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The Downs Primary School & Nursery

The Downs Primary School & Nursery

Nursery Admissions

The Universal Entitlement

As a parent or carer of a 3 or 4 year old child, you can take up to 15 hours of free early years provision per week. This is known as your child’s Free Early Education Entitlement (FEEE) and is available for all 3and 4 year old children.

Extended Entitlement for Working Parents

Working parents meeting the eligibility criteria are entitled to up to an additional 15 hours of childcare per week. That is in addition to their FEEE entitlement. Parent can claim additional free hours if

  • Both parents are working, or a single parent is working in single parent families
  • They are earning more than the equivalent of the National Minimum Wage for working 16 hours a week
  • Each parent earns less than £100,000 per year

To check if you are eligible for 30 hours free childcare and to apply if you are, please go to www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Nursery Times

We offer both 15 hour and 30 hour places (for those entitled to extended hours). Our session times are as follows:

Mornings  8.30am until 11.30am
Afternoons  12.30pm until 3.30pm
Full day (30 hours)  8.30am until 3.30pm

All children must attend for either 15 hours or 30 hours per week and 30 hour places are only available to those entitled to extended hours.

Application forms for nursery places are available from our school office and a printable copy is available at the bottom of this page.

Once the application is completed and returned to us, your child’s name will be added to our waiting list. Children are admitted to the nursery at some time after their third birthday depending on the numbers on the waiting list and the availability of places.

Admission Arrangements

It is important to us that your child feels happy and safe at school. Starting nursery for the first time can be a very worrying and unsettling time. For this reason, we encourage home visits. These home visits are nothing to worry about, but they are an important part of the admission process for your child. They provide our nursery staff with an opportunity to meet your child whilst they are happy and relaxed in their home environment, and then when your child starts nursery, there will be a recognisable friendly face there to welcome them.  Also, children joining our nursery have a gradual start, attending for just one hour with a parent on the first day and for an hour on their own for a few days after that until they are settled and confident in their new surroundings. Parents are always invited to bring their child along to our nursery to visit and meet our staff. If you would like to arrange a visit, please contact our school office on 01279 445538.