The demands on families to balance work and family life are increasingly complex, it is therefore our intention to make our setting accessible to children and families from all sections of the local community, by providing an integrated service of childcare and education for children aged 0-5 years. We aim to ensure that all sections of our community have access to the setting through open, fair and clearly communicated procedures.
Procedures
- We follow LA guidelines regarding Admissions to nursery.
- We ensure that the existence of our setting is widely advertised in places accessible to all sections of the community.
- We ensure that information about our setting is accessible and provided in written and spoken form.
- We will provide translated written materials where language needs of families suggest this is required, as well as access to an interpreter. Where necessary, we will try to provide information in Braille, or through British Sign Language.
- We describe our setting and its practices in terms that make it clear that it welcomes both fathers and mothers, other relations and other carers, including childminders.
- We treat every child and their family, with respect having regard to their needs arising from their gender, special educational needs, disabilities, social background, religion and ethnicity or from English being a newly acquired additional language.
- We ensure our practices enable children and/or parents with disabilities to take part in the life of the setting.
- We ensure parents and children are offered places in an equitable and fair process.
- We are flexible about attendance patterns to accommodate the needs of individual children and families, providing these do not disrupt the pattern of continuity in the setting that provides stability for all the children.
- We provide an induction programme for all new children which will endeavour to help them leave their parents / carers and feel safe, secure and happy in their new environment.
- We encourage families to continue their child’s education at Bensham Grove Nursery School from Birth (or the time they start with us), right through to when they leave us to go to Primary School.
0-3 Provision
Children may be admitted from the age of 6 weeks in our Baby Room, known as The Nest.
Our 0-3 provision is registered as Early Years Childcare. This applies across both school sites.
Any parent who makes an enquiry is invited to come and look around the school, from here they will be provided with registration forms which asks them to identify what type of place they are interested in and what hours/days they would want.
They will then be placed on the waiting list which is closely monitored and reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team within school.
When allocating a place in both rooms, consideration will be given to:
· The child who is on top of the waiting list for the appropriate vacancy.
· Full time registrations
· Days of placement required.
· Children who already have siblings attending the nursery.
· Any child with an additional need or is in the care of the LA.
Offer of a place – If a place becomes available for the date and sessions required, an email will be sent/a phone call made offering a place (it is the parent’s responsibility to ensure all contact details are accurate). Parents then have one week to get in touch with the school and accept what has been offered.
The Investigation Hub – Nursery Education Offer
Children are eligible to free nursery entitlement the term after their third birthday. There is a waiting list based on date of birth order. Depending on space and availability children are admitted at 3 points during the school year – September (The Autumn Term), January (The Spring Term), April (The Summer Term). In some circumstances the child may be admitted at a mid point during the term where vacancies permit.
All children are entitled to 15 hours of free nursery provision provided over 38 weeks (universal entitlement). From September 2017 some children will be entitled to an additional 15 hours (extended entitlement).
In this school we offer the following patterns of provision:
Universal entitlement of 15 hours a week Term Time only (38 weeks)-
· 5 mornings a week
· 5 afternoons per week
Extended entitlement of 30 hours- 5 days : 9.00am – 3.00pm (Term Time Only)
As a school we are also able to offer additional childcare on top of a child’s 15/30 hour entitlement subject to availability. This is at a cost of £7 per hour, plus meals.
Admission criteria
All children, subject to the availability of places, will normally be admitted to the nursery class at the start of term after their third birthday i.e. at the start of term in September, January or after the Easter break.
This school places the needs of each individual child at the heart of all decision making. We strive to provide a needs led induction programme to enable children to form secure relationships and have access to developmentally appropriate nursery education. This is decided in consultation with the Head Teacher. During the induction period your child may not receive their full free entitlement.
To apply for a place in our nursery class for the September intake or subsequent terms, you must complete and return your application form to our school office. You are able to complete the form as soon as your child turns 2.
If, at the application deadline date, there are more places available than there are applications, then all children will be offered a place. Subsequent applicants will be offered places until the provision is full. Once full, applicants will be placed on a waiting list and places will be allocated in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.
