Harcourt Pre-School Admissions Policy
Harcourt Pre-School aims to be a fully inclusive setting and aims to remove all reasonable barriers for children to attend the setting. Children will be offered a place regardless of their sex, culture, language, religion, physical or learning ability or home location.
Allocation of places – priority will be given in the following order:
- An existing child returning
- A new sibling of an existing family
- A new sibling of a previous family
- A child from a new family with a commitment to enrol their child at least 6 sessions (at least 18 hours) a week and if council funded, they will opt-in to pay for the Additional Activities
- A child from a new family with a commitment to enrol their child 4 or 5 sessions a week (at least 12-15 hours) and if council funded, they will opt-in to pay for the Additional Activities
- A child from a new family with a commitment to enrol their child for a minimum of 4 sessions a week (at least 12 hours) and if council funded, they will opt-out of paying for the Additional Activities
We will contact new families in March in the date order they were added to the waiting list. We will establish their desired session requirements and ascertain if they intend to pay for the Additional Activities. We can then advise them of their priority on the allocation of places. At this point, we will either offer a place or advise that we will contact them at a later date if there are still places available.
To be added to the waiting list, we require an in-person visit to meet the child and their parent/carer. New families will need to contact Harcourt Pre-School to arrange the visit on 0117 3305367 or email admin@harcourtpreschool.org.uk
Structure of Cohort and sessions attended
Our usual intake is around 25 children; this includes approximately 15 three year olds and 10 two year olds.
We accept children from the age of two years old. Children that are younger than 2.5 years old will be admitted once both parents and Harcourt Pre-School agree that the child is ready for a pre-school environment.
If we feel it is beneficial to the child to have a delayed start, we will work closely with the parents to find a mutually agreeable admission date.
We offer flexibility in terms of the days and sessions a child attends, subject to availability.
We strongly recommend that the minimum number of sessions (a ‘session’ is half a day) for children is at least four sessions. We feel that the benefit to the child is increased by attending for more than a single session a week in terms of relationships with other children and with their keyworker.
Term Dates / Opening Hours
We’re open during term time only with the following hours:
Monday to Thursday 8.55-3.15
Friday 8.55-12.00 (we do not have a lunch club on Fridays)
We offer flexible sessions to suit your requirements with a combination of morning/ afternoon sessions and the option of a lunch club. Your council funded hours can be used for any of the following sessions, including the lunch clubs.
We welcome visitors and would love to show you around our wonderful pre-school.
Sessions as follows:
Morning 8.55 – 12.00
Morning and Lunch Club 8.55 – 12.45
Afternoon 12.45 – 3.15
Lunch Club and Afternoon 12.00 – 3.15
All Day 8.55 – 3.15
Fees and Council Funding (Free Early Education Entitlement and Working Families Entitlement)
* Harcourt Pre-School fees: £8 per hour.
* All three and four-year olds in England are entitled to the 15 hours of Free Early Education Entitlement.
* We also accept the Working Families Entitlement (taking you to 30 council funded hours per week) for 2, 3 and 4 year olds with the Working Families entitlement.
* Please use this link to check for eligibility: Eligibility | Childcare Choices
* The number of funded hours offered by Harcourt Pre-School can only be amended before 1 September, 1 January or 1 April each year, with any interim changes being charged at the hourly rate and invoiced accordingly.
* Any hours not covered by the Universal or Working Families Entitlement will be charged at the hourly rate of £8. This will be invoiced termly. A bill will be sent to you during the first 2 weeks of each of the main terms, usually Mid September, Mid January and Mid April. As part of the parental agreement, we ask for these bills to be paid either in full or in agreed instalments during the term.
* Lunch Club: children bring in their own healthy, packed lunch to eat with their key group/ keyworker. The lunch club session can be paid using the council funding. If you are self-funding, the 45 minute lunch club will be £6.
* Induction Fee: We ask for a one-off Voluntary Contribution of £50 when we start the Admission process with your child. The Admission process is started on return of the completed Registration Forms.
