The Old Fire Station Nursery is registered for 54 children:
The above statement is taken from the registration document and is the overriding policy in respect of admissions. Other matters taken into account in deciding which child can be offered a place in the nursery are:
We operate an inclusion and equality policy and ensure that children have access to nursery places and services irrespective of gender, race, religion, colour or creed. Prior to a child attending nursery, parents/carers must complete and sign a contract and registration form. These forms provide the nursery with personal details relating to the child. For example, name, date of birth, address, emergency contact details, dietary requirements, allergies, collection arrangements, fees and sessions, contact details for parents/carers, doctor’s contact details, health visitor contact details, parental consent, person assuming parental responsibility etc. New parents are also asked to provide the child’s original birth certificate. We also require seeing the child’s ‘red book’ of immunisations to check all vaccinations are up to date. You will also be asked to declare in writing if you are known to any outside agencies i.e. Social Services.
Before starting our nursery each family is asked to complete an ‘All about me’ booklet. In order to find out about each child we ask parents to share some useful information to help us make the settling in process as easy as possible for each family. Words in the child’s home language are included and this sheet booklet the first page of the child’s new learning journey. A new ‘All About Me’ sheet is completed each time a child moves in to a new base room and changes key worker.
Parents are asked to give four weeks written notice before withdrawing their child from the nursery, failure to do so will result in parents being billed for the month. Parents are also asked to give four weeks prior written notice for any holidays taken. Parents are also told that they will need to pay for any days which the children are off sick. Children can only attend nursery for their registered days and days cannot be swapped. If parents would like their child to attend on a day other than their registered days then they must ask the Nursery Manager if there is any availability in advance. If there is an available place in the child’s base room then the parent will be billed for the extra session at the end of that month.
During registration all new parents are made aware of a late pick up fee whereby parents are charged five pounds for every five to ten minutes after the agreed collection time. The nursery is closed for bank holidays and for a week during the Christmas period. Parents are informed that they will still be required to pay for these days. Parents are also asked for a non-refundable fifty pounds registration fee for each child registered at the nursery prior to the child’s start date. A copy of our price list is given to parents (see appendix 1).
All settings registered to accept nursery education funding must offer free places for three to five year olds for fifteen hours per week; children may use a maximum of five hours in any one session. At The Old Fire Station Nursery we currently provide free funded places available for children subject to availability. These places will be allocated on a first come first served basis and can be booked a term in advance. Please note for admissions for nursery education funded sessions we have a termly intake, beginning the term following your child’s third birthday.
The Old Fire Station Children’s Nursery also offers Early Education Eligibility (EEE) funding whereby least advantaged two year olds are entitled to ten to fifteen hours free early education each week. They must meet the eligibility criteria and parents are required to provide proof. Places are subject to availability.
We offer three hours of “settling in” sessions free of charge. These can be taken over 1, 2 or 3 days. These are best carried out as close as possible to the date the child starts nursery to help them settle in. Parents do not have to stay during these sessions, but that is up to the individual parent.
We accept payment via workplace child vouchers. All payments are to be received a month in advance. Payment is required on the 1st of each month. There will be a fee of twenty pounds for any payments made after the 1st day of the month. Regrettably, if we are not in receipt of payment by the 14th of the month, we will be unable to accept your child at the nursery.