School Fees

All school fees must be approved by the IEA Board of Directors before they are published, unless prior approval of interim fee announcements is given by the Chief Executive Officer. The Board will need to be satisfied that the proposed fees are adequate to meet needs identified in the school's budget.

A school may set different levels of fees for various client groups in the school.

A school may charge different levels of fees for the provision of different levels of service.

To ensure that control is exercised over fee collection the following points must be observed:

• At the start of each term no student is to be admitted to the school if school fees are outstanding from any prior year.
• At the start of each term no student is to be admitted to the school if school fees are outstanding from any prior term in the current year.
• No student may commence school if school fees have not been paid before the start of the term unless progress payments have been arranged with the approval of the school board for the fee to be fully paid by the end of term.
• Fee arrangements for any student whose fees are not paid in full prior to the start of term must be documented in writing, with a copy available at the school.
• School Boards must sight a full list of fee arrears at each meeting.

Principals will be held responsible for implementing this policy, and Boards in their turn are responsible for oversight of fee collection for the year, and for ensuring that Principals have carried out their role in this area.

The IEA conducts spot audits of school fee collection to ensure compliance with this policy. All schools must lodge a current school fee collection policy with the IEA.

The School Board may charge an enrolment fee for each pupil enrolled in the school.

The enrolment fee must not exceed any limit which may have been set by Chief Executive Officer.

The School Board may set the conditions under which the fee can be refunded.

When a child enrolled at one IEA school transfers to another IEA school, the first school sends the pro-rata balance of fees already paid to the second school.

Where the annual fee has been paid, the fee is prorated by calculating the number of weeks out of 40 the child has attended. The fee for the weeks not attended is transferred to the other school.

Where the term fee has been paid, the fee is prorated by calculating the number of weeks out of 10 that the child has attended.

• The fee for the weeks not attended is transferred to the other school.
• If there is insufficient money to cover the fees of the new school, the parents are responsible for paying the additional amount required.
• If the amount transferred is more than required, the second school calculates the correct pro-rata amount and refunds the difference to the parents. See Fee Refunds.

School fees are determined by the School Board of Governors and approved by the IEA Board.
An IEA school may refund school fees in the following circumstances:

• The school or college does not offer the class, grade or programme.
• The student is withdrawn from the school or college.

All IEA schools will apply this policy on school fee refunds. School may not vary this policy without written approval from IEA Executive. Schools must communicate this policy to all parents annually. The policy forms part of the student registration agreement.

The following conditions apply:

• Notice period of withdrawal for refunds is five (5) weeks of term time.
• Once Term 4 has begun no refunds are permitted for that school year.
• Withdrawal of a student must be made in writing or on the Notice of Withdrawal form.
• Student absence or illness does not serve as notice to withdraw.
• No refunds will apply for temporary absences by the student throughout the enrolment period.
• In prolonged absence (over one term) parents may wish to withdraw a student. Notification periods apply.
• Where the school applies a temporary suspension, no refund applies.
• Where a permanent exclusion applies, the date of exclusion is the date of withdrawal.
• No refunds will apply in circumstances caused by a Force Majeure Event in which the school cannot operate with students in attendance, these include, but are not limited to:
• Temporary closure of a school or rescheduling of school terms and holidays.
• Government or local authority closures of the school.
• National or local security concerns or disruptive events (including man-made and natural events).
• Pandemic or other public health events.

IEA will in such circumstances operate in the best interests of student and staff safety.

In such events the school will as far as reasonably possible continue to provide educational opportunities for students or reschedule teaching periods, term dates and term breaks.

• IEA will only make refunds to the individual, company or organisation that paid the fees.
• Where the individual that paid the fees has died, refunds will be paid to the relevant estate on production of written authority.
• Calculation of the amount of a school fee refund is by the procedure determined by the IEA.
• IEA will authorise the payment of fee refunds.