OLA Homeschool Payment and Refund Policies
4. PAYMENT POLICIES
4.1. PAYMENT DEADLINES
4.1.1 For Monthly Payments:
All monthly payments must be made no later than the 1st day of each new month.
4.1.2 For Upfront Yearly/Annual Payments:
The total amount for 12 months must be paid in full upon enrollment (instalment options
are available upon request, and include admin charges).
4.1.3 For Termly Payment:
All termly payments must be made before the new term starts.
4.2. PAYMENT ASSURANCE POLICY
Parents opting for the monthly or termly payment plan are subject to the following
assurance policies:
4.2.1 DEBIT ORDER:
Parents opting for monthly payments must set up a debit order for the full year.
Proof of the debit order must be emailed to OLA as confirmation of compliance.
4.2.2 DEPOSIT:
Purpose: The Deposit is a financial safeguard that ensures OLA can plan and allocate
resources effectively. It also protects against unpaid fees or sudden withdrawals
without a notice period.
4.2.2.1 Automatic Application to December Fees:
The deposit will automatically be applied to December’s tuition, ensuring year-end
commitments are met without disruption.
4.2.2.2 Final Month’s Fees:
If a parent/payer provides proper notice of withdrawal in accordance with the
homeschool’
s policies, the deposit will be applied to the final month’s fees.
4.2.2.3 Default or Non-Communication:
If fees remain unpaid, or if the payer/s become uncontactable & do not follow up on
payments, the deposit will be retained by the homeschool to cover outstanding
balances.4.3. NOTICE PERIOD
A one calendar month notice period will apply once written notice is provided to the
homeschool. The notice period will commence on the 1st day of the following month after
the notice is given by either the homeschool or the parent(s).
4.4. PENALTIES FOR LATE PAYMENT:
Payments made later than the 1st of the new month will incur a late fee of R500 in addition
to the chosen monthly package fee.
If fees are not paid after the first day of the month, students CANNOT be admitted into
class until payment is made for the month.
The clause above contains an acknowledgment of fact by you. Please read this clause
carefully and ensure that the statement made is correct, as you will not be able to deny
the truth of such statement.
4.5. POLICY ON REINSTATEMENT AFTER PAYMENT DELAYS
4.5.1 By selecting the monthly/termly payment plan, you agree to a fixed tuition fee that is due
at the start of every month/term, regardless of whether your child attends lessons or not during
that month.
This is because:
4.5.1.1 Your child’
s place is reserved throughout the academic year — even if they take a break.
4.5.1.2 Tutors are allocated and paid based on your continued enrollment, not attendance.
4.5.1.3 Academic planning, resources, and scheduling are customised in advance around your
child’
s ongoing participation.
4.5.1.4 Your monthly fee secures guaranteed access, not just usage.
4.5.2 RE-ENROLMENT AFTER OFFICIAL NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL
If a parent gives proper written notice, the deposit will cover the notice period. If the parent
later wishes to return within the same academic year, the following applies:
4.5.2.1 A R2,000 re-enrolment admin fee will apply to secure placement.
4.5.2.2 A new deposit will be required.
4.5.2.3 Full payment for the current month or term will be due upon rejoining, according
to your selected tuition plan.
4.5.2.4 Re-enrolment remains subject to space and tutor availability.
4.5.2.5 Academic catch-up cannot be guaranteed following an extended absence, and
additional support may be required at the parent’
s expense.4.5.3 TERMS OF RE-ENROLMENT FOLLOWING UNOFFICIAL WITHDRAWAL
An Unofficial Withdrawal is defined as a lapse in payment and communication lasting longer
than one month, without formal written notice.
4.5.2.1 A R2,000 re-instatement fee will be charged to reinstate your child’
s placement.
4.5.2.2 Your original deposit will be forfeited and used as payment for the one-month
notice period, whether notice was given or not.
4.5.2.3 A new deposit will be required upon re-enrolment to secure your child’
s place
moving forward.
