Acorns Primary School
Nursery
Nursery and Reception (Early Years)
Our Nursery and Reception Building
Ages
Children can start in Acorns School Nursery when they are 3 years old.
Nursery Timings
The Nursery is open term time only and is not open on school INSET days.
Session times
- Morning session times: 8.45am - 12.00pm, not including lunch.
- Afternoon session times: 12.00pm - 3.15pm, including lunch. Children may attend a morning session or a full day (double) session.
- Children who stay all day have the option of purchasing a school lunch at the cost of £2.70 per lunch or bringing a packed lunch from home.
- Our minimum booking pattern is 2 sessions over two days.
Nursery Government Funded Hours
- All 3 and 4-year-olds who live in England are entitled to 15 Early Education Hours for 38 weeks of the year irrespective of income levels, benefit status, or family circumstances.
- 3 and 4 year old funding will start from 1 January, 1 April or 1 September following your child's 3rd birthday.The 15 hours are accessed free of charge to all parents. Families can use this offer alongside the working parent entitlement to receive a total of 30 hours, if families are eligible.
- If at any point, a family starts work after their child has turned the relevant age, meaning you meet the income threshold for 30 hours childcare, families will need to apply. Find more information about the 30 hours childcare for eligible working families in England.
- From September 2025, 15 hours for eligible working families will expand to 30 hours, meaning eligible working parents can now apply for 30 hours of childcare from the term after their child turns 9 months until they reach school age. This funding can be accessed for eligible families for their child for the term before they are eligible to access 3 and 4 year old funding.
- Up to 30 hours of Early Education Funding per week is available for each child for eligible families, term time only per school year.
- 30 hours Early Education Funded Hours does not cover a full week in Acorns Nursery.
- Early Education Funded Hours are available at Acorns for 38 weeks of the year, for a set number of weeks each term. The school year is 39 weeks.Therefore, families have the option of their child not attending the week which is not covered by Early Education Funding or being invoiced by the school for the sessions their child attends for 1 week of the school year not covered by Early Education Funded Hours.
- The school provides families with written communication at the start of a school term if one of the weeks in that term are not covered by Early Education Funding, and families communicate with the school in writing if they do not want their child to attend sessions during the week not covered by Early Education Funding that term, or would like their child to attend and be invoiced by the school for the sessions attended the week not covered by Early Education Funded hours.
- A funding declaration form needs to be completed and signed by school and families at the start of each term for all families who have children attending Acorns nursery.
How to apply 2, 3 and 4 year old working families entitlement Government Funding
Parents must apply online to HMRC’s digital childcare service at: https:// childcare-support.tax.service.gov.uk/par/app/applynow
Families will be given an 11 digit eligibility code for their child when they apply if they are eligible. Once an eligibility code has been given, please give this to the school so that we can confirm eligibility before your child starts. This must be done the term BEFORE you wish your child to start claiming 2, 3 and 4 year old working families funding entitlement. Codes must be re-validated by families every 3 months with HMRC.
Parents are advised to contact the Childcare Service Customer Interaction Centre at HMRC on 0300 1234097 should they encounter any problems regarding 3-4 year old entitlements and 2 year old working parents entitlements.
Early Years Government Funded Hours are for 38 weeks of the year, for a set number of weeks each term. The school year is 39 weeks. Consequently 1 week is not covered by Government Funded hours and will be charged for.
Parents can split their Early Years entitlement funding between multiple providers, although no more than 2 sites in one day. Where parents choose to split their child’s free entitlement between providers, they will need to distinguish between the 15 hours universal entitlement for 3- and 4-year-olds and the 15 hours working parent entitlement for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds on the PDF funding form each term.
As a term time only school nursery, we do not offer stretch funding.
Childcare Vouchers
● The school is registered to accept Edenred, Kiddivouchers, Computershare childcare vouchers and most other voucher providers can be set up to accept.
● The school is registered to accept Tax Free Childcare (TFC).
● Childcare Choices can be found here: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk