New Starter

If your child is due to start with us in September, we operate a staggered start to help children settle happily and confidently into the setting. This means there will only be one new child starting each day, allowing us to give each child plenty of time, attention and support during their first sessions. Settling sessions usually take place over the first two to three weeks after we return from the summer break.We will contact you with your child’s settling session dates and times before we break up for the summer holidays.

Before your child starts with us, you and your child will be invited to attend a meeting with their Key Person. This gives us the opportunity to get to know your child better and talk with you about the things they enjoy, any dislikes they may have, and how we can best comfort and support them while they settle in.

Your child will then be invited to attend a two-hour settling session. You are very welcome to stay with your child during this session, although we do encourage you to try leaving for a short period if they are comfortable. We will send you a message via WhatsApp to let you know how your child is getting on.  If they are particuarly upset and can’t be settled we may ask you to come back a little earlier.  Following this, your child will attend a three-hour settling session if possible.

We will then work closely with you to discuss the next steps and gradually increase your child’s sessions and hours at a pace that feels right for them, building up to a full day where appropriate.

2-Year-Olds

• Eligible working families may receive up to 30 funded hours per week.
• Some disadvantaged families, including those receiving qualifying benefits such as Universal Credit, may also be entitled to up to 15 funded hours per week.

3 and 4-Year-Olds

• Universal Entitlement: All families are entitled to 15 funded hours per week, regardless of income or employment status.
• Extended Entitlement: Eligible working families may be entitled to up to 30 funded hours per week.

Please note:
You must apply for your funding and receive your eligibility code in the preceding term for funding to begin on time.

If you delay your application until September, or receive your code after 31 August, your funding will not begin until the following term, meaning January 2027.

Funding Term Deadline Dates

• Autumn Term: Funding from 1st September apply by 31st December
• Winter Term: Funding from 1st January apply by 31st March
• Spring/Summer Term: Funding from 1st April apply by 31st August

Our core hours are 8.30am to 3.30pm.  We have the option to drop off early at 8.15am which needs to be pre booked. 

When your child starts with us, they will be provided with a book bag, gym-style bag, wet bag and a Pre School T-shirt.

Please send your child to Pre School with:

• Their book bag
• A healthy lunchbox – guidance here >
• A named water bottle
• Their gym bag
• Their wet bag

If your child wears nappies, please provide a pack of nappies and wet wipes. These will be kept in the office in a labelled drawer and used as needed for your child. Staff will let you know when we need more sent in.

Inside your child’s gym bag, please include several spare changes of clothes, including a warm jumper, along with spare pants and socks.

As our children enjoy lots of messy play, outdoor adventures and water activities lots of spare clothing is essential.

Please ensure that all items are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

Unfortunately, government early years funding does not cover the full cost of providing the high-quality experiences and opportunities we offer at Pre School, and only funds the basic provision.

To help us continue offering enriching experiences, we ask families to make a voluntary contribution of £5 per day your child attends (increasing to £5.50 per day from September 2026).

This contribution helps cover:

• Morning and afternoon snacks, where children can choose from a variety of healthy options including cereal, toast, yoghurt, cheese, crackers, breadsticks, malt loaf, fruit and vegetables.
• Unlimited creative resources in the art room, such as paint and art materials.
• Trips, outings and visitors to the setting.
• Protective clothing and resources for outdoor and all-weather play.
• Special events and celebrations throughout the year, including our Countdown to Christmas activities and Leavers Festival.
• Small birthday gifts and occasional treats.

The voluntary contribution is not compulsory, and choosing not to pay will not affect your child’s place at Pre School. However, without these contributions we would be unable to provide the breadth of experiences, resources and quality of education that make our setting so special.

We do not believe in restricting a child to the above experiences if their parent is unable to pay. As a charity setting we try really hard to keep our costs as low as possible whilst offering the highest quality childcare and education. 

If you require sessions in addition to your child’s funded hours allocation, these are charged at £6.20 per hour.

Invoices for additional hours and voluntary contributions are issued at the start of each half term.

If you ever experience difficulties with payments, please speak to us as soon as possible. We understand that circumstances can change, and we are happy to discuss payment plans or support options wherever we can. Our priority is to ensure that no family feels under pressure or unnecessary stress.

We love sharing your child’s experiences and achievements with you through conversations and photos from the setting. Every Friday, we upload lots of photos from our week onto Tapestry, our parent app, so you can see all the exciting things your child has been doing and experiencing at Pre School.

Your child’s Key Person is always happy to chat with you about your child’s progress, development and interests.  We also hold regular parent/teacher meetings throughout their time at Pre School.

If you have any worries or concerns please speak to your child’s Key Person or a member of the management team at any time. We want families to feel supported and welcomed as part of our Pre School community.

If your child is unwell and unable to attend Pre School, please contact us as soon as possible on the morning of their session by:

• Calling 01202 942296
• Emailing the setting before your child is due to start

As part of our safeguarding procedures, if we have not been informed of your child’s absence, we will need to contact you to ensure they are safe and accounted for.

Early years education is not compulsory, and families are able to take holidays during term time. However, please be aware that if your child is absent for more than two consecutive weeks, you may risk losing your funded hours for that term. Please speak to the management team in advance regarding any planned time off.

Unfortunately, due to staffing ratios and session planning, we are unable to swap sessions or offer replacement days for absences due to illness or holidays. Any missed sessions are therefore non-refundable.

To help protect the health and wellbeing of all children and staff, we ask parents to follow our sickness policy. The main points are:

• Children must remain away from Pre School for 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea.
• We are unable to accept children who have been given Calpol or other fever-reducing medication before attending, as this can mask symptoms and your child may still be contagious. Young children can also become more unwell very quickly during the day.
• Unfortunately, we are unable to administer medication within the setting.
• If your child has been prescribed a new medication, they must remain off Pre School for 48 hours after starting it. This is to allow time for any possible allergic reactions or side effects to become apparent.
• Please avoid sending your child in with any contagious illnesses such as chicken pox, Scarlet Fever, Impetigo, Measles, Mumps, Head lice until treatment has begun, A high temperature or fever, Unexplained rashes

If you are ever unsure whether your child is well enough to attend, please contact the setting for advice.