'We're moving at the end of next month'
A parent mentions at pick-up that the family is relocating. The room leader passes it on. Nobody writes down the date the parent said it. Your terms require a certain period of notice in writing. The office emails asking for written notice, which arrives a week later. Now there is a question about which date counts.
The final invoice is worked out by hand: a part month, the funded hours for those days, any extras. The deposit paid at registration four years ago is in a separate spreadsheet, if anywhere. Meanwhile the waiting list does not know a place is coming free, so the manager misses the chance to offer it early.
Why leavers are messy
- Notice is given verbally, by email and on paper, and the date is not always recorded.
- Your notice rules are applied from memory.
- Deposits were taken years ago and are tracked separately.
- The final invoice is a part month with funding and extras to work out.
- The freed place is not linked to the waiting list until someone remembers.
Your terms and conditions decide notice periods and what happens to deposits. We do not interpret them. We apply what they say.
What getting it wrong costs
Disputes over notice dates, which are unpleasant with a family who has been with you for years. Deposits refunded twice, or not at all, or kept when your terms say they should be returned. Final invoices that are too high or too low. Weeks of an empty place that could have been filled if the waiting list had been told.
Leavers are also your best source of reviews and recommendations. A messy exit spoils the goodwill of the years before it.
The leaver process we build
- Notice is recorded in one place with the date it was received and how, and the parent gets a written confirmation with the last day under your terms.
- The last day is calculated from your notice rules automatically.
- Deposits are held against each family's account from registration, with the amount and date.
- The final invoice is produced for the last part month, with funding and extras, and the deposit applied or refunded as your terms say.
- The freed place appears on the waiting list forecast from the last day, so the manager can offer it early.
- A short leaver checklist for the office covers the rest of your own leaving steps, such as records and learning journal handover.
| Step | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Notice received | Mentioned at the door | Recorded with date and confirmed in writing |
| Last day | Worked out by hand | Calculated from your terms |
| Deposit | Separate spreadsheet | On the family account since registration |
| Final invoice | Part month by hand | Produced with deposit applied |
| Freed place | Remembered later | On the waiting list forecast straight away |
How a leaver goes afterwards
The parent emails to give notice. The office logs it. The parent gets a reply that day stating the last day and what the final invoice will include. The waiting list shows the place freeing up, and the manager calls the next family on the list. The final invoice arrives with the deposit applied, matching what the parent was told.
Nobody is looking for a four-year-old deposit record in a spreadsheet.
Because the notice date is recorded when it arrives, there is nothing to argue about later, and families leave on good terms. That goodwill is worth protecting, since leavers' recommendations are how many settings get their next enquiries.
Signs your leaver process needs work
- Notice dates are sometimes disputed.
- Deposits are tracked in a separate spreadsheet or not at all.
- Final invoices are worked out by hand.
- Freed places are offered late.
- You are unsure what each leaving family is owed back.