4.5.2.4 Re-enrolment is not guaranteed and remains subject to space, academic
alignment, and tutor availability.
4.5.2.5 Academic catch-up cannot be guaranteed following an extended absence, and
additional support may be required at the parent’
s expense.
4.6 LATE PAYMENT WITHIN THE SAME BILLING MONTH
If payment is resumed within the same month that fees were due, only a R500 late fee
will apply, in addition to the full monthly or termly fee according to your tuition plan.
4.7 PAYMENT METHODS:
EFT payments should be made to the following bank account:
Name: Online Learning Academy
Account no: 9367361956
Account type: Savings
Account name: OLA
Bank: Absa
Branch: Universal
POP: to 0737360339 (Name)5. TERMINATION OF CONTRACT
5.1 HOMESCHOOL-INITIATED TERMINATION
Online Learning Academy reserves the right to terminate this contract with one full
month’
s written notice.
In this case, the child must be withdrawn at the end of the notice period, and any pre-
paid fees for periods beyond the end of the month will be refunded, minus any amounts
owed to the homeschool, as discussed in
“Section 9: Refunds
”
of this contract.
5.2 IMMEDIATE TERMINATION
5.2.1 The homeschool has the right to terminate the contract immediately and retain fees
paid if parents or students:
Commit a serious breach of the homeschool’s policies or rules and fail to remedy
it within 20 business days of being notified.
Engage in behavior that brings the homeschool into disrepute, negatively impacts
staff, or disrupts the learning environment for other students.
5.3 REFUND TO PARENTS IF THE HOMESCHOOL TERMINATES
CONTRACT DUE TO “OPERATIONAL REASONS”
The homeschool may offer the following refunds or compensations upon termination,
depending on the situation:
5.3.1 OPERATIONAL TERMINATION:
If the homeschool is closing due to operational reasons (e.g., financial constraints, staffing
changes), a notice period of ONE calendar month will be given to parents.
REFUND POLICY:
5.3.2. Refunds will only be considered for yearly upfront payments.
5.3.2.1. No pro-rata refunds will be provided for month-to-month payments. When calculating
refunds payable for yearly upfront payments, the one-month notice period will be deducted,
along with other applicable fees, such as the termination fee, as discussed in
“Section 9:
Refunds
”
of this contract.
NON-REFUNDABLE ITEMS:
5.3.3 Registration fees, material costs, and termination fees (if applicable) will not be
refunded.5.4 PARENT-INITIATED TERMINATION
5.4.1 Parents may terminate the contract at any time by providing written notice at least
one full month in advance of withdrawing their child.
5.4.2 If the required notice is not provided, the deposit paid at the time of enrolment will
be applied to the following month’
s fees. This policy helps cover planning needs, tutor
salaries, and any potential vacancies that may arise.
5.4.3 The notice period begins on the first day of the month following the submission of
the withdrawal notice.
5.4.4 For parents who have paid annual fees/yearly upfront payments, the remaining
amount will be credited proportionally based on the number of unused months, minus any
applicable cancellation fees as discussed in
“Section 9: Refunds
”
of this contract.6. REFUND POLICY FOR ANNUAL PAYMENTS
Refunds are applicable only to parents who have paid the full year’s tuition upfront.
If a parent wishes to terminate their contract before the end of the academic year, the
following terms will apply:
6.1. NOTICE REQUIREMENT:
A written notice of termination must be submitted at least one calendar month in
advance. The notice period will be charged at the monthly rate of the normal package
(not the discounted yearly package).
6.2. TERMINATION FEE:
A termination fee of R2,000 will be deducted from the refund to cover administrative and
operational costs.
6.3. NON-REFUNDABLE REGISTRATION FEE:
The registration fee of R1,000 is non-refundable.
6.4. REFUND CALCULATION:
Refunds will be calculated by deducting the number of months the student was enrolled,
plus the one-month notice period, and the termination fee. The remaining balance from the
latter calculation will be refunded based on refund percentages mentioned below.
