As a result of the pandemic the way we are operating has changed and further changes may be made at short notice. Please contact us for current information. At St Marks Rd we offer full day care for children aged 3 months to 4 years, our before and after school clubs have been suspended and holiday club provision for children aged 5 to 14 may take place if there is demand. Places are available to anyone who requires care for their children. Admissions are generally available all year round, however funded early education places are subject to the local authority’s funding timetable. A child’s funded place may only be moved to a different setting during the term under exceptional circumstances as set out by the local authority.

Place allocation is a complex matter and some sessions may have limited availability, dependent on the number of full-time equivalent places being taken up. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis dependent on availability of sessions required. We will seek to accommodate the needs of each family where possible. Where a place cannot immediately be found then children will be placed on a waiting list.

Waiting List Criteria

Children will remain on the waiting list until a place becomes available. As a place becomes available, it will be offered to the family whose needs it most closely matches in terms of age of child and pattern of sessions available. Where there is more than one such match, offers will be made on the following priority basis: siblings of children already attending; children who have been or are eligible for 2-year funding; children who qualify for EYPP; children living nearest to the nursery.

Prioritising Places During the Pandemic

If there is a need to prioritise places, for example where we are unable to operate at full capacity, we will give priority to:

• vulnerable children and children of critical workers
• then 3- and 4-year-olds, in particular those who will be transitioning to reception
• followed by younger age groups

Funding and Fees

Full day care, wraparound and out of school provision may be paid for directly by parents, through voucher schemes and through tax free childcare. We encourage all parents to access the Childcare Choices website to find the best package of support for their circumstances. Full details of our pricing structure can be found on our website and on Annex one to the childcare contract.

Annex one shows which sessions have been booked, which are funded and which are chargeable, during term time and in holidays. We recognise that childcare costs are a significant proportion of family spending and can calculate an average weekly or monthly payment plan to ease cashflow throughout the year.

Fees are based on sessions booked and not attendance. Refunds and credits will not be given for days where your child does not attend due to sickness or holiday. We do not allow swapping of days unless it is permanent and there is availability.

We also provide care funded by Care to Learn, Jobcentre + and other agencies.

Funded Early Education Entitlement

15 funded hours for two year olds are available for eligible families and for all three- and four-year olds. These may be taken as 15 standalone hours over 38 weeks, or with wraparound with additional hours chargeable. Please contact us to find out what sessions we are currently offering. We may be able to offer some flexibility for working parents. Where sessions include meals, these are chargeable, see Annex one.

For families who require funded sessions with wraparound over 47 weeks we will work out the pattern of attendance that is most cost effective whilst meeting their needs. This may include ‘stretching’ funded sessions over the year.

A further 15 funded hours (extended hours) are available for eligible three- and four-year olds. These may be taken as 30 standalone hours over 38 weeks, or with wraparound with additional hours chargeable.

For families who require funded sessions with wraparound over 47 weeks we will work out the pattern of attendance that is most cost effective whilst meeting their needs. This may include ‘stretching’ funded sessions over the year.

Families may usually choose to use their extended hours with one or more providers, however during the pandemic we are not accepting children who are attending more than one setting.

There is usually no limit to the number of funded places available, other than that dictated by Ofsted room size and staffing requirements. During the pandemic, we are operating in ‘bubbles’ to reduce risk of transmission of the virus between different groups of children and staff. This limits the number of places available.

Full Price Day Care: Session Times

Session times are designed to maximise the number of places available whilst providing enough flexibility to meet families’ needs. We are currently open between 8.00am and 4.30pm, with a 7.30am early drop available by agreement.

Late Fees

A charge is made if a child is collected after the end of their session time. This will be £10 for the first 15 minutes and £10 each subsequent 15 minutes. If lateness persists parents may be asked to change their session times or cancel their child’s place.

Complaints

If a parent has concerns in relation to the funding of the FEEE, they should take this up in the first instance with the Nursery Management Team. Where the Nursery Management Team is unable to resolve such concerns, the parents should contact Childcare and Families Information Team, 1st Floor, School Organisation and Provision, Children and Young People, Derby City Council, The Council House, Corporation Street, Derby, DE1 2FS, 01332 642603.