Stepping Out A guide for parents Admissions to Nursery, Foundation Stage Units and Pre-schools in Devon Schools Content s Letter from the Strategic Director 5 Introduction 7 When can my child start at nursery? 8 When does the funding start? 8 When do I need to apply for a place? 8 How do I apply for a nursery place? 8 How many nursery places are available? 9 How does the school decide which children should have a place? 9 Nursery/FSU Oversubscription Criteria 10 When will I be told if my child has a place? 10 I wasn’t offered a place, is there a waiting list? 10 I wasn’t offered a place, can I appeal? 11 Can I take my entitlement at more than one setting 11 Starting Nursery 12 I need to change the hours my child attends, what do I need to know? 12 Is my child entitled to a Free School Meal 12 Can my child have a school dinner? 12 I need more than 15 hours a week; can I buy extra time at the nursery? 12 Is my child entitled to a Free School Meal? 12 Can my child have a school dinner? 12 I need more than 15 hours a week; can I buy extra time at the nursery? 12 Does my child have to wear a school uniform? 13 Can my child have school transport to nursery? 13 When do I need to apply for a place in school? 14 ! want my child to stay in nursery a bit longer, what do I need to do? 14 Nursery classes and schools in Devon 15 Governor run Foundation Stage Units and pre-schools 25 Stepping Out 3 Where can I get advice? Name and contact details How can they help? Devon’s Online Information Service (DOIS) 0345 155 1013 Help and advice for families about early https://www.pinpointdevon.co.uk/ years and childcare provision and how to parents-and-families/ find it. Information on sport, play and recreational activities, family support. devon.gov.uk/disc Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency Lead 01392 383000 General information on early years provision in schools. [email protected] The Admissions Team Guidance on schools designated areas 0345 155 1019 and admissions. [email protected] For guidance on reach areas for Chestnut Nursery School, go to: devon.gov.uk/exeter_chestnut_nursery_ school_area_for_web.pdf and for Westexe Nursery School, go to: devon.gov.uk/exeter_westexe_nursery_ school_area_for_web.pdf 4 Stepping Out Letter from Strategic Director Dear parent or carer, Starting nursery is a very important milestone in every child’s life. As a parent or carer, you have an important role to play in helping your child take the first steps on their learning journey. We are keen to work with you to make sure that starting at a nursery or Foundation Stage Unit is a positive experience for your child, and to help your child achieve their full potential in a warm and caring environment. No doubt, you will have begun thinking about the nursery, pre-school or childminder that you would like your child to attend. Your child may already have an awareness of a nursery or Foundation Stage Unit in a school from older brothers and sisters who have attended, or you may have talked to your child about what starting nursery means. This booklet is designed to give you information about provision for two, three and four-year-old children in Devon schools, and to help you through the process of applying for a nursery place for your child. It may not answer all your questions, so if you need any help with the nursery admissions process please contact the Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency Lead or the relevant person from the contact list at the beginning of this booklet. Jennie Stephens Strategic Director, People Stepping Out 5 Stepping Out Introduction This booklet is written for parents The EYE starts at the beginning and carers, to explain how to of the term following your child’s apply for a place in a Nursery, third birthday and continues up Pre-school or Foundation Stage until your child starts at school. All Unit (FSU). children must be in school or education at the start of the term The booklet relates to the Devon County following their fifth birthday. Council policy on Admission Arrangements for Nursery Classes, Increasing numbers of Nurseries, FSUs Nursery Schools and Foundation Stage and Pre-schools are now admitting two- Units: new.devon.gov.uk/eycs/for- year- olds. Some two-year-olds are entitled providers/ early-years-and-childcare-in- to receive funding from the start of the term schools/ admissions-to-nursery-places- following their second birthday. You can and- foundation-stage-units-in-schools find out more at new.devon.gov.uk/2gether There are around 60 nursery classes in Devon schools. In addition to these there Schools that are approved to take are in excess of 40 governor run funded two-year-olds are shown preschools that have been set up as on the list at the back of this extended services that operate as part of booklet. the school. A list of all nurseries, Foundation Stage Units (FSU) and Governor run Preschools can be found at the end of this booklet. All three and four year old children are entitled to 570 hours of funded early education a year. This is called the Early Years Entitlement (EYE). Devon County Council (DCC) gives the funding to the school based on the number of hours that you choose to send your child. Most schools open during term times only and the entitlement is taken as 15 hours a week over 38 weeks in the year. The government will increase this to 30 hours for some working families from September 2017. Schools are expected to offer those hours flexibly at times that meet the needs of parents. DCC funds schools and private, voluntary and independent sector early years providers to offer the EYE and hopes that all eligible three and four-year-olds will take up the full entitlement to give our children the very best start to their education. Stepping Out 7 When can my child start at nursery? The closing dates for applications for the If there are places available your child can Nursery intake are: 1 April, 1 July and 1 start immediately. If the nursery is full but January Applications made after these the existing nursery children will be leaving dates may not be considered until after all to start school in September then the of the applications that were on time. If a school will have an application and parent couldn’t apply before these dates allocation process to fill those places. because, for instance, they moved to the Some parents start their child at nursery area, they should inform the school. If the before the Early Years Entitlement begins reason for applying after the closing date is – the choice is yours. acceptable to the Governing Body, the application will be considered at the same When does the funding start? time as everyone who did apply on time if The relevant dates for when children can this is still possible. be funded are as follows. (These dates only apply to 2 year olds whose parents No places will be held in reserve for a child meet the eligibility criteria) who applies late; the Governing Body cannot hold places empty if another child • Children born in the period 1st January to applies for admission. Schools are required 31st March; start the term beginning on to publicise the need to apply for a nursery or following 1st April after the child’s place. second or third birthday. The Note of Interest Form • Children born in the period 1st April to new.devon.gov.uk/eycs/for-providers/ 31st August; the start of term beginning early-years-and-childcare-in-schools/ on or following 1st September after the admissions-to-nursery-places-and- child’s second or third birthday. foundation-stage-units-in-schools may be completed by parents of • Children born in the period 1st children who are not yet eligible for a September to 31st December; the start nursery place i.e. where a parent with a of term beginning on or following 1st baby or toddler enquires about a place. January after the child’s third birthday. How do I apply for a nursery place? When do I need to apply for a Most children start at nursery at the place? beginning of a term or half term. Other You should contact the school at least children join ‘in- year’ at other times. This one term before you want your child to may be because they are new to the area or start at nursery. would like to transfer from another school or early years provider. This process must be followed by community and voluntary controlled schools but it may To apply for a place you must use the not be the same process that is used in school nursery application form accessed voluntary aided, foundation schools, free via the above weblink. schools and academies. Please check what category a school is before applying. It is important that, where the Governing Body offers places to some and refuses 8 Stepping Out others, they do so fairly and consistently. Governing Body has set this number, Where the Governing Body have reason to they cannot refuse admission for believe that information is false and has applications below the PNAN. The been provided knowingly they may number of children that can be admitted withdraw the offer of a place.