Someries Nursery
An exciting journey starts here
Parents are keen for their children to attend this school. This is due to the high levels of care that staff give to every pupil. Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel safe.
Ofsted, November 2022
Someries Nursery is situated in its own newly refurbished building within our school grounds, providing a vibrant and engaging environment designed to nurture discovery, development, and curiosity in young children. From the very start, your child can enjoy Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre’s philosophy and be part of our school community from an early age.
The nursery is well equipped with a wide range of high-quality resources that support both structured learning and child-led exploration. We offer a variety of experiences including teacher-led activities and a carefully planned learning environment that caters to individual needs. Children have access to an extensive range of equipment and materials, as well as a fantastic outdoor area which they share with our Reception pupils. Small group settings enable personalised support, and our child-led curriculum ensures each child’s interests and abilities are fully supported.
Our daily routine includes focused phonics and mathematics sessions to build strong early foundations. In addition, children enjoy weekly music lessons delivered by a specialist music teacher, and weekly physical education sessions, all led by experienced staff who are highly trained in early years education.
By the end of their time at Someries Nursery, we aim for every child to have made excellent progress and to be fully prepared for a confident and successful start to school.
Registering for a place at Someries Nursery
You can register for a place at Someries Nursery by completing the form below
The Governing Board has set its planned admission numbers for Someries Nursery as follows:
- up to 70 three-year-old places each day allocated in 3-hour blocks involving a blend of part-time and full-time options during term time only
- up to 30 FTE two-year-old places each day allocated in 3-hour blocks involving a blend of part-time and full-time options during term time only
Children can be registered on our nursery waiting list from the date they are born. Most children are admitted to our nursery in September following their second or third birthday. However, where places become available, pupils can be admitted to our nursery in January or April following their second or third birthday.
Parents or carers may place their child on our nursery waiting list by completing the nursery registration form below. After making your application, our School Operations Officer will contact you to discuss your application.
SUPPORT WITH PAYING FOR YOUR CHILDCARE
Government support is available to help with childcare costs for parents and carers
Funded Early Education and Optional Charges at Someries Nursery
At Someries Nursery, we are proud to offer high-quality early education and childcare for children aged two and above. We support families in accessing government-funded places through the following entitlements.
15 Hours’ FUNDING for 2-, 3‑ and 4‑Year‑Olds
Some children aged two years old may be eligible for 15 hours of funded childcare per week. Eligibility is based on specific criteria, such as receiving Universal Credit (with earnings below the set threshold), receiving Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or other qualifying benefits, having an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), receiving Disability Living Allowance, or being looked after by the local authority or having left care under certain circumstances.
All children aged 3 or four are eligible for 15 hours of funded childcare per week.
You can check your eligibility through your local authority or the Best Start in Life parent hub.
30 Hours’ FUNDING for Eligible Working Families (2-, 3‑ and 4‑Year‑Olds)
From the term after their second birthday, some children may be eligible for 30 hours of funded childcare per week. To qualify, parents must usually be working and each earning at least the equivalent of 16 hours per week at minimum wage, without exceeding the government’s maximum household income threshold.
Parents and carers must apply for this funding and provide a valid eligibility code to Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre before the start of term.
You can check your eligibility through your local authority or the Best Start in Life parent hub.
Please note: You must reconfirm your code every 3 months to continue receiving 30 hours of funding.
How to Use Your Funding at Someries Nursery
At Someries Nursery, we offer government-funded places for children aged two and over. All funded hour – whether 15 or 30 hours per week – are provided free of charge, with no mandatory fees attached. In line with government guidance, we ensure that parents and carers have access to clear and transparent information about any optional charges, such as those for school-provided meals or extended childcare. These additional services are entirely optional and are not a condition of accessing a funded place at our setting.
Funded Hours and Optional Charges
Government funding is intended to provide 15 or 30 hours per week of free, high-quality, and flexible early education and care. These funded hours must be offered completely free of charge, with no mandatory fees attached as a condition of access.
However, this funding does not cover the cost of meals, consumables, additional hours of childcare, or extra activities and services. Charges for these items are permitted, provided they are optional and clearly communicated to families.
Providers may charge for these items as long as the charges are optional, clearly communicated to families, and not a condition of accessing the funded entitlement.
