Planning for your nursery

This is a step by step guide on how to develop your early years provision.

Your prospectus/nursery pack for new families

  • Include a step by step guide on how to apply to your setting (pages 32-36 in nursery booklet) 
  • Include information on extended 30 hours (template communication letter has been emailed to all schools)
  • School fulltime or sessional policy.

Information to collect

Develop a document collecting all of the information you need in one place. 

Parent details

  • Make a note of parent contact details (address/phone number etc.)
  • Parents do not have to give you this information.  Make it clear that this will not affect placement.
  • Collect details in a document/form where GDPR policy is clearly detailed explaining why you are collecting information, for what purpose, how long you will keep the information and if it will be passed on to anyone.
  • You will also need to create a permission slip in order to use the parents’ data for eligibility purposes.  This form will need to be kept for as long as the child is in receipt of a Funded Placement.

Part-time/Full-time

What type of place do they want?

30 Hours Eligibility

  • Are both parents in employment/meet extended (30) hours criteria? Have criteria outlined in pack. State that it is not the school or the council who determine eligibility – it is the government. If they do not apply they will not receive it.
  • If they are not eligible for 30 hours, would they be willing to pay for the extra hours to make up a full time place? Before you do this, make sure you have calculated how much each place costs. This cost should include premises costs, utilities, overheads, staffing costs etc.

January/April/September Start

Ask if parents want a place in the term following child’s third birthday or September start.

S.A.M. (Schools Admission Module)

  • SAM will provide information of all families that have applied to your setting and a percentage of how many of those are first choice (although it will not tell you which families are first choice).
  • SAM will also provide contact details of all parents that have applied.  You can contact any of these families, asking them to visit your setting. 

Website

Ensure key points relating to your setting are clearly detailed, including:

  • Information relating to extended (30) hours provision & eligibility
  • Fulltime/Part time policy
  • Do you offer wrap around care
  • A timetable of a typical day at nursery (start time, lunch, finish)
  • Step by Step guide on how to apply.

 If you have any comments or further requests, please contact IEYS on Schools.AdditionalHours@towerhamlets.gov.uk

 

Download the contents of this page.