6.5. REFUND PERCENTAGES FOR EARLY TERMINATION:
If the contract is terminated within the first 3 months of enrollment, the following
percentages of the yearly payment will be refunded:
Termination within 1 month: 80% refund of the remaining balance.
Termination within 2 months: 60% refund of the remaining balance.
Termination within 3 months: 40% refund of the remaining balance.
.
6.6. NON-REFUNDABLE ITEMS:
Fees for materials, Impaq registration, impaq learning materials, enrolment registration
and any additional services already rendered are non-refundable.
Example Calculation: If the yearly payment was R84,000 and the parent withdraws after 2
months:
Tuition for 2 months + 1-month notice: 3 months x R7,000 = R21,000
Termination fee: R2,000
Refund = R84,000 – R21,000 – R2,000 = R61,000
Apply 60% refund on the remaining balance: R61,000 x 0.60 = R36,600
6.7. NON-REFUNDABLE AFTER A SPECIFIC PERIOD
6.7.1. Refunds are only applicable if termination occurs within the first 3 months of
enrolment.
6.7.2. No refunds will be issued if withdrawal occurs beyond this period.
This provides clarity and ensures the homeschool can plan staffing and resources without
unexpected financial shortfalls.7. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION
7.1. STUDENT PRIVACY
7.1.1. Data Security: All personal information, educational records, and assessment results
will be securely stored and accessed only by authorized personnel.
7.1.2. Limited Access: Student information will only be shared with staff directly involved in
the student’
s education or with external parties (e.g., assessment providers) when absolutely
necessary and with prior parental consent.
7.1.3. No Unauthorized Sharing: We will never sell, rent, or disclose student data to third
parties for any purpose outside the scope of educational services.
7.2 MARKETING CONSENT AGREEMENT
As part of OLA’
s efforts to showcase the quality of our educational environment and services,
we may use recordings, student work, or class highlights for marketing or promotional
purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, content shared on our website, social media, or
other educational platforms.
7.2.1. PRIVACY AND ANONYMITY
No personal details, such as the student’
s full name, home address, or other identifying
information, will be disclosed in any promotional material.
Student faces will be blurred or omitted if consent to share is not provided.
All materials will focus solely on the learning environment and student achievements
while ensuring complete privacy.
7.2.2 PURPOSE OF USE
The content will only be used to promote OLA’s values, programs, and services,
highlighting the positive impact of our educational offerings.
Materials will not be shared with third parties outside the homeschool’
s control or used for
purposes beyond those specified here.
7.2.3. VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION AND CONSENT WITHDRAWAL
Participation is entirely voluntary, and parents may withdraw consent at any time by
providing written notice to the homeschool.
Upon withdrawal of consent:
Future recordings involving the child will no longer be used, or their faces will be
blurred.
Previously used or published recordings and materials will remain in use, as
permitted by law. This ensures the homeschool’
s ability to maintain ongoing or
completed campaigns and resources created before consent was withdrawn.7.2.4. SAFEGUARDS AND SECURITY
All materials will be stored securely and only accessed by authorized homeschool
personnel.
Content will be reviewed to ensure it does not compromise the child’
s safety or
privacy before being published.
Platforms used for sharing materials will comply with data protection laws and
prioritize security.
7.3. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS
10.3.1. Data Protection Regulations: We adhere to applicable data protection laws, such
as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) or General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR), ensuring that your family
’
s data is managed with the highest
standards of care and compliance.
10.3.2. Rights of Parents and Students: Parents and students have the right to:
Request access to the data we hold about them.
Correct inaccuracies in their records.
Request that their data be deleted, subject to legal and operational obligations.
7.4. PROVIDING REFERENCES AND REPORTS
We may provide information and references about your child to any educational
institution you are considering for their future enrollment. We will ensure the information
shared is accurate and that any opinions about your child’s ability, aptitude, or
character are fair. However, OLA cannot be held responsible for any loss you or your
child might claim to have suffered due to reasonable opinions or accurate statements
included in such references or reports.
