Here are some of the questions we are frequently asked and the answers, we hope you find them useful!
When will my child be eligible for a free place?
Eligibility for free places
All three and four year olds are entitled to up to 15 hours free early education per week, for 38 weeks per year (570 hours in total). Some working parents may be able to claim 30 hours per week for 38 weeks (1140 hours in total) . This can be stand alone or shared with another setting. Working parents may be able to claim 15 hours for children from 9 months. Additionally, funding may be available for two year olds whose parents meet a set criteria.
All funding comes into place the term following the child’s 2nd or 3rd birthday.
For more information please visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk or speak to our admin for advice.
Eligibility for three year old free places is determined using these nationally prescribed dates:
A child born on or between Will become eligible for a free place from:
1 April and 31 August 1 September following their third birthday
1 September and 31 December 1 January following their third birthday
1 January and 31 March 1 April following their third birthday
How much are the fees?
If you are not eligible for a funded place or are using your funding elsewhere, fees will be charged as follows
- £4.50 per hour for children the term after their 3rd birthday
- £4.75 per hour for children aged two years old and up to the end of the term following their 3rd birthday.
Can I take holidays during term time?
Yes, there is no statutory requirement for your child to attend pre-school, however if you pay fees for your child they will still be charged and if your child is eligible for Free Early Education Entitlement and is absent for 3 weeks we are obliged to let Cheshire East Council know and you may lose the funding.
If my child is ill, do I need to let pre-school know and how long should they have off?
We would ask you to email, text or call us if your child is poorly, especially if they have something like sickness and diarrhoea or chicken pox as we can then advise other parents of illnesses that are going round pre-school. If you are unsure of how long your child should stay away from pre-school check out Public Health England’s Exclusions or call us for more advice.
What clothes should my child wear to pre-school?
We do have pre-school hoodies and t-shirts which are available from Classworx which we recommend as they help get your child ready for school and also helps them associate wearing their uniform with going to pre-school. It also saves any of their nicer clothes from getting covered in paint or glue or messy from playing in the garden. We ask that they wear comfortable clothes which you are happy for them to get dirty. Please ensure your child has a coat/gloves/hat in cold weather and a sun hat/suntan cream on in sunny weather as we do play outside every day, no matter what the weather! Please ensure all clothing has your child’s name written clearly in it.
As we encourage independence, please consider how easy it is for your child to pull up their pants or to put on their shoes (joggers and velcro fasteners where possible).
My child is still in nappies, is that ok and what should I bring with them to pre-school?
We are happy to take children who are still in nappies, please ensure they have a bag with them every day with a clean nappy and some wipes (this can be left with us and we will let you know if stocks need replenishing). If your child is toilet training at any time whilst they are at pre-school, speak to your child’s key person and we will work with you to make the transition from nappies to pants as easy as possible. Please ensure your child has a bag with a change of clothes if there is a possibility they may have an accident.
How much should I contribute for snack?
Snack time is an important part of the pre-school session where children learn to be independent by helping themselves to a snack and a drink and even helping with the washing up! We offer a healthy snack for the children which changes weekly for example vegetables and houmous or toast and fruit and they can either have water or milk to drink. We advise a contribution of 50p per session your child attends to help us cover the cost of this.