“Getting the most play out of each day”
Information
FAQs
With many years' experience under our belts, we've compiled a list of parents' and caregivers' most
frequently asked questions! We're sure all your questions will be answered below or with the information in
the boxes to the right (Handbook, Flyer, HP FAQs and T&C's but if not, please contact Bruce or Thurla.
Are you a NZ owned company?
Yes, Play Time is an independent (not franchised), 100% NZ owned company. You will be supporting
Bay of Plenty and NZ local. :-)
What are your staff to child ratios?
Play Time strives towards the following staff:child ratio's:
onsite 1:12, and usually operates higher staff:child ratio's.
If walking to a venue or on a trip day during the Holiday Programme, 1:8.
Risk assessment is carried out at all times.
Is Play Time MSD OSCAR approved?
Yes, Play Time holds Level 3 SSAS accreditation.
Are all your staff Police Vetted?
Yes
Do you have space?
Bookings are first-come-first-served. Please jump online to make your booking and reserve your space.
Please keep your account up to date as per T&Cs Play Time reserves the right to remove your booking
if an invoice is unpaid and your account is in arrears. If the programme is full, the system will advise
and ask if you would like to be put on the waitlist.
Where can I book?
Go here to book enrolmy.com/play-time-oscar-programme
Can I pop in for my child to meet the teachers and see the venue before my child attends for the first time?
You may pop through at any time during the programme, but if you arrive just as school closes, staff are very busy welcoming and accounting for the children on the roll and will not be able to speak with you. If you want to ask questions and talk to staff, it’s best to pop through later in the day when it’s not so busy.
How do I know if my booking is confirmed?
A week's deposit is payable at time of booking, which will be allocated to your account to reserve the space.
Overdue accounts incur 10% interest daily, as per T&Cs.
Can I make a Late/Last Minute booking?
For staff planning purposes, bookings are closed 8pm the night before.
What is your Cancellation / Switching Days and Credits policy?
1 full rolling week notice.
Cancel your own bookings in Enrolmy within the cancellation notice period to incur no cost for a session. Page Link
We have booked a session but my child has been invited on a playdate / my child has been sent home from school / my child isn't going to school today, so cannot attend the booked session - must I still pay / can I get a credit for the session?:
If your child cannot attend a booked session we will mark them absent - please txt the venue number. The session is still charged (no credit for the unattended session is due). If the session is more than 1 week away, please cancel it in Enrolmy.
Do I need to let you know if my child cannot attend?
Yes! As part of the enrolment T&Cs, you must let us know via txt to the Venue Absence line.
Each venue has a direct contact number / absence line to txt. You may not receive a reply; the staff will see it when they arrive.
If your child is on our roll and does not arrive, and we cannot locate them, or get hold of you or your emergency contacts, for the child's safety, we are required to call the police to locate the child - we would all prefer this doesn't need to happen if the child is safe. If staff are not informed of an absence, there is a charge for the time involved to accounting for the child.
What number must I txt if my child will be absent?
Text the venue that you have booked in to let the staff know that your child will not be there. You may not receive a reply; the staff will see it when they arrive.
Find your Venue Absentee number here - it is also on the 'booking blurb' before you booked. Note that it is part of the T&Cs that you advise us of absences on the Venue Absentee number.
I’ve informed the school that my child will be absent, will the school tell you?
No. Please inform us directly by texting the Venue Absence number.
What are your prices?
Each venue is different. Find your venue here, click on it and the prices are shown there.
Do you have hourly rates?
No - Play Time has Session rates.
Is there a minimum number of days that we need to book? Do I have to book every day? / every week?
No, you can book just one session, and you can book Casual sessions (as and when you need care).
Note that Casual sessions are subject to space being available.
My child is only 5 / my child is new to the school, do you pick them up from their classroom?
We can pick children up from their classroom until they are comfortable coming to meet us - please let us know via email to admin@play-time.co.nz that you would like us to collect your child from their classroom (please include child's name, school and classroom number). Please also let the teacher know not to release the child after school, as Play Time staff will come to collect the child. Please let the teacher know that we may not be waiting outside when the bell rings, as we may have a "walking bus" and collecting all the children from their classrooms takes a few minutes.
