What you need to know
Parent/Carer Information
Funding
When is my child eligible for their place?
Eligible* two year olds from the term after their second birthday and all three year olds from the term after their third birthday can claim their early education and childcare places directly from their early years setting or school nursery.
All four year olds are entitled to early education and childcare places - subject to availablity.
Child is 2 or 3 between Term eligible of EEE
1April to 31 August Autumn (starts September)
1 September to 31 December Spring (starts January)
1 January to 31 March Summer (starts April)
Applications for Early Education and Childcare Places
Two Year old places
Your child may be eligible* if you receive:
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tax credits with an income of less than £16,190.
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If you work 16 hours or more a week, you may be eligible*.
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work related benefits or support under the Immigration and Asylum Act.
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Disability Living Allowance for your child or have a child who has been adopted from council care.
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are subject to a Special Guardianship order or Child Arrangement Order.
*Spaces are subject to availability.
Three and Four year old places
All three (the term after the third birthday) and four year olds care entitled to 15 hours childcare at an early education and childcare setting.
*Spaces are subject to availability.
If you would like an application form then please get in contact with us, either by a phone call or an email.
Communication
A strong relationship between Tree Tots and the parents/carers is important to us. You will have access to your child’s Online Tapestry Learning Journal, which includes photos and snippets of their play experiences at any time, and the option for you to upload a little of their home life for us to share with them. We do have Parent's evenings to discuss your child’s development and their next steps.
Strong relationships with parents is important to the pre-school. We operate an open door policy and also send out termly newsletters.
If you child attends more than one setting or is moving to a different setting we share the child’s developmental records with that setting.
Early Years Foundation Stage
Welcome to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which is how the Government and early years professionals describe the time in your child’s life between birth and age 5.
This is a very important stage as it helps your child get ready for school as well as preparing them for their future learning and successes. From when your child is born up until the age of 5, their early years experience should be happy, active, exciting, fun and secure; and support their development, care and learning needs.
Nurseries, pre-schools, reception classes and childminders registered to deliver the EYFS must follow a legal document called the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.
What does the EYFS mean for me as a parent?
Much thought has been given to making sure that your child is as safe as possible. Within the EYFS there is a set of welfare standards that everyone must follow. These include the numbers of staff required in a nursery, how many children a childminder can look after, and things like administering medicines and carrying out risk assessments
The EYFS Framework exists to support all professionals working in the EYFS to help your child, and was developed with a number of early years experts and parents.
In 2023 the framework was revised to make it clearer and easier to use, with more focus on the things that matter most. This new framework also has a greater emphasis on your role in helping your child develop.
It sets out:
• The legal welfare requirements that everyone registered to look after children must follow to keep your child safe and promote their welfare
• The 7 areas of learning and development which guide professionals’ engagement with your child’s play and activities as they learn new skills and knowledge
• Assessments that will tell you about your child’s progress through the EYFS
• Expected levels that your child should reach at age 5, usually the end of the reception year; these expectations are called the “Early Learning Goals (ELGs)”
There is also guidance for the professionals supporting your child on planning the learning activities, and observing and assessing what and how your child is learning and developing.
Transitions
We work closely with local schools to arrange visits of both the children to the schools and the teachers come in to visit the pre-school and meet the children to aid their transition onto school.
