1. General Information
L’école des filous is a self-subsidised independent school for boys and girls from the age of 3 years old.
The session times are from 10:00 to 12:30 on Saturdays (term time only), located in Tower School, Tower road, WARE, SG12 7LP.
Snacks and drinks can be brought and taken during break times.
2. Philosophy of the school
Through educative and playful activities, our aim is to enable children:
- To extend their vocabulary and ability to express themselves in French.
- To develop confidence and literacy skills at an academic level.
- To develop a sense of belonging to a community for French bilingual children and enhance connection to the Francophone culture
- To create a meeting point for French speaking families in the area.
While maintaining high standards of education and providing a safe and professional learning environment.
To do so, the parents/guardians’ co-operation in taking an active part in the children’s education, especially in supporting us and encouraging home learning is crucial to ensure that the children find the learning enjoyable and achieve their learning targets.
3. Our Program
L’école des filous’s teaching team will use as its main teaching guidelines the Official curriculum devised by the French department of education (Ministère de l’Education Nationale) and English National curriculum.
As much as possible, a cultural theme is introduced at the beginning of each session using songs, story, mime, puppets etc…. and is carried out through activities, aiming to develop logic, observation, graphic, numeric, literacy, imagination, art & craft skills. A special emphasis is given to oral expression abilities.
4. Parents/Guardians’ responsibility
The use of the terms parents for the purposes of these conditions means either or both the parents of the child or the legal guardians of the child as set out in the registration form. It is the responsibility of the parent/carer who has signed the enrolment form to ensure that they are fully aware of the terms of this agreement.
It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to encourage their children to complete all homework given in their exercise books or homework sheets and to read/speak in French (Books are available to borrow from L’école des filous). It is also advised for the parents/guardians to also encourage their children to participate in the school’s cultural activities.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to communicate with class teachers regularly, to find out your child’s progress and discuss any issues relevant to teaching.
5. Admission
Parents seeking a place for their child are asked to complete the registration forms which can either been sent on demand or found on our website. Admission will follow the priority order set out below:
- The child has at least one Francophone parent or close relative.
- Non-Francophone children who can understand and speak French.
In both cases, it is necessary that the child understand French.
6. Absence and punctuality
Ensure your children arrive on time and attend regularly. Please notify us or the class teacher of any planned absence or early leave, so that the teacher does not wait unnecessarily.
7. Behaviour
You as parent/carer/guardian and tour child(ren) have read and understood the Code of Conduct and agree to follow and uphold it.
In the case that l’école des filous determines the behaviour of the child being disruptive and unacceptable, l’école des filous shall be entitled to exclude the child from the session permanently or for such period as l’école des filous determines.
Violent behaviour will not be tolerated and will result in permanent exclusion.
8. Collecting children
Always inform the school staff if your child is to be collected by someone other than either of the parents.
9. Access to school premises
Drop-off and pick-up of children should be from the hall. Any child under 11 years old must be accompanied to and from school. Parents/carers are not permitted to stay in the classrooms during the class except under exceptional circumstances. You parents/carers/guardians have access to the main reception entrance at 10am and then from 11.55am. Access to any other part of the building is forbidden during the lessons. A door bell is available at the main entrance if the second set of doors is closed for a late arrival or an early pick up.
10. Parking
For car users, please use the car park which is situated within Tower school.
When using the car park: * If no parking space is available, please park on the residential streets around the school.
* Please be always aware of children and other pedestrians and drive slowly and safely.
11. Health/Medical condition and illness
Parents undertake to discuss with L’école des filous if the child is affected by any infectious disease or other medical condition such as allergies which might affect his/her health while at the School or the health of other children. At least one teacher is experienced in first aid.
12. Emergency treatment
In the event of an emergency, and if the parent/carer cannot be contacted in time, the parent/carer authorises a member of staff from L’école des filous to give permission/consent to a doctor, paramedic or other appropriate medically qualified person, to undertake whatever treatment or procedure is considered necessary for the child’s safety. Students who are taken ill, especially those with an infectious illness should refrain from attending the school until fully recovered.
13. Special Needs
All children are welcome including those with special needs. Every effort will be assessed through observation, discussion with the parents and consultation with other agencies if appropriate.
14. Fees
The cost for the Saturday session is fixed on a termly basis and communicated to the parents prior to the term beginning.
Each term is to be paid fully in advance. A non-refundable deposit is payable to “l’école des filous” on enrolment with l’école des filous. This amount is deducted from the first term’s fees. Payment can be accepted either in cash, by cheque or online by internet banking (BACS) or by credit/debit card (via GoCardless).
A discount for siblings is available. For further information on prices and payment, please refer to the website or speak to a member of the management team.
(There are between 9 and 12 sessions per term or about 32 sessions per year).
15. Returned payments
If a cheque is not cleared by the bank, you will be liable for an administration fee each time the cheque is presented.
16. Re-enrolment
Re-enrolment will take place during the last two weeks of term. If your form and payment is not returned by the last lesson of the term, your place may be offered to another child from the waiting list.
17. Refund
L’école des filous will not make any refund if a child is absent from lessons through illness, transport difficulties, holiday or otherwise.
However, l’école des filous will use their discretion to reimburse the balance of fees if a child is not settling in the class and the parent decides not to continue with the term or for any exceptional circumstances.
18. Cancellation
Parents should give written notice of a cancellation/withdrawal from the programme at least half a term prior to the child leaving.
In the case where l’école des filous has to cancel a lesson, we will endeavour to arrange for an alternative teacher or add an alternative date. It is our policy to only refund those customers that have not been given 5 days’ notice of the date of an alternative lesson; however, no refunds will be offered in the case of circumstances outside of our control such as adverse weather conditions, power interruption, and ‘acts of god’.
As part of the terms and conditions of our rental of Tower Primary School, we l’école des filous must vacate the premises when required. In the unlikely event that a session should be cancelled beyond the control of l’école des filous, we will endeavour as detailed above to arrange an alternative date.
19. Insurance
L’école des filous will maintain any insurance cover as is required by the Department of Education. However, children’s personal possessions are not covered by the Pre-School insurance.
20. Valuable items
L’école des filous does not accept liability for the loss or damage to any personal effects brought to any lesson and you are therefore requested to ensure that no valuable items are brought to the lessons
21. Photograph
L’école des filous may wish to take photographs or images of children to share with the parents or to include into the school’s promotional material. To do so, please fill in the permission photograph form and return it with your registration form.
22. Complaints or concerns Procedure
If you have any concerns and suggestions on the operation of the school, you can speak to one of the trustees or email them at info@lecoledesfilous.com.
23. Final
These conditions form the agreement between the School L’école des filous and the parents/carers/guardians, and should be read carefully.
L’école des filous reserves the right to make changes to these conditions and will notify the parents at the earliest opportunity.