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I believe that all young children should have an equal opportunity to access high quality childcare provision where they will be safe, well cared for and make good progress in their learning and development.

It is my policy to ensure that parents / carers understand my commitment to equalities and fairness, therefore, there needs to be clarity regarding my admissions criteria, funding requirements and charges.

Provision

As outlined in the 2023 EYFS framework, I am restricted to the number and ages of children that I may care for at any one time. As part of my Ofsted registration, I am able to care for 6 children under the age of 8 years, 3 of which may be under 5 years old and 1 of these may be under 1 year old.

When working with registered assistant(s) and taking into consideration indoor space requirements additional children may be cared for. Changes to the ratios may also be made during exceptional circumstances, and where the quality of care and safety and security of children is maintained.

Opening hours

Days:    Monday through to Friday

Times:  8am to 6pm

Fees 

Hourly rate:    £7.50        

Daily rate:        £75

Weekly rate:    £300

These fees include:  Breakfast, snacks, lunch with fruit bowl, tea with fruit bowl and sundries which include, wet wipes, creams, paper towels, toilet paper, soap and hand wash

Additional charges:  We do offer Hartbeeps on a Tuesday which we charge £5 for.

Admissions criteria

I will use the following admission criteria which will be applied in the following order of priority:

 

1. Children who have siblings who are already with me

2. A child requiring a full-time place may have preference over one requiring a part-time place

3. Children whose parents live within the area of approximately 5 miles.

 

A child may be offered a priority place if they are:

• A Looked after children (LAC)

• A child known by the local authority to have special educational needs and/or a disability (SEND) and whose needs can be best met at my setting

• A vulnerable child with either a Child Protection or a Child in Need Plan or Local Authority support /EHCP

 

I promote the fundamental British values, equality and inclusion and ensure that all children have access to a place irrespective of their ethnicity, culture or religion, home language, family background, learning difficulties, disabilities, or gender.

 

Contract / child record form

Prior to a child attending my setting parents must complete and sign a contract and child record form. These documents provide me with personal details relating to the child, for example, child’s full name and date of birth, address, contact details for parents, parental responsibility, emergency contact details, dietary requirements, allergies, health needs, doctor’s contact details, health visitor contact details, vaccinations, parental consents, sessions, collection arrangements, fees etc.

 

Deposit / termination of contract

It is my policy to charge a deposit of £250. which will be held until the end of the contract and returned to the parent(s)/ carer if no payments are then outstanding. If payments are outstanding, I will offset the payment deposit against those payments. A four week  written notice will be necessary to change or terminate the childcare contract by the parents or myself.

There are specific times that a contract can be terminated with immediate effect, and this will be clearly stated on the contract.

 

 

 

 

Childcare and early education entitlements

I offer the following:

• the universal entitlement for all 3- and 4-year-olds

• the extended entitlement for eligible 3- and 4-year-olds with working parents

• the 2-year-old entitlement

• 9 month to 2 years entitlement

The maximum funded hours per day can be 10 hours per sessions (Funded sessions can be from 8:00am – 6:00pm).

 

I offer the following pattern of provision for early education funded places:

 

We offer funding during term time only being 38 weeks per year.

 

We do not have a limit of funded places available.

 

The following days / sessions can be accessed for the free childcare entitlement:

 

We have 10  hour sessions only per day. 10 hours being a minimum. We do not offer 5 hour sessions (1/2 day).

 

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I claim funding from the local authority for your child after having seen evidence to verify their date of birth such as birth certificate and utility bill, as proof of post code, at our initial meeting. I will also need to check parents National Insurance Number to validate their child’s eligibility for 2 years funding, additional 15 hours, 30-hour funding and Early Years Pupil Premium.

Parents will be required to fully complete a Parent Declaration Form, yearly, in order for me to claim any funding and deliver the funded care. If there are any changes to parents circumstances / details and the contracted hours another Parent Declaration Form needs to be completed.

 

Parental-Declaration-NEF-Entitlement-Form.pdf (enfield.gov.uk)

 

For more information on all entitlements including the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP provides additional funding to providers to support disadvantaged three- and four-year-olds in early years setting), to check eligibility criteria please, application process, reconfirm eligibility for 30 hours etc visit:

Childcare Choices website  and  Informed Families website

 

Attendance during funded sessions

Please inform me of any reason your child is unable to attend. I am required to monitor your child’s attendance. Where a child is absent for more than two weeks per term (due to sickness, unplanned circumstances or through being taking on holiday) I must notify the Engagement and Brokerage Team who will advise me with any course of action to follow.

If you take your child out of my setting during funded hours, then I am not required to provide alternative sessions. 

 

Additional charges for funded sessions

I make a charge for certain additional services.

Breakfast: £ 3.00

Morning snack: £ 1.50

Lunch: £ 5.00

Afternoon snack: £ 1.50

Tea: £ 4.00

Sundries: £ 4.50

Outings / activity: itemised on your invoice (fee will be agreed prior to outing / activity)

Please note that if you are accessing one of the childcare and early years entitlements, government funding is not intended to cover the cost of meals, other consumables (such as nappies or sun cream), additional hours or additional services (such as trips and specialist tuition). If you are only accessing funded hours, then these charges are optional and are not a condition of accessing a free place. All additional charges will be itemised on your invoice. If you experience difficulties meeting the cost of these additional services, please come and speak to me.

Occasional charges

There may be times that other fees are added to your monthly invoice. These may include:

Late collection fee: £10 per 30 minutes.

Early arrival/Late drop off fee: £10 per 30 minutes.

Late payment fee: Your regular payment is due no later than the 1st of the month. Late payment incurs a fee of £25 per week.

Unsociable hours: My usual working hours are from 8am until 6pm.

Invoice

 

A clear, itemised invoice (including my details) will be issued to all parents to clarify any additional fees. This will also allow parents to see that they have received their free entitlement completely free of charge and understand fees paid for additional hours, food, consumables, extracurricular activities, and outings.

 

 

 

Payment

Payment day: Last day of the month for the upcoming month.

Payments are monthly and in advance.

Preferred mode of payment BACS .

I accept payment via most childcare vouchers. Please check with me as to whether I accept the vouchers provided by your workplace. I am also registered with the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare system.

Holidays / unplanned absences / inset days

I take 2 weeks’ at Christmas and 4 weeks in the summer as holiday each year which is not charged.  I will share my holiday dates in November and July each year. Parents just accessing the funding entitlement do not have to pay for any time taken for my holiday.

Parents’ holiday incurs a 100% charge if four weeks’ notice is given. Otherwise, normal fees apply.

I am closed on all bank and public holidays and normal fee will apply including for funded sessions

If I have to close my setting at short notice, for example because of sickness or emergencies there will be no charge and a refund will be made to parents in order to make alternative arrangements. For funded sessions alternative sessions will be offered.

If a child is absent due to sickness or any other reason normal fees apply.

For further information see my illness and infectious diseases policy.

I may take up to a maximum of 5 inset days, for training, within the year and a minimum of 4 weeks’ notice will be given. Normal fee will apply, this includes funded places.

Concerns about the Funded Entitlement?

Please discuss your concerns with me. If you are not happy with the outcome you can contact Informed Families (IF) regarding your concerns: Email: if@enfield.gov.uk

Informed Families operate a helpline which is available from Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm Tel:  0800 694 1066

 

 

 

 7 August 2024