Arranging a Visit

We would like to extend a warm invitation to all parents considering Brooklands Childcare to visit any of our five nursery sites, at a time that is convenient for you. We’re eager to welcome you and hope to ensure your child’s nursery experience, as well as yours, is as comfortable as possible.

Please feel free to get in touch with our sites, and one of our experienced child practitioners will be delighted to offer you a guided tour. This way, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your child’s needs and your expectations.

Partnership With Parents

Here at Brooklands we believe that, as parents, you play a pivotal role as the primary educators in your child’s life. We deeply appreciate your feedback and suggestions regarding Brooklands Childcare, and we would be thrilled if you choose to actively engage with your child’s group on any available occasion. Your involvement is highly valued and encouraged.

Nursery Fees

All of our nurseries are open from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday, offering flexible fee options that cater to your unique needs. We provide full-week rates, as well as full-day and half-day options, and we will always try to tailor our services to accommodate your individual needs. If you need sessions that differ from our standard full and half-day offerings, please reach out to one of our management team members, and we’ll be happy to discuss this further.

Our nursery fees are reviewed annually in April. To obtain the most up-to-date fee structure, please get in touch with your preferred site.

All fees are paid on a weekly or monthly basis through direct debit. Please note that full fees apply, except during the Christmas and New Year period when the nursery is closed.

Funding

2-Year-Olds - Some families are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare a week during term time for 38 weeks a year. These families may receive a postcard informing them they’re entitled to this. Alternatively, families can check their entitlement via:

3 to 4-Year-Olds - All families are entitled to 570 hours of free childcare per year. This is usually taken as 15 hours a week over 38 weeks during term time. Your family can receive free childcare beginning from the school term following the child’s 3rd birthday.

For more information, please visit:

Additionally, some 3 to 4-year olds are entitled to 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year during school term time. You can receive 30 hours of free childcare at the same time as claiming Universal Credit, tax credits, childcare vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare.

For more information on eligibility, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare

To check your eligibility for 30 hours of free childcare and tax-free childcare, please visit: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/childcare-calc/

To apply for 30 hours of free childcare and tax-free childcare, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/apply-30-hours-free-childcare?step-by-step-nav=f517cd57-3c18-4bb9-aa8b-1b907e279bf9

If you are eligible, you’ll receive a childcare account. You must sign in to your childcare account and confirm your details are up to date every 3 months to continue receiving 30 hours of free childcare.

For more help and information on childcare costs, please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator

https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-credits

https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

*Please note that additional charges may apply for meals or additional hours.

Healthy Start

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4-years-old, you may be eligible to receive Healthy Start vouchers which can be used to receive free Healthy Start vitamins, or to purchase fruit, vegetables, plain cow’s milk, and instant formula.

For more information on eligibility and to apply for a Healthy Start card, please visit: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

Frequently Asked Questions

Funding

How is the Universal 15 hours Funding Entitlement different to the Extended 30 hours Funding Entitlement?

The first 15 hours is a universal right to free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-old children. It doesn’t matter how much you earn, as your child is entitled to receive this level of free childcare each week over a 38-week funding term (this equals a total of 570 government funded hours a year). The extended Funding Entitlement is available to parents who qualify for additional funding support and provides an additional 15 hours free funding each week over a 38-week funding term (this equals a total of 1140 government funded hours a year).

What is the Universal 15 hours Funding Entitlement?

The first 15 hours (or ‘stretched’ funded hours in our case) is a universal right to free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-old children. It doesn’t matter how much you earn, as your child is entitled to receive this level of free childcare each week over a 38-week funding term (see below for dates). This equals a total of 570 government funded hours (15 hours x 38 weeks) from the 1st September until the 31st of August.

Please note:

The government’s 15 hours funded childcare is provided across 38 weeks of the year (see below for dates). This equals a total of 570 funded hours (15 hours x 38 weeks). However, Brooklands Childcare operates for 51 weeks of the year. Therefore it is our policy to ‘stretch’ all free funded hours over the 51 weeks per year that we operate. We will stretch the funded hours that have been allocated on a termly basis. Therefore, the stretched hours will change each term depending on the number of weeks in the term and the number of weeks that the term stretches over, but you will still receive a total of 570 government funded hours in a 12-month period.

What is the Extended 30 hours Funding Entitlement?

The Extended 30 hours Funding Entitlement is an additional 15 hours childcare, provided by the local authority, in addition to the Universal 15 hour free funding that is available to every 3 or 4 year old.  This equals a total of 1140 government funded hours from September until August. The extended free funded hours are means tested and eligibility codes are provided to those families qualifying to receive it.  It is available to children aged over 3 or 4 years of age.  Please find more information here.