This contribution enables us to offer a carefully planned settling in procedure including any pre-start garden visit(s), the Open Afternoon to come in for a play, the Home Visit and a tailored settling in strategy planned with your key worker.
Whilst this is an optional payment, we hope that parents considering Harcourt Pre-School for their child appreciate that we are committed to going that extra mile in delivering an exceptional education for your child.
We would ask any parents / carer that intend to opt-out of this Voluntary Contribution to contact us for a meeting to discuss the situation.
Additional Charges for Food, Non-food Consumables and Additional Activities
* There are Additional Charges for each Council funded hour. This is to provide your child with enhanced ratios with highly qualified staff and many exciting, enriching activities above and beyond the EYFS. We are incredibly proud of our provision and can only provide this by asking parents / carers to pay a modest £2 per council funded hour to cover the costs.
* The Additional Charges comprise £0.05 / hour for food, £0.15 / hour for non-food consumables and £1.80 / hour for Additional Activities.
* A list of Additional Activities can be found below.
* We ask parents and carers to opt-in to the Additional Charges to ensure their child can enjoy the rich and varied education provided by Harcourt Pre-School.
* We would ask any parents / carer that would prefer to opt-out to contact us for a meeting to discuss the situation.
* The Additional Charges only applies for Council Funded hours.
Paying by instalments and Childcare Vouchers
* Pre-School fees may be paid in three monthly instalments per term (Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms).
* We are a registered Government Tax-Free Childcare Provider. We strongly recommend you sign up for this scheme which sees the Government pay in £2 for every £8 you contribute to a maximum of £2000 a year.
* Childcare Vouchers: some people still do have these schemes and we are registered with all the main providers.
Paying using the Free Early Education Entitlement or the Working Families Entitlement.
* The Free Early Education Entitlement is payable from 1st September, 1st January or 1st April after your child turns three. The date from which your child receives funding is noted on your bill.
* To receive funding, parents must complete a ‘Parental Declaration Form’ (EYR01) and provide a copy of their child’s birth certificate.
* The EYR01 form will be supplied by us and we are more than happy to offer any assistance you need completing it – just contact the office.
* The EYR01 Parent Declaration Form is your opportunity to state how much of the Free early Education Entitlement Hours can be claimed and also how much of the extended 15 Working Families Hours you wish to use providing you have supplied a valid 30 hours code.
* Only a valid code will guarantee the funding for the Working Families Entitlement. It is your responsibility to provide this. If you have lost your code you must contact HMRC. We are not expected to ‘hold’ a place for a child whose parent is still ‘applying’ or ‘re-applying’ or has lost their code. We are not funded by the LA for any child who does not have a valid code.
* You must renew the code every 3 months and it is the parent’s / carer’s responsibility to ensure that the code is renewed on time.
* The number of hours your child attends above the number of funded hours will be charged at the current hourly rate of £8.
* We are also registered to provide Free Early Education for Two Year Olds. You can check to see if you qualify using the Bristol City Council website.
Late Payment
* If you have difficulties paying the bill at anytime, please discuss with Suzanne as soon as possible.
* If we do not receive payment by the specified date, parents will be reminded within two weeks, they will receive a written reminder after one month and, if payment is not received by the end of the term, the place will be withdrawn.
Notice Period and Refunds
* Harcourt Pre-School requires a double-term’s notice period (that is, Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms) if you no longer require the place.
* Unfortunately, refunds can not be made for absences through sickness or holidays.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Policy
As a data controller, I must comply with the Data Protection Law. Hyperlinks to Bristol City Council’s own Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice will be shared via the EYR1 Parental Declaration form.
Click here to open our Harcourt Privacy Notice / GDPR
Appeals Process
If you have any complaints about any aspect of our delivery of free hours, please contact Bristol City Council to discuss your questions and concerns. Please email the Family Information Service, askcyps@bristol.gov.uk or call 0117 357 4192.