At Ripple Primary School there are three types of Nursery places available. When a parent completes an application form they must select which place they prefer. The school will try to support the parent request, however, if the chosen option is full the parent will be offered a different place or be placed on the waiting list.  

At Ripple Primary School we operate term time only. Our school nursery offers 15 hours (universal) or 30 hours (extended) over 38 weeks in the year. The timings are available below;

• 15 hours free – Mornings only – Monday to Friday 8:30 – 11:30

• 15 hours free – Afternoons only – Monday to Friday 12:10 – 3:10  

There is no charge for these places. All children are eligible to apply.  

A piece of fruit and milk is provided. Lunch is not provided.  

30 hours free (With eligible code) - Monday to Friday 8:30 – 3:10  

There is no charge for this place upon receipt of a valid 30 hour code. The code must be given to the school the term prior to the place starting.  

Schools do not charge for fruit or milk. There is an additional charge of £2.30 for a school meal, booked and paid for via the School Grid account. Alternatively parents can choose to bring a healthy ‘nut free’ packed lunch.  

Eligibility for places

The school will check original copies of documentation to confirm a child has reached the relevant age on initial registration for all free entitlements.  

• Birth certificate

• Proof of address

• Council tax bill

• Utility bill or bank statement  (Must be dated within the last 3 months)

The school will retain paper or digital copies of documentation to enable the local authority to carry out audits and fraud investigations. Where a provider retains a copy of documentation this must be stored securely and deleted when there is no longer a good reason to keep the data.  

The Eligibility Checking Service (ECS) allows all local authorities to make instant checks for code validity.  

Parents must reconfirm their eligibility each term. They will receive confirmation about the next term. This must be shared with the school.  

When to apply for 30 hours of free childcare

Parents can apply for a 30 hour code here - https://www.gov.uk/free-childcare-ifworking/apply-for-free-childcare-if-youre-working

You can apply from when your child is 23 weeks old. When you can use your hours will depend on the date your child turns 3 years old.

A place at Ripple Primary School’s Nursery does not constitute a place within our Reception cohort. Applications for all Reception cohort places are made through LBBD admissions.    

The school operates a first come, first serve basis on places. However, a child may be prioritised for a place based on the following criteria;

1. Looked After Children (LAC) (Children in Public Care)  

2. Children of staff at Ripple Primary school

3. Siblings - Children who have a brother or sister attending Ripple Primary School at the beginning of their first term  

4. Vulnerable children – as defined by the school

5. Proximity – proximity as measured in a straight line from the front door of the home to the front door of the school

Charging / Payments  

At Ripple Primary School, we do not charge for the following:

• Fruit (daily)

• Milk (daily)  

If your child requires nappies or wipes, these must be provided by the parents/ carers.  

On occasion, there will be a small charge for trips or extra-curricular activities, such as a theatre visit to the Nursery. These will always be communicated to parents in advance.  

Applying for a place

Applying for a Nursery place at Ripple Primary School steps;

Step 1: Complete Nursery admission form – available from either school office or by completing the online form.

Step 2:  ID and eligibility checks will be made by the school. If there is a space, proceed with step 3. If there is no space child is placed on waiting list. Once a place becomes available, then proceed with step 3.  

Step 3: The school office will contact the family and arrange a home visit .Parent will then complete a ‘’Parent declaration form” (Appendix 1) during the home visit with a member of school staff.  

Step 4: Settling-in schedule will be discussed with parents; children will start on reduced timetable building up their hours to ensure a smooth transition.  

Step 5:  Any changes in placement or hours must be made on a Parental declaration form..  

Step 6: All parents will receive termly invoices (this is the case for all parents, even if no fee is required)

Please note that further information is in our Nursery admissions policy. The school also follows the DFE and LBBD Provider Model Agreement. This can be found with our Nursery admissions policy.

You can complete the application by collecting one from the office or online via the Link shown below:

Applications

You can fill out our form below: 

Nursery Application Form – Fill out form