Oversubscription Criteria
If there are not enough places available for all applicants we will allocate places in the following order:
· Children who will have their fourth birthday during the current academic year and would only have the opportunity to benefit from three terms of nursery education.
· Children who will have their third birthday during the autumn term of the current academic year.
· Children who will have their third birthday during the spring term of the current academic year.
· Children who will have their third birthday during the summer term of the current academic year.
If within any one group there are more applicants than places available then places will be allocated by applying priorities 1 to 7 listed below:
1. Looked After Children (children in public care and as deemed under Section 22 of the Children Act 1989).
2. Children who have exceptional medical or social grounds. (See point a below).
3. Children who will access either their full universal entitlement or full extended entitlement within this nursery.
4. Children who live in the school’s catchment area.
5. Children who live in Gateshead and who will have a brother or sister at the school, during the coming academic year.
6. Other children who live in Gateshead
7. Children who live outside Gateshead, but only if places are otherwise likely to remain available during the academic year.
Point a
We can consider exceptional individual applications, particularly in cases involving medical or social needs. If you wish to apply on medical or social grounds you must provide written evidence from relevant registered health professionals i.e. a doctor or social worker. The evidence must demonstrate why the chosen school is more appropriate and what difficulties would be caused if your child were to travel to and attend alternative schools. We will not consider such applications if the relevant professional evidence is not provided. This evidence will be assessed by a panel of governors and the Head Teacher. No assumption should be made that submission of the relevant evidence will, in itself, be sufficient to allocate a place.
Tie Breaker
If, after applying all of the above, there is a tie between two or more children then priority will be given to the child or children that live nearest to the school measured as the crow flies i.e. in a straight line from the centre of the home residence to the main entrance of the school.
Allocation of places
Parents/ carers are asked to indicate the pattern of attendance they would prefer. In the event of any pattern of attendance being oversubscribed, places will be allocated as follows:
· Any child already on the school roll.
· In order of date of application received (starting from the earliest)
· In order of distance they live from the school measured as the crow flies i.e. in a straight line from the centre of the home residence to the main entrance of the school, starting from the nearest.
Address
For the purposes of deciding whether a child lives in the catchment area of a school we will use the parent or legal guardian’s address or the address of a relevant adult who has parental responsibility (as defined under the 1989 Children Act) for the child.
Change in circumstances
If a child becomes eligible for the extended entitlement at any point after the closing date for applications, then that child will be offered the extended entitlement subject to the admission criteria set out above. If no place is available, the child will be placed on the waiting list for the extended entitlement.
If a child loses their eligibility at any point after the allocation of places, you will be offered a place, depending on the current availability at the time for the universal entitlement.
Waiting list
If places then become available we will consider all the applications on a waiting list. The waiting list will be maintained by the office manager and childcare manager, and is overseen by the Headteacher, from the start of the academic year and be kept for the rest of the academic year. All applicants on the waiting list will be placed according to the admission criteria and priorities set out above. The length of time a child has been on the waiting list cannot be taken into account if places become available. If you apply late, you child’s name may be added to the list by using the priority order described above.
Complaints
If you feel that the admissions criteria stated above have not been fairly applied to your child then you may register a complaint with the Governing Body using their normal complaints procedure.
Admission into Reception
There is a different admission policy that applies for admission to infant and primary school entry. You must apply again in the September before your child’s 4th birthday for admission to an infant or primary school. Applications to Reception class are considered against the schools admissions criteria with no regard for the nursery attended.
Admission Process – Settling in Procedures
Every child and family arrives with very individual needs and experiences so it is vital the induction period is tailor-made. At Bensham Grove Nursery School we will always prioritise a child’s immediate needs, providing a responsive, individual programme of transition. This is reflected in the nursery provision/session time/adult support/play activity offered to ensure each child’s success.
Parents/Carers are welcomed into nursery as we value their support in working with us and helping their child to settle.
Review This policy will be reviewed anually by the Governing Body, however any changes to legislation may result in the policy being reviewed earlier.