Where must my child go after school?
If the after school care is onsite at the school (either in the hall, or in another room) your child must go there. The room we are located in is listed here.
Where is the pickup spot?
Click here and scroll down to see a map of the pickup spot at your school (click on your school for the map)
How / when do I pay?
You will receive an invoice via email and invoices are strictly due before attendance - by the Due Date on the invoice. Overdue invoices mincur 10% interest and your account may be put on hold (see T&C's).
When will I be invoiced?
For Regular bookings: Thursday for the following week's bookings.
For Casual bookings: immediately.
For holiday programme bookings: immediately.
Must I still pay / am I credited if my child can't attend a booked session?
Unless the booking has been removed in Enrolmy (see T&C's for cancellation policy or here), the session is still charged as all planning eg. staff bookings/rosters have been made according to the confirmed roll (number of children booked).
I only just made a late Booking Request last night for today, but have changed my mind/my circumstances have changed and I no longer need the booking - can you cancel the booking because it was made so late / reissue the invoice/raise a credit note for me?
Booking cut-off is 8pm the night before. If a booking was made before then, it has been accounted and planned for, and is therefore subject to the cancellation policy.
Do you charge for Public Holidays?
No.
For Teacher Only Days / Early Close Days: it is your responsibility to keep an eye on your School Newsletters for these, and cancel these days for no charge.
Do I qualify for WINZ?
Please contact WINZ as your subsidy is related to your circumstances. You need to do this at least 3 weeks BEFORE your child is due to attend Play Time as WINZ need time to process your application. If your application is not processed before you require care for your child/ren, you will need to pay in advance as per usual payment procedure and once WINZ pays Play Time, you will be refunded the portion that WINZ has paid on your behalf.
I qualify for an Oscar subsidy, I need my forms signed.
Your booking needs to be made first, because we need to put this information on the Oscar forms. If you are already a winz client, please email forms to admin@play-time.co.nz and we can submit on your behalf - or if you would prefer to submit, then we will sign the provider page and get the forms back to you. For more information and forms see here.
Which WINZ form should I use?
For more information about the WINZ process and for which form to use, click the Oscar Subsidy Info box.
I don’t have Internet; how can I book?
If you are already registered, simply txt us and we can make the booking. If you're not registered and don’t have internet, ask the staff for paper enrolment forms or download them here and when you get them back to us, we’ll enrol your child.
Do you provide food?
A light Afternoon Tea at After School Care is provided.
During Holiday Programme: a light Afternoon Tea is provided for children booked Long Session.
Do you cater for special diets?
We provide gluten free crackers and fruit for gluten free children. If your child requires more than this, please pack extra for them.
What do you do at After School Care?
Click here and scroll down to see the daily routine.
What do you do at Holiday Programme?
Click here and scroll down to see the daily routine.
Do I have to drop my child off at 7.30am/8am during the Holiday Programme?
No, you do not. If we are onsite you can drop your child off at any time.
If we are going on a trip, we may ask you to drop your child off earlier (it will usually be by 9am).
Can my child bring their device (mobile phone, iPad, etc)?
We prefer children do not bring devices as we provide a variety of activities to keep children busy, focused and occupied. However, they may bring devices (at their own risk) and play during free time. Play Time has recently put together a reminder of the Device Policy.
Do you do homework?
We provide homework supervision, not tutoring, for the 6pm (Long) Session children at 4.50pm-5.10pm. We call for Homework and children must come to us when we do this. We do not force children to do homework and we will liaise with parents if children refuse. We find this non-threatening method works well. Please let us know if your child needs to do homework while with us and we’ll do our best to encourage them to complete their homework.
Do you sunblock the children?
We practice sun safety from September to April (Term 4 - Term 1) so children must wear hats. We provide sunblock which we apply before going outside. If you have a preference for a particular type of sunblock, we suggest that children bring their own, either kept in their bags or labelled with their name and we can keep at the venue.