At Someries Nursery, we are committed to delivering the funded hours in full and free of charge, in line with statutory guidance. We do not apply mandatory charges as a condition of accessing a funded place.
Lunch Charge
A 30-minute lunch period is included within the 30 hours of funded entitlement.
Families who choose for their child to receive a school-provided meal will incur a daily lunch charge of £2.60, which covers the cost of the meal only. This charge is optional, not a condition of accessing a funded place, and is fully consistent with government guidance on charging for meals.
Parents who do not wish to pay this charge may instead provide their child with a nut-free packed lunch.
If you choose to send your child to Nursery with a packed lunch, please be aware that they will have 30 minutes in which to eat. We therefore advise you to avoid including packaged items that require adult assistance to open and to ensure that your child is able to eat their lunch with relative independence within this timeframe.
All packed lunches must comply with our Packed Lunch Policy, which is designed to promote healthy eating and ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children. Please familiarise yourself with this policy before preparing your child’s lunch.
If your child’s packed lunch contains any items that are not permitted under the Packed Lunch Policy, they will be given a school-provided meal instead, and the £2.60 meal charge will be added to your Arbor account.
We appreciate your support in following these guidelines, which help us maintain a safe and positive mealtime experience for all children.
Families must make a weekly commitment to either school meals or packed lunches. Changes during the week are not permitted, as this helps us plan and manage provision effectively.
Extended Childcare Charge
Our funded Nursery provision will end daily at 2.45 p.m., in line with the 30-hour entitlement.
To support families who need care beyond this time, we offer an optional extended childcare service from 2.45 p.m. to 3.15 p.m. daily.
This results in an additional 2.5 hours of care per week beyond the funded provision and is charged accordingly to cover the cost of staffing. The charge is optional and is separate from the lunch charge.
If families choose not to take up this extended provision, children must be collected promptly at 2.45 p.m.. Please note that late collection after 2.45 p.m. without prior arrangement will result in the extended childcare charge being automatically added to your Arbor account.
Our optional extended childcare provision, which runs from 2.45 p.m. to 3.15 p.m., is not only an opportunity for additional care but also a key time during which children take part in a range of valuable enrichment activities, including specialist music sessions, physical education lessons, and Forest School experiences.
These activities are integrated into our afternoon timetable and are delivered by visiting professionals and trained staff. Due to strict timetabling and staffing arrangements already in place, these sessions are scheduled within the extended childcare period.
As a result, children who are not enrolled in the extended childcare provision and are collected at 2.45 p.m. will not be able to access these optional extras.
As with lunch arrangements, parents and carers must opt into this extended service on a weekly basis. Mid-week changes or ad hoc attendance are not permitted.
Transparency and Access
In accordance with government expectations, all information regarding optional and chargeable extras – including costs associated with meals, extended childcare, intimate care, and consumables – is clearly published, regularly updated, and readily accessible on our school website. This ensures that families can make fully informed decisions when choosing early years provision.
We hope this statement provides clear guidance on our funding and charging structure and how it supports the delivery of accessible, flexible, and high-quality early education for all families.
| Session | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single 3-hour session (without Government funding) | £24.20 |
| 15-hour block session (to be applied in 3-hour blocks across 5 days in a single week) (without Government funding) | £121.00 |
| Per day lunch charge | £2.60 |
| Per day extended childcare charge for full-time pupils (additional 30 minutes of childcare per day so pupils can be collected at 3.15 p.m.) | £3.70 |
| Weekly alternative milk provision charge (provision of lactose-free or soya milk) | £2.00 |
| Intimate care or nappy charge (per episode) | £0.75 |
An indicative cost for self-funded full-time provision at Nursery is £148.40 per week, which includes 30 hours of early years education and a daily hot meal provided by our onsite catering team.
Fees are paid to the school online via Arbor, and you will be provided access to this system when your child is allocated a place at Nursery.
The school also accepts childcare voucher payments and salary sacrifice schemes. Further information about Tax-Free Childcare can be found here.
Wraparound childcare
Per our Terms and Conditions of accepting a nursery place, our wraparound care provision is available exclusively to nursery pupils who are at least 3 years old. This service is not available to 2-year-olds.
Further information about our wraparound childcare provision can be found here.
