APPLICATION FOR A NURSERY PLACE
Registration forms must be completed and returned before a child can be considered for entry into Nursery. Part-time placements must fit in to the normal session times and in order to provide sufficient continuity and for the child’s benefit, the minimum number of sessions recommended is two sessions per week.
SECURING PLACES/REGISTRATION FEE
A £100 non-refundable registration fee is required along with the Registration Form to confirm your place.
CHANGES TO BOOKED SESSIONS/CANCELLATION
Fees are payable from the child’s booked start date. Delays to start dates are discretionary up to one month. Elmscot requires one calendar month’s written notice if you wish to decrease your child’s sessions or no longer require your child’s place.
If you wish to increase your child’s sessions or change the days on which your child attends this will be arranged as soon as a vacancy arises.
LATE COLLECTION
Elmscot Group requires that parents inform Nursery if they are going to be late collecting their child to ensure there is sufficient staff cover. If children are not collected by the end of their sessional time it will be necessary to make an extra charge of £10/15 min (or part thereof) which will be added to your account.
Repeat late collection may lead to expulsion from the Nursery. This will be at the discretion of the Director.
HOLIDAYS
Elmscot will close on all Bank Holidays and between 1.00pm on the 24th December and 1st January inclusive and parents are not charged for these periods. No other holiday discounts are given.
PAYMENT OF FEES
Invoices will be issued monthly in advance by email. Fees are calculated by reference to the sessions booked for the calendar month and will include any additional items such as extra sessions. Payment of fees is required monthly in advance by direct debit. Fees remain payable when a child is absent for whatever reason. We reserve the right to make a search with a credit reference agency and keep a record of that search.
INCREASE IN FEES
Elmscot Group reserves the right to review fees annually and you will be notified at least 4 weeks in advance of any increases.
OUTSTANDING FEES
If fees are not paid on time, payment will be requested to be made at the earliest possible opportunity. In the event of fees or other sums payable to Nursery being outstanding for more than 21 days from the date of invoice without a previous arrangement being made, the nursery reserves the right to suspend the child’s place with immediate effect. All outstanding fees and charges at this point will remain payable and arrangements will be made to collect these amounts, together with any associated costs and interest.
INSURANCE
Elmscot Group has extensive insurance cover including Employer & Public Liability, the certificates are displayed in the main hallway/reception.
PROPERTY AND BELONGINGS
Nursery provides an extensive range of toys for children of all ages. It is not necessary and not advisable for children to bring toys from home. Children’s comforters and toys of special interest are acceptable. Although our staff will endeavour to take care of any property brought to the nursery, we accept no responsibility should any loss or damage occur. All clothing should be labelled.
ACCIDENT PROCEDURES
The Nursery reserves the right to administer basic First Aid treatment when necessary. Parents will be informed of all accidents and will be required to sign the Accident Form. For accidents of a more serious nature requiring hospital treatment, all attempts will be made to contact the parents but failing this, the Nursery requires consent to take the child to hospital. Parents are requested to inform the Nursery of any changes to contact or medical information stored in the Nursery.
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN
In the case of suspected abuse, where it is deemed a child is at risk of significant harm, it is our duty and legal requirement to report our concerns to the local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership immediately.
SHARING INFORMATION
We work in a multi-agency environment and we would seek advice from multi-agency professionals from time to time to ensure the quality of the childcare offered. If this is in relation to your child, we will contact you directly to seek informed written consent prior to consultation. If a child’s safety is at risk, information may be shared without consent.
CHILD HEALTH RECORDS
Elmscot requires parents to complete Child Health Records. The Nursery will require emergency contact names, medical information regarding allergies, dietary or special requirements. Elmscot supports the government policy on immunisation and although it is not a condition of Nursery entrance, children too young for vaccination depend on ‘herd’ immunity and so we would strongly support immunisation unless otherwise recommended by the child’s GP.
MONITORING ATTENDANCE
We monitor and record children’s attendance daily and if a child does not arrive at nursery for their booked session and parents have not informed us, the team will contact the family to find out the reason for absence. This is recorded on the setting’s attendance log which is monitored monthly for patterns of absence and followed up if we have any concerns.
MOBILE PHONE AND CAMERA USE
We politely remind parents, carers and visitors that mobile phone use within Elmscot Group’s settings is strictly forbidden to safeguard the children. Should you need to use your phone you must exit the building first.
MEDICINE CONSENT FORMS
Nursery staff will administer prescribed or non-prescribed medicines if parents complete medicine consent forms, following the guidelines set out in our medicine policy.
ILLNESS
Parents are requested not to send their child to Nursery if they are suffering from any infectious disease or if they are not feeling well enough to attend. Elmscot has a realistic attitude to the needs of working parents but reserves the right to contact parents if their child becomes ill during nursery hours. Parents are requested to inform the Nursery if their child, or other children in the Nursery, contracts any (normal childhood) ailment or disease. Nursery must be informed of any illness which may prove dangerous to other children. No discounts are given for absence due to sickness unless by arrangement for longer term illness.
ALLERGIES & INTOLERANCES
If a parent declares that a child has an allergy or intolerance, they must complete a Healthcare and Allergy Information Form (which includes an Allergy Action Matrix), which allows us to construct an Action Plan of care for the child. To help support us with this the Elmscot Group will require a letter from the child’s GP or dietitian to confirm the child’s requirements.
INJURIES SUSTAINED BY CHILDREN WHILST NOT IN OUR CARE
Elmscot Group requests that parents/carers inform a member of the setting’s team of any accidents or injuries that their child has sustained whilst in their care at home or elsewhere. The injuries on arrival form must be completed by parents/carers and signed.
TRIPS OUT OF NURSERY
Parents are required to complete a consent form and information sheet before children can be considered to take part in outside trips. This is to provide staff with essential information, necessary in the event of an emergency.
EVENTS AT NURSERY
Parents will be informed in advance of any special events involving their child.
SECURITY
Under no circumstances will a child be allowed to leave Nursery with anyone unknown to the Nursery staff unless previously arranged by the parent or guardian. If a regular arrangement, parents must complete a specific form giving details. When parents make last minute arrangements by telephone, the Nursery will require a password, the name and description of the nominated person.
PARKING
Please exercise great care when using our car parks due to young children walking who are difficult to see. Use of the car park is at your own risk. Please do not leave valuables in your car. Please be considerate of our neighbours when parking on the road. The Nursery accepts no responsibility for injury, damage or loss to persons, vehicles or property.
EMERGENCY CLOSURE
In the event of an emergency such as fire, or adverse conditions such as failure of the central heating, Elmscot Group reserves the right to close the Nursery. Elmscot Group Ltd will be unable to offer a fee reduction in these circumstances although alternative sessions will be offered free of charge. Alternative emergency accommodation will be sought if possible.
PROSPECTUS
The prospectus shall not be construed as containing any representation of fact upon which reliance is made under the Misrepresentation Act 1967. Any statements in the prospectus are intended to be statements of opinion made in good faith and believed to be true, but not be regarded as representations on the basis children are entered for the Nursery.
NON-SOLICITATION OF ELMSCOT GROUP STAFF
Whilst a child attends an Elmscot setting and for a 12 month period following that, the Customer shall not directly or indirectly solicit either on their own account or on behalf of any other person the whole or part-time services for any purpose of any employee working in any capacity at any of the Elmscot Group settings. If, by mutual agreement, an Elmscot Group employee is employed by a Customer, an Introduction Fee will be payable by the Customer in respect of 20% of the employee’s current annual salary or the amount earned over the previous 12 months in respect of a ‘zero hour’ contracted employee.