Entrance Policy/ Parental Agreement

 Statement of Intent

We hope to ensure the smooth running of pre-school at all times through the co-operation of parents/carers, staff and the management committee.

 Aim

To make parents/carers aware of and understand the requirements they should agree to when a child enters pre-school and so in this way pre-school will continue to thrive and offer a smooth running provision.

 Method

• Usually pre-school will run sessions Monday afternoon and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. During February to July a Rising Fives afternoon session or sessions will run in addition to the above. Parents/carers will be kept up to date with session times and availability.

• Generally children are accepted for admission from the age of two years nine months old.

• If a child has special educational needs their requirements need to be discussed with staff before admission.

• Our service is fully inclusive in meeting the needs of all children, particularly those that arise from their ethnic heritage, social and economic background, gender, ability or disability.

• Ideally children attending pre-school should be capable of taking themselves to the toilet unaided. Prior discussion with staff is requested before accepting a child in pre-school who wears nappies or pulls ups during the day.

• In the main room there is an information board between the kitchen and busy room doors that displays details of staff, children’s key person, the pre-school curriculum, activities and their aims. Other information for parents can be found in the cloakroom.

• In order for the children to have a diverse environment to learn and play in we need help from parents/carers. To deliver the range and quality of activities our sessions run for 15 minutes longer than the 2 ½ hours that we receive funding for. Usually we do not charge top up fees to cover this cost as we appreciate the help that parents/carers give. We request help by operating a ‘duty helper rota’. After a child has attended pre-school for a half term or so and has become settled parents/carers are requested to undertake duties in accordance with the amount of sessions their child has e.g. one session per week equals one ‘duty’ per half term; two sessions per week equals two duties per half term and so on.

• If you do not wish, or are unable, to undertake rota duties we offer the option of paying a session fee (currently £7.00) for each duty you were required to undertake. The only exception to this rule is if you are over 34 weeks pregnant, up until your baby is 8 weeks old. This is the only exemption that applies.

• For safety reasons children must wear suitable clothing and footwear. For indoor play children must wear soft shoes, plimsolls or slippers and for outdoor play wellington boots or waterproof shoes.

• In exceptional circumstances and only after extensive discussion with and at the discretion of staff and/or committee a parent/carer may be asked to withdraw their child from pre-school due to, for example, unruly behaviour; unreasonable distress; non payment of fees.

• Children should be collected promptly at the end of a session from the main room. The parent/carer then escorts their child to the cloakroom and it is the parents/carers responsibility to ensure the child’s safe exit from pre-school. If a child is collected more than 15 minutes late without prior notification we reserve the right to make a charge of £5.00 for every 15 minutes late or part thereof.

• Any disagreements, concerns, complaints or queries should in the first instance be brought to the attention of staff and/or committee to resolve. Our complaints procedure is available on request or can be located in the parent information file in the cloakroom.

• All our policies and procedures are available on request or can be located in the parent information file in the cloakroom. We endeavour to review these documents annually and welcome any input parents/carers wish to give.

• We welcome parents/carers views and have a suggestion box in the cloakroom. We hope that we listen to and value what parents/carers say.

• Our first priority is your child’s welfare and we will usually discuss any concerns we might have about your child with you. However, there might be occasions when we have to provide information to or consult other agencies such as Children’s Services Social Care before we contact you. Our responsibility to do so is determined by Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Inter-Agency Child Protection Procedures 2006. If you would like to know more about these procedures please speak to the Play Leader.

• From the term after their third birthday every child is entitled to Nursery Education funding for up to 5 pre-school sessions, per week. This funding continues until the child starts primary school and is paid by Dorset County Council. For this purpose the LEA has set the funding periods as Spring 1st January to 31st March, Summer 1st April to 31st August and Autumn 1st September to 31^st December. To obtain the funding parents must complete an attendance declaration form for each funding period. Children who join the Pre-School mid-term are covered by nursery funding, if eligible.

• We charge fees for any session not paid by Nursery Education funding, eg: if a child’s funding is allocated to a different provider, or if the child begins attending pre-school before they become eligible for funding. Fees are currently £7.00 per session. Fees are increased annually. Any increase will be discussed at a Committee Meeting and notified in advance via a newsletter.

• Fees are payable in advance each half term preferably in full but if this is not possible alternative arrangements can be arranged after discussion with the committee treasurer or secretary. If top-up fees have to be charged the same will apply. Fees are due in advance and payment is expected within 1 week of the bill being issued. If fees are not paid for 2 weeks then your child may not be able to attend Pre-School until the outstanding amount has been paid. If fees are unpaid for 4 weeks this may result in your child losing their place at Pre-School. If you are unable to pay the whole amount in advance you may speak to the committee treasurer or secretary in confidence to discuss the possibility of a regular payment plan. We reserve the right to withdraw your child’s place at pre-school if fees are unpaid for 4 weeks and no prior agreement has been made with the committee. Such action would only be taken after full discussion with the parent/carer and after one week’s written notice has been given.

• If a child is absent without notice for more than three weeks then their place is considered to be no longer required and may be given to the next child on the waiting list. Fees already paid will not be re-funded.

• If a child is absent due to illness, holidays or other circumstances any fees already paid will be kept as a retainer. However, a child may attend on an alternative day, subject to availability, after discussion with the play leader.

• Parents should give a full half-term’s notice if a decrease in the number of sessions is required. An increase in sessions, or a change of day, will be subject to availability.

• A half-term’s notice is required to end your child’s place.

• The attendance of a child at pre-school is an indication that parents/carers agree and understand this policy and agree to abide by the decisions of the staff and committee.

 

 

This policy was adopted at a meeting of Larksmead Pre-school Committee

Held on: 20^th January 2009