FAQ | College Green Nursery School & Services

Please read all the information very carefully to ensure that you have the correct information for your child’s age group.

NN Nursery

IF YOUR CHILD TURNS 3 AFTER 1^ST SEPTEMBER 2023 OR WILL BE AT LEAST 2 YEARS OLD BY 30th NOVEMBER 2023

How many children are there in the nursery?

There are approximately 25 children each day in the nursery and we meet the Ofsted requirements for staff/children ratios for all age groups.
The number of places available in September changes every year depending on the ages of our current children.
At the time of admissions we consider both the coming September and that of the following year to ensure we have a mix of new and existing children to support the settling process.

How many weeks of the year are you open?

We are open for 38 weeks of the year. We follow Brent term time dates. Please see the website for details.
We are not open on bank holidays

Once my child is three, will my child be stretched?

All children interact together but the learning is differentiated for each age group and each child’s interests.
The children are not only extended ‘academically’ but learn to nurture younger children and begin to have age appropriate responsibilities.

Can I choose my hours?

We offer a core day (9.15 am - 3.15 pm) from Monday to Friday and an extended day (8 am - 5.30 pm) from Monday to Thursday. (NB We do not offer the extended day option on a Friday)
It is possible to attend with a combination of core and extended days.
It is not possible to simply reduce the extended day hours and take a core day if you no longer need it. The core day and extended day contracts are different.

Can I choose my days?

We try to offer the days which are requested but it is not always possible. We need to consider how many children each keyworker has in a day so that your child has quality time with them. In addition to this we consider how many of each age group attend each day.
To support your child’s well-being, we require all children to attend at least three days per week, at least two of which much be consecutive. One of the three must be a Monday or a Friday

Can I just do mornings, or one or two days per week?

We require a minimum attendance of three days per week for the following reasons:

We are much more than simply a ‘childcare provider’. We believe in building caring, meaningful and deep relationships with children and this requires sufficient time to allow keyworkers to get to know children as individuals and create magical learning stories.
It is important that your child does not share their keyworker with too many other children so they have quality interactions during the day.
Children build strong friendships with other children during their time at nursery.

Is there automatic entry into the Pre-School?

There is no automatic transfer into the Pre-School from the Neighbourhood Nursery. The two nurseries are different entities with the same campus ethos and with the same management. The admissions criteria are different. Please look at the website for details.

Will my child be with children the same age?

We believe in having a ''family' feeling in the nursery and this is made up of a careful combination of two and three year olds. The children all interact with each other but the learning is differentiated for each age group and each child's interest.
The number of children of each age group differs slightly every year as children
in each cohort have different birth dates. There will always be a balanced mix of age groups in the environment.
Our pattern of education and care supports children's well-being and personal, social and emotional development.

Pre-School Nursery

IF YOUR CHILD TURNS 3 BETWEEN 1^ST SEPTEMBER 2022 AND 31^ST AUGUST 2023

How many children are there in the nursery?

There are approximately 65 children each morning in the nursery and we meet the Ofsted requirements for staff/children ratios for all age groups.
Children are split into key worker groups and although the majority of the day is free flow child-initiated activities, each child will have at least two opportunities per day to do focussed learning with their group.
The number of children in each group changes every year but the maximum in a group is 22.

How many weeks of the year are you open?

We are open for 38 weeks of the year. We follow Brent term time dates. Please see the website for details.
We are not open on bank holidays

What hours do you offer?

All children will access their Universal Free Entitlement (UFE) Monday to Thursday during the following hours
1. Monday - 9am to 3pm
2. Tuesday - 9am to 12pm
3. Wednesday - 9am to 12pm
4. Thursday - 9am to 12pm
There are 5 attendance options to choose from
1. UFE entitlement only - hours as above
2. 30 Hours Free Nursery Care - UFE as above plus an additional 15 Hours of free Nursery care. These additional hours in combination with the UFE will mean your child will attend Nursery Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.
3. Three full days and one half day - UFE as above and top up afternoon sessions paid for on Tuesday and Wednesday. Your child would attend Nursery Monday to Wednesday 9am to 3pm and then 9am to 12pm on Thursday. No school on Friday.
4. Four full days - UFE as above and top up afternoon sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Your child would attend Monday to Thursday 9am to 3pm with no school on Friday.
5. Five full days - UFE as above and top up afternoon sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and a full day top up on Fridays.

Can my child attend for less than the 5 days per week?

If you want your child to attend for less than 5 days you will need to consider one of the part time top up options
Please keep in mind - the Local Authority funds your child’s place. Attendance is calculated based on the set hours allocated to each attendance option above.If attendance drops below the required percentage, you risk the funding being withdrawn.

Do I need to pay a deposit to secure my place?

You will be required to pay a deposit in order to secure your 30 hour fully funded place. Once you start the nursery this deposit will be transferred to your school dinners account.
You will have to pay a booking fee and deposit for any of the top-up options.

Can my child attend for an extended day (8 am – 5.30 pm)

We do not offer an extended day in the Pre-School Nursery

Is there automatic entry into the Pre-School from the Neighbourhood Nursery?

There is no automatic transfer into the Pre-School from the Neighbourhood Nursery. The two nurseries are different entities with the same campus, ethos and with the same management. The admissions criteria are different. Please look at the website for details.

If my child has already been to a nursery, do they need to still do a staggered start in September?

All children have an individual settling in plan. Even children who attended the Neighbourhood Nursery will have a staggered start in to the Pre-School

Can my child repeat the nursery year?

Priority is given to children of nursery age. Please read the admissions policy carefully for clarification.

I am worried that my child won’t settle

We work with each child individually and if they take longer to settle than other children, strategies will be discussed with your keyworker to support the process for both you and your child.

What do the children have for lunch?

Lunch is provided for all children who attend nursery from 9 am – 3 pm on any day. There is a daily charge for the meal.
All food is prepared and cooked on site.
The menu is in a three weekly cycle and is designed to ensure that it is healthy and well-balanced. The menus comply with the Guidelines for Early Years Settings published by the Children’s Food Trust

My child is a fussy eater. I don’t think they will eat the nursery food.

All children sit together in a ‘family’ style service. All children are encouraged to serve themselves and their friends. All children are encouraged to try new foods.
It takes some children longer than others for this to become familiar. We support all children through the settling in process and this includes the lunch time routine.

Do you cater for specific dietary requirements?

Our catering company are able to meet the dietary needs of children provided that they submit a medical certificate confirming the allergies or if there are religious grounds for the request.