Aclet Close

Nursery Admissions

All three and four year olds and some two year olds in England are currently entitled to free (funded) part-time learning, care and development.

Children can be added to our waiting list from birth. To do this, parents/carers can telephone the Nursery to arrange a suitable time to visit and complete the necessary forms or an admission form can be sent out by post. An admission form can also be downloaded below.

View our Nursery Application forms 

Alternatively, you can place your child’s name on our waiting list by entering your details below:

Contact the school by clicking on the email link in the address area of our website

Free Funded Early Years Services for 3 and 4 year olds

All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to a universal offer of 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year. It lasts for up to 2 years, until children reach statutory school age. We take children throughout the year with priority given by age (older children have priority).

Subject to availability of places, we provide some flexibility in choice of sessions including mornings, afternoons, beginning of the week (Full days Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings)  or end of the week (Wednesday afternoons and full days Thursdays and Fridays).

When will my child qualify?

Children qualify for free Nursery education the term after their 3rd birthday.

  • child born between 1 April – 31 August: September term intake
  • child born between 1 September – 31 December: January term intake
  • child born between 1 January – 31 March: April term intake

Occasionally, depending on availability, we are able to offer some sessions to ‘Rising 3s’, that is children that have turned 3 years old. Terms and conditions apply; please contact school for more information.

Admissions Policy (2024 – 2025)

30 Hours of Funded Childcare

30 Hours of Funded Childcare at Aclet Close Nursery School

From September 2017, the Government have offered 30 hours of funded childcare per week for parents of 3 and 4 year olds, to help them continue or take up employment.

Guidance for the Department for Education states that parents will need to meet the following criteria to be eligible:

Your income

Over the next 3 months you and your partner (if you have one) must each expect to earn at least:

  • £2,380 before tax if you’re aged 21 or over (equivalent to £183 per week)
  • £1,788 before tax if you’re aged 18 to 20 (equivalent to £137 per week)
  • £1,331 before tax if you’re under 18 or an apprentice (equivalent to £102 per week)

This is the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week on average.

You can use an average of how much you expect to earn over the current tax year if:

  • you work throughout the year but do not get paid regularly
  • you’re self-employed and do not expect to earn enough in the next 3 months

If you’re self-employed and started your business less than 12 months ago, you can earn less and still be eligible for 30 hours of funded childcare.

Who will not qualify?

  • Either parent has an income of more than £100,000 per year
  • Either parent is a non-EEA national and subject to immigration control (and has no recourse to public funds)

What happens if a parent loses eligibility?

  • They will receive a ‘grace period’ – this means they will be able to keep their childcare for a short period
  • Once the grace period has lapsed, the parent may be entitled to the universal 15 hours

Check Your Eligibility

More information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare

You can check whether you are eligible for the 30 hours of funded childcare eligibility checker at:  https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk  We also have instructions to help you – please ask at the office.

If you are eligible, you will be given an 11 digit code. You will need to share this with us (along with your National Insurance Number and your child’s date of birth); we will then be able to offer you a place. You will need to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months.

Funding Periods

Summer Funding (1st April to 31st August) Parents/Carers should apply between 15th January and 28th February

Autumn Funding (1st September – 31st December) Parents/Carers should apply between 15th June and 31st July

Spring Funding (1st January to 31st March) Parents/Carers should apply between 15th October and 30th November

 

At Aclet Close Nursery School we offer 2 different attendance options (4.5 days or 5 days); please speak to Mrs Beal in our school office for more information.

 

Free Play and Learn for 2 year Olds

Under the ‘play and learn’ scheme, some 2 year olds are entitled to 15 hours of free (funded) education, term time.

You can apply for a Nursery place if one or more of the following apply:

1. are from households where a parent is in receipt of any of the following benefits:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Job Seekers’ Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • the Guarantee element of the State Pension Credit
  • or Child Tax Credit, provided they have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
  • or are in receipt of Working Tax Credits (including those in receipt during the four-week period immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work fewer than 16 hours per week) with a household
    income of less than £16,190 as assessed by HMRC

2. are looked after by their local authority
3. have a current statement of special educational needs or an Education, Health
and Care plan
4. have left care through special guardianship or an adoption or residence order
5. are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance

How do parents apply for a place?

If you have received a golden ticket, please bring it into Nursery – we will check the code and tell you when your child can start.

If you don’t have a golden ticket, you can check your eligibility at: https://education.durham.gov.uk/parentportal/

If you qualify, your child could take up their free ‘play and learn’ sessions the term after their second birthday:

  • Child born between 1 April – 31 August: September term intake
  • Child born between 1 September – 31 December: January term intake
  • Child born between 1 January – 31 March: April term intake

Private sessions

Subject to availability, we also offer private sessions.

  • Our fees for 2 year olds are £15 per 3 hour session.
  • Our fees for 3 and 4 year olds are £12 per 3 hour session.

We also have breakfast and lunch clubs – please contact us for more information.

Special Educational needs and Disabilities (SEND) Admission to Early Years

The majority of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities can be supported at any nursery school, nursery unit or early years setting.

Nursery provision is also available in certain special schools. Support for individual pupils is determined by Durham Local Authority through Education, Health and Care Assessment.

The Durham Local Authority Admissions criteria stipulate that children are offered a nursery place according to their age. However, children identified with SEND are given priority irrespective of when they have their third birthday.

If you feel that your child has additional needs that we need to consider and that may entitle them to be given priority during the admission process, please let us know when you submit their application form. If you would like to discuss your SEND requirements in detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment.

Further information can be found in our School Policies section. Please view or download the School Admissions Policy, SEN Policy and information on Equal Opportunities.

Children attend Aclet Close Nursery School until they move to Reception Class in the September following their 4th birthday. We work very closely with all Primary schools in order to provide a smooth transition for children and families.

Children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan follow a different admission and transfer process for a new school. Please continue to complete Durham County Council’s parental preference form, as part of the admission process to a new school. You continue to have a right to request a particular school and this will be considered alongside the information that we have about your child’s special educational needs. The information would have been  provided as part of the Education, Health and Care assessment or following the
review meeting.

If you would like to discuss your SEND requirements in detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment.

Adobe Reader 
You may need a product like Adobe Reader (free download) to view our PDF documents on our website.