Admissions Policy

At Little Phoenix Nursery we welcome babies from 6 months of age, providing care and early education until a child’s 3rd birthday.

The nursery provides 62 childcare places per day; babies and children may attend full time or part time.

The numbers and ages of children admitted to the nursery comply with the legal space requirements set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). When considering admissions we are mindful of staff: child ratios and the facilities available at the nursery.

Parents are advised to visit the nursery before applying for a place.

The Admissions Procedure begins on receipt of an Application Form, places are then offered in line with this Admissions Policy.

The nursery uses the following admission criteria, which is applied in the following order of priority:

1. Children who have siblings who attend Little Phoenix Nursery, or Yarm School

Admission is not automatic, places are dependent on availability and there may be occasions when we judge that a sibling is likely to thrive better in a different early years environment

2. Children who are registered for entry to Pre-School at Yarm School

3. Families requiring a full time place for their child(ren)

This is dependent upon occupancy and room availability. We operate a waiting list and places are offered on an availability basis

4. Looked After Children

5. A child known by the local authority to have special educational needs and/or a disability (SEND) and whose needs can be best met at Little Phoenix Nursery.

Parents of children with special educational needs or physical disabilities are advised to discuss their child’s requirements with us in detail before applying for a place at the nursery

6. A vulnerable child with either a Child Protection or a Child in Need Plan, or in receipt of other local authority support

Little Phoenix Nursery is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and valuing diversity. We operate an Inclusion and Equality Policy and take proactive steps to prevent direct or indirect discrimination against children and families based on protected characteristics. The criteria for Admissions to the nursery apply equally for all children and families.

Places will typically be offered 3 months in advance of the admission date. A formal acceptance must be received by Little Phoenix Nursery prior to the Enrolment Procedure commencing.

If the preferred start date and/or sessions cannot be offered, parents may consider alternative dates and/or sessions. If no alternative is available Little Phoenix Nursery operates a waiting list.

Waiting List

If a place cannot be offered for the preferred start date parents may choose to join the waiting list. The waiting list will be managed following the criteria outlined above.

It can be difficult to indicate when places may become available; the waiting list will be reviewed regularly and parents will be asked to confirm if they wish Little Phoenix Nursery to continue to hold their details.

Government funded places for early education

Little Phoenix Nursery is registered to accept government funding (detailed in the Nursery Operational Plan). At Little Phoenix Nursery we provide government funded places for children; this is subject to availability.

All funded sessions are now in line with the arrangement as specified by the Government. When you register your child for their funded place, we will discuss your needs and, as far as possible with availability and staffing arrangements, we will accommodate your wishes. We reserve the right to limit and/or have specific funded sessions, according to our business requirements.

Prior to a child attending nursery, parents must complete and sign a Parent Contract, Enrolment Form and Parental Declaration for funding, according to eligibility. These forms provide the nursery with essential personal details relating to the child. These include but are not limited to: name, sex, date of birth, address, emergency contact details, parental responsibilities, contact details for parents, collection arrangements, fees and sessions, relevant medical or health conditions, dietary requirements, allergies, doctor’s contact details, dentist’s contact details, health visitor contact details, vaccinations and parental consent etc.

Little Phoenix Nursery undertakes to provide care and early education for your child from the time of joining until the end of the term in which they turn 3 years old. It is anticipated that all children will settle well and enjoy their time in nursery. On any rare occasion when this is not the case the Nursery Manager will share the concern at the earliest opportunity, a meeting will be arranged to agree how to work together to support your child. Following an agreed period, if your child does not settle in, and as a last resort the placement may be withdrawn to protect the well-being of the child or the other children. The Nursery Directors will be informed of this decision [see Complaints and Compliments Policy, and Procedure].