Top-end preschool chain EtonHouse has now offered parents who are withdrawing their children from its Whitley branch a refund of school and registration fees.

Some parents pay about $3,900 in fees for a school term of 10 weeks and about $320 in registration fees.

At a meeting last week, up to 40 parents voiced their frustration with news that EtonHouse was closing the Whitley branch. Many said the school had not given them enough notice.

They were told of the looming closure a week or so into the new school term in a letter signed by EtonHouse director Ng Hark Seng.

In it, he said the preschool, which has 70 children from 18 months to six years old, has to close by April. The land the school sits on was bought by new owners, who want to develop the area, he said.

Parents also said they were frustrated because EtonHouse had done little to help them find places at other preschools.

Three days after meeting the parents, Mr Ng sent an e-mail offering compensation 'as a gesture of goodwill'.

He had said then that the school will 'waive all school fees for the month of January' for parents who withdrew their children between Jan 7 and Jan 31.

For parents who are transferring their children to other EtonHouse preschools, the school will offer a $500 book voucher for each child.

He promised that a cheque would be posted to parents within two weeks.

One parent, civil servant A. Yoganathan, 38, said he was likely to transfer his son to the EtonHouse branch at Newton and called the compensation 'reasonable'.

But he said EtonHouse should still have informed them of the closure earlier.

'The offer should have been on the table at the meeting on Jan 22,' he said.

But not all parents are pleased. The Straits Times understands that at least one expatriate parent is seeking legal advice over the matter.

hoaili@sph.com.sg