Please note:

The government’s 30 hours funded childcare is provided across 38 weeks of the year (see below for dates). This equals a total of 1140 funded hours (30 hours x 38 weeks). However, Brooklands Childcare operates for 51 weeks of the year. As per our policy, we therefore ‘stretch’ the funded hours that have been allocated on a termly basis. As the number of weeks in each term varies, the ‘stretched’ hours will also vary each term, but you will still receive a total of 1140 government funded hours in a 12-month period.

Am I eligible to receive the Extended 30 hours Funding?

The extra funded hours will be made available to families where both parents (or the sole parent in a lone parent family):

  • Are working and earn on average a weekly minimum amount equivalent to working 16 hours at either National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.

  • Have an income of less than £100,000 per year.

  • Live in England (parents who are non-EEA nationals must have recourse to public funds to qualify).

You may still be eligible to apply for this funding if you or your partner:

  • Are taking paid time off work, such as maternity leave, paternity leave or sick leave.

  • Are temporarily away from England for a period of up to 6 months such as on military duty.

You can also apply for this funding if either you or your partner are employed or self-employed and one of you gets one or more of the following benefits:

  • Contribution based Employment and Support Allowance.

  • Carers Allowance.

  • Incapacity Benefit or long-term Incapacity Benefit.

  • Severe Disablement Allowance.

  • National Insurance credits because of incapacity or limited capability for work.

  • You’ve been assessed as having limited capability for work for Universal Credit purposes.

What happens if we are no longer eligible for 30 hours?

If you fall out of eligibility for the 30 hours free childcare, you will be required to pay the nursery fees in full. There is a grace period available from the local authority and HMRC for the funding, so if you fall out of funding eligibility during a term you will still be able to receive funding until the end of the current term, but not into the next term.

Are there minimum session requirements to access 30 hours funding?

Yes, to access the 30 hours funding offer your child needs to attend nursery on a minimum of 3 full days per week, or 6 half days. We do not offer part days.

What is means testing?

To access 30 hours funding, the local authority is required to check a few basic eligibility requirements (as detailed above), which you can also check yourselves. Once approved, the local authority will provide you with your Eligibility Code, which in turn you need to provide to us to enter onto the local authority care providers portal.

Why do I need to get my Eligibility Code with my National Insurance number? Why do I need to check it every term?

You must get a code from the local authority.  This code is linked to your own personal earnings and as such we cannot obtain the Eligibility Code on your behalf. It is really important that you have this code and send it to us well before the start date of the local authority’s funding term. If your code is late, we will be unable to claim back the funding from the local authority and you will be charged the full amount of nursery fees.

We didn’t obtain our Eligibility Code in time. Why have I been sent a fees invoice?

It is your responsibility to obtain your Eligibility Code and provide it to us in good time ahead of the local authority funding term dates. If you did not provide the nursery with this code, then we are unable to claim any funding from the local authority and therefore you will be charged the standard nursery fees for your child’s attendance.

What are the local authority’s funding term dates?

Autumn Term: 1st September – 31st December  Note: You need to get your code to us well before 31st August

Spring Term:  1st January – 31st March  Note: You need to get your code to us well before 31st December

Summer Term:  1st April – 31st August  Note: You need to get your code to us well before 31st March

Can I split my funded hours over 2 nursery settings?

Yes, this is possible. However, we do have a minimum number of sessions per week that you need to access with us which is 3 half days, 2 full days, or one full day and one half day session.

What is not included in the funded care fees?

Meals, snacks and nappies are not included in the free funded childcare and will be charged as extras on your monthly invoice.

Payment

When is my monthly invoice issued and when is payment due by?

At the beginning of each month the accounts department will send your invoice for the current month’s nursery fees. Payment is due on receipt of this invoice. Payment can be made by bank transfer (please quote your child’s name as the reference), debit or credit card (via the iConnect app or by telephoning our accounts department), or by cash payment to the nursery. When making any cash payments it is important that you sign the nursery fees book to confirm the payment has been made. Payment can also be made via the Government Tax Free Childcare scheme https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-tax-free-childcare.

Are you required to pay the fees for any absence period?

Fees are required to be paid in full for any days your child does not attend nursery due to sick days, holidays or any other time taken off from nursery.

Can my child attend extra one-off or ad-hoc sessions? How do I book and pay for them?

Yes, it is possible to book ad-hoc sessions if we have availability. You can request an extra session through the Parent Zone app or by emailing the nursery manager. Once your extra session is confirmed and booked you will be charged unless you give 48 hours notice of cancellation. Ad-hoc sessions will be then be invoiced and appear on your next monthly invoice.

Food and Meals

Can I view the food menu served at nursery?

You can ask for a copy of the menu from the nursery manager. It is also displayed in the nursery entrance.

Can we supply our own lunch?

We cannot accept lunches from home due to allergy contamination, additional preparatory requirement, and fairness when children eat together. Our nursery cook provides healthy and nutritious meals for a very wide variety of dietary requirements.

Can we send food into nursery with our child?

No. We do not allow any food of any kind to be sent into nursery with your child.  We have a duty of care to all children to ensure that we maintain an allergy-free nursery environment.