Admission to Nursery
| 1. | A looked after child or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order , including those who appear to Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in care as a result of being adopted. A looked after child is a child who is: a) in the care of a local authority; or b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of the social services functions (section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989). Admission to the school’s two-year-old provision does not imply or guarantee a place in the school’s three-year-old provision. From the September following admission, places allocated to two-year-old children in the school’s three-year-old provision may be reallocated to pupils who meet higher priority criteria, in accordance with the school’s Nursery Admissions Policy. Parents or carers of children attending the two-year-old provision who cannot demonstrate that they meet criteria 1 to 4 of the Nursery Admissions Policy must submit a new application for a place in the three-year-old provision. Likewise, attendance at Someries Nursery - whether in the two- or three-year-old provision - does not imply or guarantee admission to the Reception year at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre. Reception places are allocated separately in line with the school’s admissions policy, and any expression of interest or prior attendance at the nursery will not influence the allocation of a school place. |
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| 2. | Children of staff who are employed by the school and whose parents or carers have expressed a clear intention to apply for Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre as their child preferred school in their child’s Nursery Registration Form. Admission to the school’s two-year-old provision does not imply or guarantee a place in the school’s three-year-old provision. From the September following admission, places allocated to two-year-old children in the school’s three-year-old provision may be reallocated to pupils who meet higher priority criteria, in accordance with the school’s Nursery Admissions Policy. Parents or carers of children attending the two-year-old provision who cannot demonstrate that they meet criteria 1 to 4 of the Nursery Admissions Policy must submit a new application for a place in the three-year-old provision. Likewise, attendance at Someries Nursery - whether in the two- or three-year-old provision - does not imply or guarantee admission to the Reception year at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre. Reception places are allocated separately in line with the school’s admissions policy, and any expression of interest or prior attendance at the nursery will not influence the allocation of a school place. |
| 3. | Children in the catchment area with a sibling or siblings already attending Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre or Someries Junior School at the proposed date of admission and whose parents or carers have expressed a clear intention to apply for Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre as their child preferred school in their child’s Nursery Registration Form. Admission to the school’s two-year-old provision does not imply or guarantee a place in the school’s three-year-old provision. From the September following admission, places allocated to two-year-old children in the school’s three-year-old provision may be reallocated to pupils who meet higher priority criteria, in accordance with the school’s Nursery Admissions Policy. Parents or carers of children attending the two-year-old provision who cannot demonstrate that they meet criteria 1 to 4 of the Nursery Admissions Policy must submit a new application for a place in the three-year-old provision. Likewise, attendance at Someries Nursery - whether in the two- or three-year-old provision - does not imply or guarantee admission to the Reception year at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre. Reception places are allocated separately in line with the school’s admissions policy, and any expression of interest or prior attendance at the nursery will not influence the allocation of a school place. |
| 4. | Children living in the catchment area of Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre and whose parents or carers have expressed a clear intention to apply for Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre as their child preferred school in their child’s Nursery Registration Form. Admission to the school’s two-year-old provision does not imply or guarantee a place in the school’s three-year-old provision. From the September following admission, places allocated to two-year-old children in the school’s three-year-old provision may be reallocated to pupils who meet higher priority criteria, in accordance with the school’s Nursery Admissions Policy. Parents or carers of children attending the two-year-old provision who cannot demonstrate that they meet criteria 1 to 4 of the Nursery Admissions Policy must submit a new application for a place in the three-year-old provision. Likewise, attendance at Someries Nursery - whether in the two- or three-year-old provision - does not imply or guarantee admission to the Reception year at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre. Reception places are allocated separately in line with the school’s admissions policy, and any expression of interest or prior attendance at the nursery will not influence the allocation of a school place. |
| 5. | Children who live outside the catchment area with siblings at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre and/ or Someries Junior School who will still be attending Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre and/ or Someries Junior School at the proposed date of admission and whose parents or carers have expressed a clear intention to apply for Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre as their child preferred school in their child’s Nursery Registration Form. Admission to the school’s two-year-old provision does not imply or guarantee a place in the school’s three-year-old provision. From the September following admission, places allocated to two-year-old children in the school’s three-year-old provision may be reallocated to pupils who meet higher priority criteria, in accordance with the school’s Nursery Admissions Policy. Parents or carers of children attending the two-year-old provision who cannot demonstrate that they meet criteria 1 to 4 of the Nursery Admissions Policy must submit a new application for a place in the three-year-old provision. Likewise, attendance at Someries Nursery - whether in the two- or three-year-old provision - does not imply or guarantee admission to the Reception year at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre. Reception places are allocated separately in line with the school’s admissions policy, and any expression of interest or prior attendance at the nursery will not influence the allocation of a school place. |
