunch provided for, you pay €25 per month and nothing if you provide lunch yourself

Baky

Dades wrote: »

My principle were already compromised in favour of my children's education when they got baptised... That's life.

A report will be made, whatever the outcome. Other than that remains to be seen but I'm encouraged by the support here.

I take it you mean you felt you had to baptise your daughter into the RC church?

Did you?

Ah HA - maybe that's why I haven't received an offer of a school place yet...:(

Dades

Well, my wife is catholic, so the decision wasn't just a scheme to get into a school.

gabsdot40

please report this school to your local county childcare committee or to the department of children and youth affairs. I run a preschool myself and am part of the ECCE scheme. it is in breach of contract to charge an amount like that for voluntary contributions. The rules around VC are very strict .

This is from the Department of youth and children affairs

Q: Does the scheme allow for voluntary donations from parents?

A: This depends on the nature of the donation. Of course, if a parent wishes to make a donation to a service, this is acceptable, for example a service could inform parents who wish to make a donation that direct debit forms are available. However, enrolment must not be dependent on making a donation, and any donation must be clearly optional to parents. The collection of such contributions from parents in a manner similar to fees (e.g. with an envelope being passed to parents each month), would breach the conditions of the scheme.

The general rule is that, while a pre-school may make their details available to allow for voluntary donations, these should not be sought from parents on more than one occasion, and at all times it should be made clear to parents that this is done on a voluntary basis only.

Given the uncertainty that a service would have with such an income stream, and the danger that it would make its budget unsustainable, it is not recommended that services actively seek such donations as an income stream.

So this school is in breach of it's contract and IMO should not be able to be in the ECCE scheme but it will take more parents to stand up to them.