Absence and Illness

What happens if my child becomes ill during the nursery day?

If your child becomes ill during their time at nursery then a Manager or Room Leader will immediately contact you. If required, we will ask your permission to give Calpol in certain cases - for example, to reduce a temperature. However, it is not fair to the other children for us to look after a sick child as this reduces the child:staff ratio. If necessary, staff will administer first aid and seek further medical help (hospital/GP) and stay with the child until a parent arrives to collect them.

How long will my child need to be absent from nursery if they are ill?

If your child is suffering from a high temperature, sore throat, rashes, headache or discharges from eyes or ears, they should not attend nursery until the symptoms have cleared up or until medical advice is sought and clearance is given for your child to return. If your child is suffering from sickness and/or diarrhoea, they should not attend nursery for 48 hours after the symptoms have ceased or until clearance is given by a doctor in writing.

We strictly follow our Sickness, Illness and Infection Control Policies.  We also follow advice from Public Health England which can be found here.

Can my child attend nursery if they are taking medication?

Yes, provided that the medication is prescribed by a doctor and it has been administered for at least 48 hours. This is in case of any allergic reaction. After 48 hours and if the child is well enough, they may return to nursery at the discretion of the Nursery Manager. For each course of medication, you will be required to fill out and sign a Nursery Medication Form. Medication must be supplied in the original packaging with the child’s name clearly marked on the packaging.

Child Care

Do you have a waiting list and how does it work?

Yes, we operate a waiting list policy for all our rooms. Priority for places is always given to children currently attending our nurseries.

Why do I need to inform nursery about any accidents at home?

If your child bumps or bruises themselves at home, please ensure you inform the nursery staff on arrival. You will be required to fill in one of our green accident forms to confirm that the accident has occurred at home. This is vital to ensure we have full knowledge of potential medical issues, and is required by our safeguarding policies.

What do I need to bring to nursery on the first day?

We ask that your child has a bag containing at least one full set of spare clothes, a sheet and blanket for sleep time, and any comforters that your child might need for sleep. We do not accept supermarket plastic bags as these are a suffocation risk to children. Your child will need a warm coat for winter outdoor play and wellingtons for wet weather. For the summer months we ask that you provide a sun hat and sun cream.

We ask that you label all your child’s belongings so that they can be easily identified.

Please do not dress your child in anything that has sentimental value or of great cost as your child will enjoy and explore messy play each day and we cannot be responsible for clothing becoming marked or damaged.

What information should I expect to be given whilst my child is at nursery?

At Brooklands Childcare we operate an online nursery software system called Connect Childcare, which has a parent portal called ParentZone. Following your child’s start at nursery, you will be provided with an email notification to log into the system and set up your account. The app is accessible via phone, tablet, or computer. You will be able to follow your child’s progress, activities, and general routines from ParentZone, as well as send comments on your child’s progress at home. 

What happens when my child is ready to move rooms?

Your child’s key worker will advise you when your child is ready to move rooms. They will liaise with you, and let you know when any settling-in-sessions are planned for your child to have short periods of time in the new room. These short sessions in the new room will take place over a few weeks until your child is settled and ready to make the move.

What notice period are we required to provide for changes to our childcare?

We ask that you kindly give us as much notice as possible to increase your child’s sessions. We will always try to accommodate your request, however there is no guarantee, and we may have a waiting list for the sessions you request. If you wish to reduce your child’s sessions or would like to cancel your child’s nursery place, we ask that you give us as much notice as possible with a minimum of one full month.

Public Holidays

Does the nursery close for Christmas or a summer break?

We are open for 51 weeks of the year. We are closed for all bank holidays and for the period between Christmas and New Year. 

Are you closed on bank holidays?  Do I have to pay?

Yes, we are closed on all bank holidays. Yes, your fees will be charged for bank holidays and other holidays.

Drop-Off and Collection

Can I drop off my child a little later or pick up my child early from a session?

Yes, of course you may drop off or pick up your child any time you like within the booked session times. Your booked session times are a guide for us to ensure we have adequate staff on duty to care for all our children.

Will I be charged if I arrive late to collect my child from any session?

Yes, there is a late collection fee. If you are persistently late in collecting your child, we may alter your child’s session times or cancel your child’s nursery place.

Can my child stay for an extra hour if I am unable to collect them at lunch time?

We will always endeavour to be flexible and accommodate such a request but if we are full for the next session this will mean it is not possible. Please contact a member of the management team to confirm availability. Additional charges will apply and be invoiced at our standard hourly rate.

A family member will be collecting my child tonight and they have never been before.  Is this allowed?

Yes, this is fine if you have registered them to collect your child on your application form and the person collecting has the correct password. We will ask you for a description of the family member and an approximate time they will be calling to collect your child. If you are able to email us a photograph of the family member this is very helpful.

If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank You.