Skip to content

Nursery Information Hub

We know that choosing a nursery, preparing for your child’s start, and managing day-to-day routines can bring lots of questions. Our Parent Information Hub is here to make things as clear and helpful as possible.

At Parbold Douglas Nursery, we believe strong partnerships with parents and carers are central to giving children the very best start. We want families to feel listened to, supported and confident in every stage of their child’s nursery journey. This area of our website brings together key information about admissions, funding, practical routines, communication and support, so that everything you need is easy to find in one place. 

Whether you are exploring a place for your child, preparing to join us, or looking for day-to-day guidance, we hope these pages provide reassurance, clarity and support.

Admissions

We are delighted that you are considering Parbold Douglas Nursery for your child.

Choosing a nursery is an important decision, and we want the admissions process to feel warm, clear and supportive from the very beginning. We understand that every family’s circumstances are different, and we are always happy to answer questions, arrange a visit and help you understand the options available.

Joining Parbold Douglas Nursery

At Parbold Douglas Nursery, we want every child to feel safe, settled and ready to flourish from the moment they begin their journey with us. Our admissions process is designed to help families get to know us, understand what we offer and feel confident about their child’s start at nursery.

We encourage families to visit us so that you can experience our environment, meet our team and gain a feel for daily life in our nursery. Visiting also gives us the opportunity to begin building the strong relationships with families that are so important to children’s wellbeing, belonging and successful transition into nursery life. 

How to Enquire

If you are interested in a place for your child, please get in touch with us to make an enquiry. We will be happy to talk through availability, session options and next steps, and to answer any questions you may have.

CLICK HERE

Visiting the Nursery

We warmly welcome visits from prospective families. A visit is a valuable opportunity to see our nursery environment and meet our staff team. You can also learn more about our approach to care and learning, ask questions about routines, sessions and funding and begin to consider whether Parbold Douglas Nursery is the right fit for your child and family

Offering Places

Places are offered subject to availability and in line with our admissions arrangements. The attached link it to our latest Admissions Policy: 

Edit Link Title

Settling In

Starting nursery is a significant milestone for both children and parents. We aim to make this transition as gentle and positive as possible. Settling-in arrangements will be discussed with each family individually so that your child’s start reflects their needs, stage of development and confidence. This may include short initial sessions, opportunities to become familiar with staff and surroundings, and close communication with parents and carers throughout the process.

Our priority is that children feel safe, secure and known. Strong relationships, including with your child’s key person, help build trust and emotional security and support children to settle into nursery life with confidence. 

Inspection Reports

Inspection reports are published on the Ofsted website and can be accessed via the link below.

What do OFSTED say?

'Staff create a nurturing, home-from-home environment. Children are happy and engaged in learning. Relationships between staff and children are strong, and children settle in quickly and grow in confidence.'

(March 2023)

Staff focus on children's communication and language development effectively. They skilfully adjust their communication style according to children's needs, including through simple instructions or expert questioning.

(March 2023)

'Staff build good relationships with parents and communicate effectively about children's learning and development. Parents speak very highly of the nursery and how supportive staff have been.'

(March 2023)

Funding & Support

We want funding and fees information to be as clear and straightforward as possible for families. There are different types of childcare support available for eligible families, including funded childcare places and other forms of financial support. We are always happy to talk through the options with parents and carers and help you understand what may be available for your child.

Funded Childcare

Many families may be eligible for funded childcare, depending on their child’s age and family circumstances.

In England, childcare support may be available for: eligible working families with children from 9 months old to 4 years; some 2-year-olds who meet specific eligibility criteria; all 3 and 4-year-olds through the universal entitlement. 

Funded childcare is usually available for up to 15 or 30 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year, depending on eligibility. Some providers may also offer this more flexibly across more weeks using a stretched model. 

Applying for Funded Childcare

Families who may be eligible for funded childcare will usually need to apply in advance and, where required, provide a valid eligibility code.

For working families in England, applications are made through the government childcare service, and timing matters because funded hours normally begin from the term after eligibility is confirmed. GOV.UK says parents can apply once their child is 23 weeks old, and gives set application windows for each term. 

Families can check what support may be available through the government’s Childcare Choices service. 

Fees

When working out fees, your child’s age, the number of sessions or hours booked

  • whether funded hours are being used
  • any additional hours or services requested

We will always aim to explain fees clearly so that families understand what is included and any costs that may apply.

Important information about funded hours

Government guidance is clear that funded childcare hours must be available free of charge to parents. Nurseries must not make any mandatory charge a condition of accessing funded hours. Government funding is not intended to cover the cost of meals, consumables, additional hours or additional services, so providers may charge for these separately where applicable, but these charges must not be compulsory in order for a child to take up their funded place. 

Additional Charges

Where applicable, families may be asked about optional charges relating to things such as:

  • meals and snacks
  • nappies or other consumables
  • additional hours beyond funded entitlement
  • optional extra activities or services

Any such charges will be explained clearly to parents and carers in advance.

Payment Information

For paid sessions or additional charges, families will be given clear information about:

  • how fees are invoiced
  • payment deadlines
  • accepted payment methods
  • what to do if circumstances change

If your family’s childcare arrangements are changing, or if you need to discuss payments, we encourage you to speak with us as soon as possible so that we can offer support and clarity.

Help and Advice

We understand that childcare funding can sometimes feel complicated. If you would like help understanding your options, please get in touch and we will be happy to guide you through the information and signpost you to the appropriate government services where needed.

You can also use the government’s childcare support checker to explore the support that may be available to your family. 

The government has a number of initiatives to help with childcare costs. Whether you have toddlers or teens, you could get support.

Follow the link below to find out how you could benefit from this support at Parbold Douglas Nursery.

Cookie Policy