Starting the enrolment process

For enrolments, please complete the form in the Enquiry tab above so we can fully understand your needs and then we will get back to you with options. Or for general enrolment enquiries please email our Administration Manager Judith at enrol@therumpusroom.co.nz.

Please note that we review our fees annually, usually at the end of the year, or if there are changes to our funding. The fees charged when a child starts may be different then from the advised fees at the time of enrolment. The below fees are valid from 1st January 2026.

0-2 years

2 years and over

 3 years and over receiving 20 ECE funded hours

 Notes on fees

Food, nappies and formula
All food (other than formula) is provided by the centre. Whānau provide nappies and formula if their children need them.

Minimum Attendance
To ensure a settled group and strong relationships, children are enrolled for a minimum of three days per week and a minimum of 7 hours per day. School hours are strictly 8.30am-3.30pm

Paying Fees
Fees are payable fortnightly in advance by automatic payment. Invoices are sent fortnightly. We do not accept cash, cheques or credit cards.

Public holidays, family holidays, sick days
We average our fees over the weeks that we are open. Consequently, we do not offer reduced fees or fee retainers for public holidays, vacations or child illness as these have been calculated into the weekly fees for ease of regular payment. Please also see the notes on ‘Extended absences over three weeks’

Pick-up time and fees for late pick up
All children and their caregiver need to have left the centre premises by our closing time of 5.30 and so we strongly recommend that you arrive at least 5 minutes prior to avoid distressing your child and to avoid a late penalty. Children who are picked up after their session has concluded will incur a late fee of $10 per 5 minutes which will be invoiced to the parent directly for payment.

Christmas Closure
Our Christmas break closure period is from 25th December until the first week of the New Year. Fees are not payable over this period.

Family discount for full time
A 10% discount is applied to the oldest child’s fees where two or more children from the same family are attending five days a week.

Confirmation of enrolment and deposits
After a place is offered for specific start date and set days, payment of the first week’s fees plus a $50 admin fee is required to be paid to confirm and secure the place.
An offer to be put on the waitlist for a requested date is not a confirmation of enrolment.
The Administration Fee is non-refundable and does not form part of the weekly fee. The first week’s fees will be set off against the fees payable on starting at the centre.
If your child does not take up their reserved place at the agreed time, the fees paid are non-refundable. If you wish to defer your child’s place from the agreed start date then the fees paid are forfeited and a further week’s fees must be paid.

Fees Review
We review our fees annually, usually at the end of the year, or if there are changes to our funding. The fees charged when a child starts may be different then from the advised fees at the time of enrolment.
Any changes to fees will be advised at least one month prior to the increase.

Extended absences, over three weeks
Extended absences are difficult to manage for everyone as government funding stops if a child is away from the centre for more than three weeks, but all costs of the child’s place in the centre remain the same.
Unfortunately then, families away or on holiday for over three weeks and up to six weeks will incur increased charges to make up for this shortfall. This will be the Full Fee (i.e. before 20 Hours of subsidised ECE) + 50% of the Full Fee. We appreciate this is significant but it reflects the costs due to the loss of funding.
Families on extended travel for between 7-12 weeks may choose to pay a holding fee of 50% of their child’s fees (full fees before 20hrs ECE) to secure their place on their return.
Families may also choose to cease care and go back on the waiting list to re-enrol on their return but this option will not necessarily ensure the days and hours requested or that there will be a place available straight away.
One option to decrease the fees during longer absences is to decrease the enrolled hours and days for the time you are away, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee you will be able to pick up these same days again on your return as any days dropped may be taken up by other families. If there is no immediately available days upon your return, we will put you at the front of the waitlist but we cannot say how long the wait might be.

Childcare Assistance (WINZ Subsidy)
Some children are eligible for the Childcare Subsidy from Work and Income. If this applies to a child, the parents must advise us immediately.
Fees will be charged and remain the liability of the parent(s) until such time as the Childcare Subsidy has been approved and paid by WINZ. It is the parents responsibility to complete the required forms.
Note that if applicable, the Childcare Subsidy is paid directly to the centre not the parent or caregiver.
A parent cannot claim the both the 20 Hours ECE subsidy AND the childcare Subsidy for the same hours of attendance, but they can claim both subsidies for different hours of attendance.
Please ask the Centre Manager for more Information, or http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/individuals/a-z-benefits/childcare-subsidy.html

Family Boost – the subsidy available for those whose household income is under $229,144
The Rumpus Room supports whanau claiming Family Boost by providing documentation confirming enrolment for the application, then having a system that automatically sends out the required three monthly statements used for claims. Information about Family Boost can be found here: www.ird.govt.nz/FamilyBoost

Changes to Days and Hours
Any decreases or increases to the booked hours of children/tamariki requires two weeks notice to ensure correct rostering.

Infectious & contagious illness, communicable disease outbreaks
If a child has an infectious or contagious illness, they must not attend the centre. This is to minimise the risk of infection of other children and staff. Normal fees are payable when absent for illness
In the case of an outbreak of a serious communicable disease, children who do not have up to date immunisations will be excluded from the Centre on the advice of MOH for the duration of the outbreak. Fees will be payable over this time

Centre Closure
If the centre is closed due to an emergency, fees will be refunded for the period the centre is closed.

20 Hours ECE
At The Rumpus Room we offer a higher standard than the minimum regulated standard of education and care. This means that our daily operating costs for “20 Hours ECE” are not fully covered by Government funding. As we cannot charge parents for the 20 hours (maximum of six hours per day) we have had to include a chargeable portion into the fees of each day outside the six hours.

Notice Period – whanau
One month’s notice is required if your child is leaving the Centre. Fees are payable during this notice period.

Failure to pay fees, termination, and debt collection
If a parent is aware they cannot pay our fees when they receive their invoice, they must advise us immediately so we may discuss alternative options with them.
If fees are unpaid, a payment plan will be agreed with whanau to return the account to current. If this is unsuccessful, the child’s place may be terminated with one week’s notice.
We do not write off bad debts. All debt collection costs are the responsibility of the parent/caregivers and such costs will be added to the outstanding fees.