| 6. | On the shortest distance, measured in a straight line, between the main entrance of the school site and the pupil’s home address , with those living closer to the school being accorded higher priority and whose parents or carers have expressed a clear intention to apply for Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre as their child preferred school in their child’s Nursery Registration Form. Admission to the school’s two-year-old provision does not imply or guarantee a place in the school’s three-year-old provision. From the September following admission, places allocated to two-year-old children in the school’s three-year-old provision may be reallocated to pupils who meet higher priority criteria, in accordance with the school’s Nursery Admissions Policy. Parents or carers of children attending the two-year-old provision who cannot demonstrate that they meet criteria 1 to 4 of the Nursery Admissions Policy must submit a new application for a place in the three-year-old provision. Likewise, attendance at Someries Nursery - whether in the two- or three-year-old provision - does not imply or guarantee admission to the Reception year at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre. Reception places are allocated separately in line with the school’s admissions policy, and any expression of interest or prior attendance at the nursery will not influence the allocation of a school place. |
1. An adoption order is an order under the Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption orders) and children who were adopted under the Adoption and Children’s Act 2002 (see section 46 adoption orders). A ‘child arrangements order’ is an order settling the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom the child is to live under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989 as amended by section 14 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a ‘special guardianship order’ as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardian).
2. A child is regarded as having been in state care in a place outside of England if they were accompanied by a public authority, a religious organisation or any other provider of care whose sole purpose is to benefit society.
3. Someries Infant School regard children of staff as somebody employed to work at the school on a permanent contract for at least 15 hours per week, who meets one of the following criteria at the time of application: (1) has been in post continuously for at least 2 years; or (2) is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage. Children of staff that have given notice of resignation will not be considered under this criterion. For the purpose of satisfying these criteria, a member of staff is defined as a permanent member of the teaching staff or a permanent member of the non-teaching staff. The staff member must be the child’s parent or legal guardian and the child must be living permanently with the member of staff.
4. The terms ‘sibling’ or ‘siblings’ include natural, adopted and step brothers and sisters. It also includes fostered siblings, where foster care has been arranged by children’s social services. Other family relationships will not be considered under this criterion, including cousins.
5. The ‘main entrance’ to the school is the door used to access the school’s main reception.
6. The pupil’s home address is measured from a point at the address identified in the Local Land and Property Gazetteer. A pupil’s home address is where she or he spends the majority of the school week (Monday to Friday, including evenings) with her/ his parents or legal guardian. The address of a childminder or family member who looks after the children before or after school cannot be used. If there is any query on the home address, this will be checked against official documentation.
Application deadlines
2-year-old places
The application deadline for a September place at Someries Nursery for two-year-olds is 20 May each year. Letters or emails informing parents and carers whether or not their child has been allocated a place at Someries Nursery will be sent on 3 June each year.
3-year-old places
The application deadline for a September place at Someries Nursery for three-year-olds is 20 January each year. Letters or emails informing parents and carers whether or not their child has been allocated a place at Someries Nursery will be sent on 3 February each year.
The Governing Board reserves the right to make final decisions on admissions to Someries Nursery.
Admission to the school’s two-year-old provision does not imply or guarantee a place in the school’s three-year-old provision. From the September following admission, places allocated to two-year-old children in the school’s three-year-old provision may be reallocated to pupils who meet higher priority criteria, in accordance with the school’s Nursery Admissions Policy.
Parents or carers of children attending the two-year-old provision who cannot demonstrate that they meet criteria 1 to 4 of the Nursery Admissions Policy must submit a new application for a place in the three-year-old provision.
Likewise, attendance at Someries Nursery – whether in the two- or three-year-old provision – does not imply or guarantee admission to the Reception year at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre. Reception places are allocated separately in line with the school’s admissions policy, and any expression of interest or prior attendance at the nursery will not influence the allocation of a school place.
We aim to ensure that our school is as financially viable as possible; we will, therefore, endeavour to fill all places in our nursery at all times by offering unused places to families registered on our waiting list until we are full.
