Nursery Admission Policy

Arboretum Primary School operates two nurseries, one for two year olds and one for three and four year olds. Both nurseries aim to provide a high quality nursery experience for children that is geared towards a smooth transition into the next phase of education.

The governing body is the admission authority and is responsible for setting the school’s Nursery Admissions Policy. This policy is written to ensure fairness and equality for all those intending to begin their education at the school.

This policy has due regard to legislation and guidance including, but not limited to, the following:

Childcare Act 2006
Childcare Act 2016
Data Protection Act 2018
The General Data Protection Regulation
DfE (2014) ‘School Admissions Code’
DfE (2012) ‘School Admission Appeals Code’
DfE (2018) ‘Early education and childcare’
DfE (2018) ‘Early years entitlements: operational guide’

2.Free childcare arrangements

2.1:Three and Four Year Olds

The Local Authority (LA) is required to secure free places offering 570 hours childcare a year, over no fewer than 38 weeks of the year, and up to 52 weeks of the year, for every eligible child in the LA from the relevant dates outlined.

Children are eligible for free childcare from the relevant dates (outlined below) up until the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday.

With regards to the age criteria, pupils will be eligible as follows:

Born between 1 January-31 March: eligible from the start of term beginning on, or following, 1 April after the child’s third birthday

Born between 1 April-31 August: eligible from the start of term beginning on, or following 1 September after the child’s third birthday

Born between 1 September-31 December: eligible from the start of term beginning on or following 1 January after the child’s third birthday

The school can accommodate a maximum of 78 nursery children.

The school does not offer 30 hours free childcare as an extension to the universal 15 hours free childcare.

For children who take up their place later in the year or have moved to the LA part-way through the year, the LA will secure a pro-rata’d number of free hours. The total number of hours will be adjusted to reflect the portion of the year remaining.

The LA will ensure that any three or four-year-olds moving to England from another country can access their free place on the same basis as other children.

Arboretum Primary School offers 570 hours as 15 hours per week, over 38 weeks per year.

Nursery children are offered three hours of free childcare daily:

Either Mornings – 8:30-11:30am

Or Afternoons – 12:30-3:30pm

2.2:Two Year Olds

Since September 2013, local authorities have a statutory responsibility to ensure that all two-year-olds who meet the eligibility criteria can access a free early learning place.

Eligibility criteria:

Your two year old can get funded early learning and childcare if you live in England and if you claim one of the following benefits:

Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Universal Credit - if you and your partner have a combined income from work of less than £15,400 a year after tax
Tax credits and you have an annual income of under £16,190 before tax
The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
Support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act
The Working Tax Credit 4 week run on, this is the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.
Children of Zambrano Carers if their parents meet similar low level income requirements to others eligible for the scheme
Children of families with no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private/family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights who meet the same criteria of economic disadvantage
Children of a subset of failed asylum seekers (supported under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 – ‘the 1999 Act’) who meet the same criteria of economic disadvantage.

Or your two year old:

is looked after by the Derby City Local Authority
has an adoption order
has a residence order or child arrangements order
has a special guardianship order
receives Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

With regards to the age criteria, pupils will be eligible as follows:

Born between 1 January-31 March: eligible from the start of term beginning on, or following, 1 April after the child’s second birthday

Born between 1 April-31 August: eligible from the start of term beginning on, or following 1 September after the child’s second birthday

Born between 1 September-31 December: eligible from the start of term beginning on or following 1 January after the child’s second birthday

For two-year-old children who take up their place later in the year or have moved to the LA part-way through the year, the LA will secure a pro-rata’d number of free hours. The total number of hours will be adjusted to reflect the portion of the year remaining.

Arboretum Primary School offers 570 hours as 15 hours per week, over 38 weeks per year in the Two Year Old Nursery.

Two Year Old Nursery children are offered three hours of free childcare daily:

Either Mornings – 8:30-11:30am

Or Afternoons – 12:30-3:30pm

3.Application Process for Three and Four Year Olds

3.1:Waiting List

Parents may register their interest in a place at the nursery at any time following their child’s birth, by contacting the school office. The child’s birth certificate will be required as proof of their date of birth. These children will be entered on a waiting list to be considered for a place when they reach the appropriate age. Placing a child’s name on the waiting list does not guarantee that a place will become available for the child. The date on which a child was added to the waiting list will not be taken into consideration when places are offered.

3.2:Offering Places

The main point of entry to the nursery will be in September each year. Places for the September entry will be offered during the preceding Summer term to children who will be three by 31^st August of that year. If there are more children on the waiting list than places available, priority will be given by the Governors in line with the Oversubscription Criteria – see section 3.3.

Places will be offered by contacting parents by letter or telephone using the contact details provided. If no response is received within 4 weeks of making the offer, the place may be offered to another child on the waiting list.

