Opening Hours:
Admissions & Fee Policies
Admissions & Fee Policies
Monday-Friday 9am-12pm
Term time only, 38 weeks per year making a total of 570 hours.
We take children from 2-4 years of age who are in receipt of funding: Early Learning for 2 year olds or working parent entitlement and 3/4 universal funding.
Our funded hours are 'free' at the point of delivery, no further payments are expected from parents at this time.
For those children who aren't eligible for funding, our fees are £16 per 3 hour session.
Please note that we can't give a refund for sessions missed as that place has to be saved for that child.
Preschool may offer some of the extended 30 hours government funded hours for qualifying working parents - please visit Best Start in Life - Best Start in Life for further information and to see if you are eligible. This offer is dependent on the numbers of eligible children and how financially viable it is to offer these. In the past extended hours have been offered, however at this current time we do not offer any extra hours over and above the 15 hours per week.
Admissions Policy:
It is the intention of Sandcastles Preschool to make our provision accessible to children and families from all sections of the community. Our admissions policy operates within an equal
opportunities framework and is regularly reviewed. We deliver standard 15-hour sessions, term time only, 9am-12pm/ There may be flexibility on these hours should there be a requirement and if enough children require spaces to be flexible.
• We will ensure that the existence of Sandcastles Preschool is widely known in local communities. Advertising notices will be placed in widely accessible areas.
• We will describe practices in terms which make it clear that all sections of the community are welcomed.
• We will ensure that the description of the setting and its practices demonstrates how the setting enables children and/or parents with additional needs to take part in the activity of the setting.
• We will monitor the gender and ethnic background of the individuals joining the group to monitor our intake and ensure it is representative of social diversity.
• We will ensure that information about our setting is accessible in written form to all. Where necessary we will try to provide information in spoken form, Braille, in more than one language, through signing or an interpreter.
• Children from the age of 3 will be admitted in accordance with our Ofsted Registration. We also offer funding from the age of 2 both for early learning for 2 year olds and working parent 2 year entitlement.
Please ask for more details. If enough children are eligible, Preschool may offer some of the 30 funded hours.
• We will endeavour to be flexible regarding attendance to accommodate the needs of all families.
• We will keep a place vacant, if this is financially viable, to accommodate an emergency admission.
Any waiting lists will be monitored and reviewed regularly.
The following factors will be taken into consideration in allocating places:
• The age of the child.
• Where 3 & 4 year-old places are available, hours will be prioritised for children who are eligible to access their Early Years Entitlement (EYE).
• Length of time on waiting list.
• Siblings already attending the setting.
• The vicinity of the home to the setting.
EYE places will be offered in accordance with the Code of Practice for Local Authorities on Delivery of Free Early Years Provision for 3 & 4 year olds and the local conditions identified within the Early Years Provider Agreement. Preschool does not limit how many funded children take up spaces compared to fee paying children.
Parents/carers must complete a registration form before their child can attend and sign consent
for this information to be maintained by Sandcastles Preschool in line with the GDPR, May 2018 and Ofsted Registration requirement under The 1989 Children Act.
Payment
For parents who pay for sessions fee payment is required each half term. An invoice will be provided to parents, broken down into sessions per week for that half term. Parents have the choice of paying each session, each work or each half term, this can be discussed with the Owner/Manager. Payment via BACS is preferable, bank account details will be given by request.
Sandcastles Preschool encourages prompt payment but recognises that at times some parents/carers may experience financial difficulties. We will ensure that no child/children/families are penalised should this situation arise.
Sandcastles Preschool will endeavour to arrange a payment plan that is acceptable to both parties, enabling the child/children to continue to attend. All financial matters will be dealt with the utmost sensitivity and consideration and in confidence.
In the event of non payment:
• The Owner/Manager will liaise with the parent/carer concerned.
• A payment plan will be agreed if necessary.
• Where unmet payments continue the Owner/Manager reserves the right to withdraw that child’s place and to try and recover owed monies through legal channels.
Please note Preschool does not ask for any other payments, voluntary or otherwise, from parents/carers other than those children who aren’t entitled to funding and parents pay fees per session until such time their child is entitled to government funding.
Fee Policy:
Parents/carers must complete a registration form before their child can attend and sign consent for this information to be maintained by Sandcastles Preschool in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and Ofsted Registration requirement under The 1989 Children Act.
- All children are government funded from the term after they are three, and are entitled to15hrs per week when places are available. Sandcastles
* there are times when Preschool does extra hours as part of the 30 hour entitlement. This is based on how many children are eligible. Parents are informed how many hours Preschool delivers and the times we run sessions from and to.
N.B. the 15 hour total entitlement may cover more settings than Sandcastles Preschool. In a case where a child does more than their 15 hours entitlement they are liable to pay the normal fee rate for however many hours extra they do.
Sandcastles is able to provide funding for children from the age of 2, however parents must meet the criteria for claiming this funding. Either for early learning for 2 year olds or working parent entitlement.
Parents of children eligible for the 30 hours government funding must ensure that they apply for this funding in plenty of time and pass on their 11 digit code to Preschool for checking. It is parents responsibility to re-check this eligibility every 3 months and supply Preschool with the code or their child(ren) may lose their place.
Preschool reserves the right to limit number of children entitled to these extra funded hours and also reserves the right to set that number of children. Priority for these places will be given to siblings already attending Preschool and the extended hours, children already attending Preschool when their parents become eligible.
Preschool reserves the right to withdraw these extended hours offer at any time, however as much notice will be given as possible.
Parents of children not eligible for the extended hours but access the extra hours for a fee must give notice to the end of that term if they wish to withdraw their child from this service. If not they will be liable for the fees for that term.
- Non-funded children will pay the advertised rate per session.
- Fees can be paid in advance, weekly or termly etc. This can be arranged with the Owner/Manager. The invoice will state the final date for all payments for the term to be received. Preschool encourages prompt payment of fees. If you have difficulties, please contact the Owner/Managerto arrange a payment plan agreeable to both parties. Should a payment plan on the side of parents not be agreed your child will lose their place until fees are paid up to date. Whilst adhering to a payment plan your child’s place will still remain available. Preschool reserves the right to recoup unpaid fees using the small claims court system. All financial matters will be dealt with the utmost sensitivity and consideration and in confidence.
- Late pick up fee. If a child is picked up late Preschool reserves the right to charge a fine. This £5 charge will be applied for every part/full hour after the session has finished. This time starts from 15 minutes after our sessions have finished.