Nursery Admissions 


 

Queenborough School and Nursery serves the Queenborough and Rushenden areas of the Isle of Sheppey, but, space permitting, we are very happy to admit children from further afield. Those parents wishing to apply for a place at our Nursery must complete an application form and submit it directly to the school office along with a copy of their child’s birth certificate or passport.

Queenborough Nursery currently offers the following provisions for 38 weeks of the year (term time only):

‘15 Hour’ Nursery Provision (Universal)

All three and four year old children are entitled to 15 hours of funded Nursery education each week, from the term following their third birthday. Parents do not need to apply for funding, the Nursery will do this on their behalf.

Children Born Between

Eligible for Funding

1st April – 31st August

September (Autumn term)

1st September – 31st December

January (Spring term)

1st January – 31st March

April (Summer term)

Queenborough Nursery offers either 5 morning sessions per week, which run from 8.30am – 11.30am or 5 afternoon sessions per week, which run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. There are 45 spaces available in each session. Please note, we cannot guarantee you will be offered your preferred session, but will allocate parental preferences where possible.

Rising 3’s Provision

Under the National Childcare Scheme FF2, parents who are in receipt of selected benefits may be eligible for ‘Rising 3’ funding. This allows a child to join the Nursery for 15 hours per week, the term OF their third birthday rather than the term AFTER their third birthday. Parents must apply for this funding via www.kent.gov.uk/freefor2

Children will not be able to join the Nursery until this funding has been secured.

’30 Hour’ Childcare Provision (Extended)

Eligible parents are entitled to 30 hours of free childcare per week. To meet the requirements for this funding:

  • Both parents must be working (or the sole parent in a lone parent family is working)
  • Each parent must earn, on average, a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours (National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage) and less than £100k a year.

Parents must apply for this funding via kent.gov.uk/freechildcare

Children will not be able to access the extended 15 hours of childcare on top of the universal 15 hours of Nursery funding, until parents receive an 11 digit code confirming they are entitled to the ’30 hour’ provision.

Queenborough Nursery has a limited number of ’30 hour’ spaces available. They run from 8.30am to 2.30pm and are allocated using the Nursery’s admissions criteria. Queenborough Nursery also has a limited number of ’35 hour’ spaces available, where parents can opt to pay for the 2.30pm to 3.30pm session at £5.00 per day.

Admissions Criteria for 3 and 4 Year Olds

Queenborough Nursery offers children either 5 morning or 5 afternoon sessions per week (15 hours) or full-time (30 hours). All children will be eligible for admission to the Nursery the term after their third birthday. Admission to the Nursery will be subject to an application being made and places being available.

If Queenborough School and Nursery is over-subscribed, applications for entry will be ranked according to the following criteria:

  1. a) Looked after and previously looked after children
  2. b) A child with an Educational Health Care Plan
  3. c) Children who have siblings attending the main School/Nursery when they join
  4. d) Nearness of children’s homes/ease of access to the School (‘as the crow flies’)

Admissions Criteria for ‘Rising 3’ Children

Children that are eligible for FF2 funding will be entitled to 15 hours of Nursery education and will be admitted on/after their third birthday. At Queenborough Nursery, there are 3 places available at any one time. Where there are more applications than places available, children who are entitled to Free for Two will be ranked according to the following criteria:

  1. a) Looked after and previously looked after children
  2. b) Exceptional social/medical need
  3. c) Children who will have a sibling attending the main school at the time of admission
  4. d) Nearness of children’s homes/ease of access to the School (‘as the crow flies’)

Once FF2 children are placed on roll in the Nursery, they will be automatically entitled to take up a three year old place, which begins the term after their third birthday.

Procedure for Admission

Queenborough Nursery will endeavor to inform applicants of the outcome of their application by letter, at least a term before admission. We will only allocate Nursery sessions once it has been determined that a place can be offered in accordance with the admission criteria. If an applicant is offered a place they must confirm acceptance directly with the school by the date stipulated in their offer letter.

The final decision with regard to admission and the allocation of sessions rests with the Governing Body of Queenborough School and Nursery.

If the Nursery is oversubscribed, a waiting list will be maintained in criteria order and places offered, when a space becomes available.

Please note, admission to Queenborough Nursery does not guarantee admission to the Reception class. Applications for Reception must be made on a separate application and submitted to Kent County Council by the statutory deadline in order to be considered.

Right to Withdraw a Place

After a place has been offered the Nursery reserves the right to withdraw the place in the following circumstances:

  • When a parent has failed to respond to an offer within a reasonable time
  • When a parent has failed to notify the school of important changes to the application information
  • The admission authority offered the place on the basis of a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application from a parent
  • When a parent fails to provide a copy of their child’s birth certificate/passport
  • If a child does not attend their allocated Nursery session for 2 consecutive weeks (10 school days), unless previously agreed with the Nursery.

Waiting Lists

Parents of children who have not been offered a place at the Nursery may ask for their child’s name to be placed on a waiting list. The waiting list will be operated using the same admissions criteria listed above. Placing a child’s name on the waiting list does not guarantee that a place will become available. The list will be ranked in line with the published oversubscription criteria each time a child is added.

 

Please click HERE for a copy of the nursery application form.