Foley Park  Primary Academy Nursery Admission Policy and Procedures

Foley Park Primary Academy is a one form entry primary school, for children aged 3 to 11 years old in Kidderminster. We are in Worcestershire Local Authority and are part of Victoria Academies Trust. Foley Park Nursery operates as part of the EYFS provision at Foley Park Primary Academy.

We have capacity for a maximum of 26 children each session.

Admission, Sessions and Funding

To apply for a place in our Nursery class we request a completed Nursery application form. These can be obtained from the main office at Foley Park Primary Academy. Please be aware that a place in the nursery does not guarantee a place in the school, or give any advantage to the child’s application for a Reception place. Parents/ carers must apply for a school place through Worcestershire admissions procedure the year before they are due to start Reception.

Admission to Nursery

The normal date for admission to Nursery is the September after a child’s third birthday.

If spaces are available, children can be admitted to start earlier than this, at the beginning of the term following their third birthday.

i.e. Children born between 1^st September and 31^st December may start Nursery in the January after their third birthday if there are spaces available.

Children who are born between 1^st January and 31^st March may start Nursery after Easter (after their third birthday) if there are spaces available.

Rising Threes

We are sometimes able to offer spaces to rising threes, starting at the beginning of the term in which a child will be three. This depend on spaces available and will not be covered by Nursery funding. All rising three sessions are charged at £3 per hour.

Sessions and Funding

The Nursery operates on a term time only basis, the same as the main school. These dates can be found on the school website.

There are ten sessions available each week; two sessions per day. There is also the option to stay for lunch and take advantage of our Wraparound provision. Session times are as follows:

Morning session 8.50am – 12pm

Lunch session 12 – 1pm

Afternoon session 1pm – 3pm

Wraparound

Breakfast club 7.30 – 8.30 am

Phoenix after school care is available until 5.45pm

Universal Entitlement

All children are entitled to 15 funded nursery hours per week, commencing from the term after their third birthday.

Parents may choose which sessions they would like their child to attend subject to availability. Sessions are usually chosen when the child starts nursery, but these may be changed at a later date if there are spaces available.

Any extra hours booked over the 15 hours per week entitlement will be charged for.

Fees will be payable in advance, via Parent Pay. 

Extended Entitlement

Depending on circumstances, parents may be entitled to claim 30 funded hours per week for their child.

An online childcare calculator can be found at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk where parents are able to establish their entitlement and make an application if they qualify.

Allocation of Nursery Places

An application form for a nursery place should be completed and returned to the school office as soon as possible.  For a place beginning in September, you must apply by 31^st March at the latest.

Children who will be three before September will be allocated places first.

Parents will be notified of their place after the Easter holidays.

If there are unfilled places available, children who will be three years old by 31^st December will then be considered for a Rising Three place.

Over subscription Criteria

 Where there are more applications than places, the following criteria will be used to decide which children are offered a place:

1. Child’s age (For September intake, children should have had their 3^rd birthday on or before 31^st August of the year of admission).
2. Looked after, or previously looked after children.
3. Children with a particular educational, social or medical need. (These applications should be supported by a professional report)
4. Children who have a sibling attending the school and who live in the school catchment area.
5. Children who live in the catchment area.
6. Children with siblings attending the school who live outside of the catchment area.
7. Children of members of staff.
8. Distance – children who live nearest to the school gate calculated in a direct straight line from the child’s permanent residence.

Additional Information

• As places in the nursery are limited, parents/ guardians are advised that poor attendance without good cause may lead to withdrawal of the place.
• Please be aware if your child is attending for more sessions than their funded hours, fees will be payable in advance. If a child does not attend nursery for any reason, their session is still chargeable and cannot be swapped or replaced with alternative days. Additionally, we reserve the right to withdraw sessions if nursery fees are not paid.
• Children should be brought to and collected from nursery by a responsible adult over the age of 18 years.
• Emergency contact details and medical information must be provided before children can start nursery.

This policy has been agreed by

Headteacher     ___________________________________________                    Date _________________

Academy Council  __________________________________________                 Date _________________

Review date:  November 2021