If places are available for entry in the Spring or Summer terms, these will be offered to children on the waiting list who have reached the eligible age:

Born between 1 January-31 March: eligible from the start of term beginning on, or following, 1 April after the child’s third birthday

Born between 1 April-31 August: eligible from the start of term beginning on, or following 1 September after the child’s third birthday

Born between 1 September-31 December: eligible from the start of term beginning on or following 1 January after the child’s third birthday

If there are more children on the waiting list than places available, priority will be given by the Governors in line with the Oversubscription Criteria.

3.3:Oversubscription Criteria for Three and Four Year Olds

Children who are ’Looked after’ in accordance with section 22 of the Children Act 1989.
Children who are on the Child Protection Register and live in the normal area served by the school.
Children who are living in the normal catchment area of the school and have attended our 2 year old Nursery for at least one term.
Children who are living in the normal catchment area of the school and have siblings of compulsory school age attending the school at the time of admission.
Children where there is outside agency involvement and live in the normal catchment area served by the school.
Children from the normal catchment area of the school.
Children from the wider area of the school who have attended our 2 year old Nursery for at least one term.
Children from the wider area of the school order who have siblings attending school at the time of admission.
Children from the wider area of the school.

If there are more children within a category then there are places available, places will be allocated in date of birth order, starting with the oldest child.

Children who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan that names the school are admitted before the oversubscription criteria is applied.

4.Application Process for Two Year Olds

Places are only available in our Two Year Old Nursery for children who meet the eligibility for a funded 2 Year Old place – see section 2.2.

Applications for funding for Two Year Olds should be made to Derby City Council during the term before the child reaches two years old. See https://www.derby.gov.uk/community-and-living/childcare/early-learning/ or contact the Family Information Service on 01332 640758.

If a child is eligible, you will receive a letter from Derby City Council confirming their funding. Once you receive this, bring it to the school to enable your child to be added to the waiting list for the start date given on the letter.

If there are more children on the waiting list than places available, priority will be given by the Governors in line with the Oversubscription Criteria.

Any children who do not receive a place will be signposted to other local nurseries who may be able to offer them a place.

4.1:Oversubscription Criteria for Two Year Olds

Children who are ’Looked after’ in accordance with section 22 of the Children Act 1989.
Children who are on the Child Protection Register and live in the normal area served by the school.
Children who are living in the normal catchment area of the school and have siblings of compulsory school age attending the school at the time of admission.
Children where there is outside agency involvement and live in the normal catchment area served by the school.
Children from the normal catchment area of the school.
Children from the wider area of the school order who have siblings attending school at the time of admission.
Children from the wider area of the school.

If there are more children within a category then there are places available, places will be allocated in date of birth order, starting with the oldest child.

Children who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan that names the school are admitted before the oversubscription criteria is applied.

5.Withdrawing offers

Once a written offer has been made, there are limited circumstances in which an offer can be withdrawn – these are as follows:

Offers made on the basis of fraudulent applications
Offers made on the basis of intentionally misleading applications
Parents not responding to an offer within four weeks
A child is in receipt of more than their entitlement of nursery education
A family registering their child at two maintained settings

6.Refusal of admission

A child is only refused admission if one of the following criteria are met:

The nursery has reached its admissions limit
The child is not of the appropriate age

Parents do not have a statutory right to appeal against the admission authority’s refusal to award a place to their child.

Parents may appeal to the SEND tribunal against the provision named by the authority in the EHC plan.

7.Admission to Reception

Children who attend the Nursery do not have an automatic place in the Reception classes at Arboretum and should apply through Derby City central admissions. The application period for reception admissions is normally during the Autumn term following the child’s 3^rd birthday. It is the responsibility of the parents to apply for a school place.

See the School Admission Policy for more details.

8.Transition Arrangements

Arboretum Primary School aim to ensure a smooth transition between Nurseries, or between Nursery and Reception class, whichever nursery or school the child attends.

Parents are invited to visit the school / nursery prior to the transition.

Nursery children and their parents will be invited to visit the nursery during the summer term before they start in September.

Reception children will be invited to attend transition visits with their class teacher during the summer term.

A photograph book displaying aspects of the school is used to prepare children for their transition.

During the Summer term, Reception teachers from the primary schools to which the children will transfer come in to meet with the children.

During the visit, the child’s key worker provides the teacher with information about the child’s progress across all the areas of learning and will spend time talking to the teacher about the child’s social, health and emotional needs.

Details of children with SEND or particular educational requirements are shared, including their development throughout the year, support given and needed, and details of any other agencies involved.

Separate transition meetings are held for children with EHC plans, involving all agencies, including visits to new settings with staff.

9.Data Protection

All personal data will be held in line with the DDAT Data Protection Policy and Privacy / Fair Processing Notice. For more information please visit the school website: https://www.arboretum.derby.sch.uk/data-protection-1/

Slideshow

Nursery Admission Policy

Related Area

Cookies

Cookies

Website CMS

Matomo

reCaptcha

Cookie notice