Sessions

Premises

The Pre-school is a two roomed purpose-built pre-school situated within the main primary school grounds.     

Sessions are as follows:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Term time only:

Mornings (Only)           9:00am   – 12:00 noon -                                   Doors will open at 11.50am

Full Day Care               9:00am –   3.00pm -                                         Doors will open at 2.55pm

(Full day care - hot meals will be purchased from the main school’s kitchen)- current price £2.75 a day – this may change. Payable on ParentPay scheme daily or weekly. 

We do not have a bring your own food from home service.  (NO LUNCH BOXES-ONLY FOR MEDICAL REASONS).

Please inform a member of staff if you are collecting your child earlier or dropping them in later than stated above.

Early Education Funding – Funded childcare to support your child’s best start in life.

3 and 4 year olds Funding

For the universal 15 hours this will start the term after your child’s 3rd birthday.

30 Hours of Funded Early Education For 3- and 4-year-olds

Working parents in paid employment or self-employed, who meet the earnings criteria could be entitled to an additional 15 hours of early education, making up a total of up to 30 hours per week.

Funding

Parents will need to apply online at the HMRC website:  https://beststartinlife.gov.uk for a new Gateway Account. Successful applicants will receive a confirmation code. Parents will need information from their P60 to verify their identity, National insurance number and the date they started their current employment/self-employment. If applicable, their partner’s National Insurance number and employment start date.

Parents will be able to apply for both tax-free childcare and the 30 hours online at the same time.  Parents will need to give St. Gabriel’s Pre-school a number code: an 11-digit reference code to claim the funding for your child. These needs updating every 3 months.

Early Education Funding

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) for 3- and 4-year-olds - This is part of the government’s objective to close the gap between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. EYPP@staffordshire.gov.uk

(EYPP) Criteria

Income Support

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

Child Tax Credit (provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)

Working Tax Credit Run-on (this is paid for 4 weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year after tax not including any benefits you get

You may also get early years pupil premium if your child is currently being looked after by a local authority in England or Wales or if your child has left care in England or Wales through:

adoption

special guardianship order

A child arrangements order

The free entitlement of funded 2-year-old places (children under 3 years old) is for 15 hours per week. The free entitlement is targeted at disadvantaged 2-year-olds meeting the government’s criteria. 

Funding

For the children who are waiting to receive funding, their fees are £18.00 per session. £36 for a full day. Fees are still payable if a child is ill or takes holidays during term time.

We ask you to put weekly fees into an envelope marked with child’s name and give them to a member of staff or pay by bank transfer (Please ask for our bank details).  NO BAD DEBTS ARE TO BE INCURRED

To help with the cost of providing a wider range of healthy snacks/foods, cooking activities, and food tasting activities, if your child attends 15 hours we will require £15.00 per term or £45.00 per academic year.  And, if child attends 30 hours. £30.00 per term or £90.00 per academic year. This is just £1.18 per week for 15 hours or £2.36 per week for 30 hours.

Staffing Ratios

The minimum staffing ratios in Pre-school are:

Children aged 2 years                   1 adult to 5 children.

Children aged 3 – 7 years             1 adult to 8 children.

Regular supply staff are considered. Pre-school also has supporting staff e.g., teachers, students, and trainee nursery nurses, to enable permanent staff to work on a one-to-one basis with the children.

Coming into Preschool

Starting Pre-school can be traumatic for parents and for the child especially if it is the first time that they have been separated, and we at Pre-school are aware of that. We help the child and parent/carer to settle in. Therefore, at St. Gabriel’s: -

We will give the parent/carer an entry profile and registration forms to complete, in the strictest confidence, so that we are aware of any problems and can prevent any anxiety.

On the child’s first day, because we stagger entrance over a couple of weeks, there will be someone available to talk to, encourage and support the parent/carer and child. Sometimes parents/carers do not wish to stay and sometimes they do, but usually by the end of prayer time all parents have gone. We will   reassure parents that if there are any problems, we will telephone them.

If still used, we actively encourage dummies or comforters to be left at home.

We have found that morning routines are busy and children are very active. We do not provide nap time, however please be assured if you child does fall asleep, they will be comfortable and well looked after.

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Coming into Preschool