Admissions

Nursery Visit

At Little Cherubs Nursery & Preschool, the safety and wellbeing of our children and staff remain our highest priority.

We offer prospective parents the following options to help you learn more about our nurseries:

  • A virtual tour sent directly to your email
  • Our nursery brochure
  • A pre-booked telephone or Zoom call to answer any questions
  • Open evenings to view the nursery in person once every half term (subject to availability)

To request a visit, please complete the “Book a visit” form on our homepage, and a member of our team will be in touch to arrange your preferred option.

 

Settle in period

View our settling in policy

We understand that starting nursery can be an emotional and sometimes anxious time for parents, as you are leaving the most precious thing in the world in someone else’s care for the first time. At Little Cherubs, we aim to make this transition as smooth, supportive and reassuring as possible.

To help both children and families feel confident, we offer every new child a complimentary settling-in period before their official start date.

During these sessions, your child will attend short visits alongside a parent or carer, allowing them to:

  • Become familiar with the nursery environment
  • Build confidence and feel secure in their new surroundings
  • Begin forming trusting relationships with our staff team

These sessions also give our practitioners the opportunity to learn about your child’s individual routines, interests and preferences, helping us provide personalised care from the very beginning.

Our goal is to ensure that both children and parents feel comfortable, confident and fully supported as they begin their Little Cherubs journey.

 

Arrival & depature at nursery

To ensure a calm, safe, and organised start and end to each day:

  • Children are dropped off and collected via the main entrance
  • A manager or practitioner welcomes in and guides each child to their classroom
  • Procedures are designed to minimise disruption and congestion

These arrangements help maintain a safe and consistent routine for children and families.

Parents are asked to follow all current health guidance and notify the nursery of any illness.

 

Sessions fees

Opening Hours

Sydenham Nursery

  • Monday to Friday: 8:00 am – 6:00pm
  • Early Start (subject to availability): from 7:45am

Shortlands Nursery

  • Monday to Friday: 8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Early Start (subject to availability): from 7:45am

We are closed on:

  • Bank Holidays
  • The period between Christmas and New Year
  • Up to three staff training days per year (dates provided in advance)

Children are required to attend a minimum of two days per week to support continuity of care and learning. This must include either a Monday or Friday as part of your child’s regular attendance pattern.

Funding

3 year funding

All three - and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of free nursery education for 38 weeks of the year. Children become eligible for this funding the term after their 3rd birthday.

15 hours funded only spaces are offered to parents over 1 x full day & 1 x half day session. These are allocated with available slots each term & parents may need to have flexibility in days.

30 hours funding

We are please to be able to offer an extra 15 hours to ALL parents that meet the criteria, giving a total of 30 hours free childcare per week during term time.

2 year funding

We offer the 2-year-old early learning entitlement which enables eligible children to 15 hours of free early education during term time only. Children become eligible for this funding the term after their 2nd birthday.

The funding is allocated on a means tested basis by the Local Authority. If you are eligible for this funding, you will receive a ‘Letter of Eligibility’ or ‘Golden Ticket’ which will enable us to claim the free entitlement for your child. This can only be used at ONE setting per term. We cannot offer a space without the original document. Please contact your local authority for more information.

 

Fees & payment

Fees are payable in advance on the 1st of each month
Fees are calculated on a termly pro-rata basis and remain payable during holidays and closures

We are pleased to offer a 10% sibling discount on the eldest child’s fees, this can be used on full priced days only and not on any supplements & extras.

Payments can be made using:

  • BACS transfer
  • Tax-Free Childcare
  • Childcare Vouchers
  • Enjoy Benefits workplace scheme

Click to view our full fee information.

Government funded hours

We are proud to accept all types of Government-funded early education entitlements and are committed to helping families access the funding they are eligible for.

30 hours funding for working parents from 9mths

Eligible working families may access an 30 hours of funding per week over 38 weeks of the year
To access this entitlement, parents must:

  • Meet government eligibility criteria
  • Provide a valid funding code
  • Reconfirm their eligibility regularly
2 Year-old funding (early learning entitlement)

We offer funded places for eligible two-year-olds under the Early Learning Entitlement scheme.
This provides:

  • Up to 15 funded hours per week (term time only)
  • Funding allocated on a means-tested basis by the Local Authority
  • Access with a valid eligibility letter or “Golden Ticket”

Please note:

  • Funding can only be used at one setting per term
  • We cannot offer a funded place without valid documentation
Universal 3 and 4 year-old funding (15 hours)

All three- and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of funded early education per week for 38 weeks per year, starting from the term after their third birthday.

Funded-only places are usually offered as:

  • One full day and one half day
  • Subject to availability each term

Some flexibility in attendance days may be required.

Additional charges

Funded hours are provided free of charge for children aged three and over. However, this funding does not include additional extras such as:

  • Meals and Snacks
  • Extra-Curricular activities
  • Consumables and resources
Parents may choose to opt out of these additional services where applicable.

 

What to do next

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Call to book a visit

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Fill in a registration form

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Secure your space with a deposit

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Drop your child off for your settle in days

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You're all ready to start!
Little Cherubs Nursery