The following information is taken from our Admissions policy.

South Normanton Nursery School offers a flexible and inclusive approach for children whose parents wish them to access Nursery School provision prior to starting school.

We have 52 places per session for children from the term a child turns three (known as a “rising three child”) if 2-year-old funding has been granted (for working or vulnerable families), or from the term after a child turns three if a child is only eligible for universal funding. Our sessions are funded by the Local Authority (Derbyshire County Council). There is also an option to purchase additional hours to complement funded sessions. We operate a breakfast session, and we work in partnership with local after-school providers to ensure that your childcare needs can be met. This means our nursery is open term-time from 7.30am to 3.30pm.

Further information regarding the sessions we operate and the after-school club is available here:

 https://southnormantonnurseryalferton.secure-primarysite.net/nursery-sessions-and-wrap-around-care/

Children can start at our nursery the term after their third birthday. We offer universal (15 hours) and extended (30 hours) free early years education entitlement flexibly depending on availability and following our admissions criteria below. We also offer 2-year-old funded sessions for children who are eligible, in the term that they turn three (for working and vulnerable families). Please note that due to staffing ratios, 2-year-old funded places will be limited to 10 in the Autumn Term; 6 in the Spring and 4 in the Summer Term.

Parents can decide to take up all or some of their entitlement with us. However, we state that for continuity for a child, there must be a minimum of two 3-hour funded sessions per week taken at our nursery.

We offer parents the opportunity to buy additional nursery hours. These sessions can complement the morning or afternoon education sessions and are allocated depending on availability of hours and considering the needs of the child.  A contract will be drawn up for purchasing hours and is supported by our Administration of Additional Hours policy which can be found on our website.  More information on additional session fees and the provision for lunchtimes can be found here:

https://www.southnormantonnurseryschool.co.uk/nursery-sessions-and-wrap-around-care/

PLEASE NOTE –AT PRESENT, CHILD CANNOT ACCESS A FULL DAY OR LUNCH TIME SESSION  UNTIL THE TERM AFTER THEIR THIRD BIRTHDAY

 

REGARDLESS OF WHAT ENTITLEMENT YOUR CHILD ACCESSES AT OUR NURSERY, OUR MAIN PRIORITY WILL ALWAYS BE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CHILD.

 

Our hours are as follows:

Session	Session Times
Morning plus breakfast	7.30am to 11.30am
Morning	8.30am to 11.30am
Morning plus lunch	8.30am to 12.30pm
Afternoon	12.30pm to 3.30pm
Afternoon plus lunch	11.30am to 3.30pm
Full day	8.30am to 3.30pm
Full day plus breakfast	7.30am to 3.30pm

These are the times that we open the school for drop off and/or pick up. If other drop off or collection times are needed, then this needs to be agreed previously with the Headteacher.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A PLACE

Parents can phone, email or make an appointment to visit the nursery to put their child’s name down from birth, or they can apply via our website. Visits are warmly welcomed, and open days are advertised on our website and social media for everyone to come and have a look around.

WAITING LIST

Parents are encouraged to put their child’s name down for nursery as soon as possible, stipulating where possible which session they would prefer their child to access and what type of funding their child will be eligible for. This helps us to predict and therefore plan for different cohort sizes.

PLACE ALLOCATION

Parents will be contacted two terms before the child is due to start nursery, asking if parents still require a place and provisional places will be allocated the term before the child starts nursery.

Places will be confirmed via letter, along with transition information as follows:

September starters – during May half-term

January starters – during October half-term

Easter starters – during February half-term

Once confirmation has taken place, the intake period is ‘locked down’ as the new starter induction process begins. If a new family requests a place, then this will be allocated dependent upon availability and then the intake is ‘locked down’ again and so on.

Parents are expected to respond and accept the place within the time limit set, otherwise they will be taken out of the intake period.  

If there is no place available for a child who is eligible for nursery funding, we will contact the parents informing them of this as soon as possible, and offer them a future date when their child will be offered a place or if available, reduced sessions. We will also work with you to help you find alternative provision if needed through our collaborative work with local early years providers.

Visits ready for Nursery

Your child will be invited to a few “Monkey Club” sessions in the term before they start nursery. You can attend as many of these sessions as you wish, although we do recommend that you attend all of them so that you and your child meet key nursery staff and some of the children with whom they will be starting nursery.

Paperwork for your child starting nursery will be completed online through Microsoft Forms.

 

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSIONS TO SOUTH NORMANTON NURSERY SCHOOL

Places will be allocated in the following order to:

1. Children who live in South Normanton who are already of nursery age i.e. 3 or 4 and are in care or have a safeguarding plan (in date of birth order)
2. Children who live in South Normanton who are already of nursery age i.e. 3 or 4 AND have a disability or special educational need or children of forces personnel (in date of birth order)
3. Children who are already of nursery age i.e. 3 or 4 (in date of birth order) who live in South Normanton
4. Children who will be a rising three on entry and are entitled to vulnerable 2-year-old funding, (in date of birth order) who live in South Normanton.
5. Children who will be a rising three on entry and are entitled to working family funding, (in date of birth order) who live in South Normanton.
6. Children who do not live in South Normanton who are already of nursery age i.e. 3 or 4 and are in care or have a safeguarding plan (in date of birth order)
7. Children who do not live in South Normanton who are already of nursery age i.e. 3 or 4 AND have a disability or special educational need or children of forces personnel (in date of birth order)
8. Children who are already of nursery age i.e. 3 or 4 who do not live in South Normanton.
9. Children who will be a rising three on entry and are entitled to vulnerable 2 year old funding who do not live in South Normanton.
10. Children who will be a rising three on entry and are entitled to working family funding, (in date of birth order) who do not live in South Normanton.

Criteria for admissions is followed regardless of when a child’s name was put on our waiting list however, after confirmation letters have been sent out for that intake period, it is ‘locked down’ and from then to the end of that term, places are allocated dependent on availability.

In the case of oversubscription at the time an intake is organised, priority will be given to children following the above criteria.

 

In summary, South Normanton Nursery School offers:

• 15 hour sessions for all 3 and 4 year olds, the term after they turn 3
• 30 hour sessions for ELIGIBLE 3 and 4 year olds
• funded sessions for eligible 2 year olds in the term in which they turn 3.
• additional hours which can be purchased to compliment funded sessions for 3 and 4 year olds (this also includes lunchtime sessions). 2 year olds cannot access additional hours.
• collaboration with local early years providers to ensure your family’s needs are seamlessly met.

The Governing Body monitor and review all provision at the Nursery School and determine any changes necessary based upon sustainability and funding issues and have final decision making duties regarding any issues raised.