Seasons & Fees

Definitions

Early Bird

This session begins at 8:15am and is charged at £8 a session. Your child will be provided with breakfast before the start of the Pre-school Day. Early Bird must be booked in advance. This session does not fall under the free funded hours criteria.

Early Bird Drop Off

This enables you to drop your child off before the start of the Pre-school Day without the option of breakfast. You can drop your child off anytime between 8:45am & 9:15am, it is £4.00 a day and can be arranged in the morning by phoning Pre-School. These are handy if you have appointments to get to or other children to drop at schools. This session does not fall under the free funded hours.

Late pick up

This is from 3.15pm until 3.45pm at a fee of £4.00 and must be pre booked.

Children will have access to tabletop activities a drink and a snack, this will be in the kitchen.

There are very limited spaces. If your child is not booked in, and you are late you will be charged the late collection fee of £10.00 per 15 minutes over collection time. This session does not fall under the free funded hours.

Morning

This session runs 9:15-12:15 and can be used as part of your child’s free hours.

Full Day
This session runs 9:15-15:15 and can be used as part of your child’s free hours.

Eligibility

We deliver ‘Free For 2’ funding. If your child is eligible, they are entitled to 15 hours free early education to be used flexibly, between 9:15am and 15:15pm a week.

We also deliver working parent entitlement for 2 year olds. They are entitled to 15 hours of childcare per week to be used flexibly within our delivery pattern.

All eligible 3- and 4-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of free early education to be used flexibly between 9:15am and 3 :15pm a week

Universal free early education is 570 hours, this equates to 15 hours per week. Your child’s free early education is accessed once your parental declaration is complete. We also require you to bring your child’s birth certificate or passport as proof of age for the eligibility of the Early Years Free Early Education.
We offer 30 hours free education if you meet the criteria. To check if you qualify for any of the above entitlements, please visit:
https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/childcare-and-pre-school/free-childcare/30-hours-free-childcare

Daily Routine

Morning

9:15am: Free flow child-initiated play inside and outside (Weather permitting)

10:00-11:00am: Rotated snack time in key groups. Other children continue free flow play.

11:30 am: tidy up / Key group focused activities.

11,50 -12:15pm: Whole group topical singing and stories

12:15pm: Home time/Lunchtime

Afternoon

12:15pm: Wash hands for lunchtime in groups

12:15- 12:45pm: Lunchtime
All children help to clean their lunch area, put their lunch boxes away, wash hands and faces.

Then put boots and coats on for outside play. If weather is bad, large play indoors.

13:00pm: Free flow child-initiated play inside and outside (Weather permitting)

13:45pm: Focused activities

14:00pm 14;30 pm: free play

14:40 pm: Tidy up

14:50pm: Whole group singing, music, story etc.

15:15 pm: Goodbye prayers and home time

All times are approximate and may be adjusted to suit the needs of the children.

Fees

Any sessions you require outside of your child’s free hours will be charged as set out below:

Each 3-hour session is charged at £18
Each 6-hour session is charged at £36.

Little Acorns Pre-School is open 38 weeks of the year, term time only.

Sessions can be changed by giving a terms notice.

Fees for the term will be issued at the beginning of each new term. These can be paid as and when but MUST be paid in full, by the date set by the Pre-School before the end of each term.

Fees are calculated for the whole term for the days your child attends. This means that if your child has time off due to sickness or holiday, you will still be charged. If Pre-School cancels a session, you will not be charged. This is an Ofsted policy.

If you are late collecting your child, you will be charged £10.00 per 15 minutes your child is in Pre-School after 12:15pm or 3:15pm. These charges apply whether your child is in receipt of Free Early Education or not

To tell us your child's Session Requirements by downloading, completing and signing the attached table/form and return ONE per child.

Useful Information

Twice, in the Pre-school Day we will provide a snack for your child. Milk and water will also be offered at this time.

Snacks are healthy and can range from fruit, crackers, or rice cakes to snacks they have made themselves during the day such as pizza or sandwiches. Occasionally we will make cakes, pancakes, biscuits, angel delight or jelly.

Snacks

If your child will be eating lunch with us, they will be required to bring a packed lunch, in a named lunchbox/bag. We, unfortunately, do not provide hot meals.

We will provide drinks for your child.
We encourage parents to pack a healthy packed lunch including items such as:

Vegetable sticks and dip (Hummus, Guacamole)
Wraps
Fruit (Please ensure grapes are cut length ways)
Rice cakes or Pitta Bread

No chocolate or sweets in lunchboxes/bags please
We will provide milk and water, do not put drinks in your child’s lunchbox/bag

Lunches

Clothing/Uniform

A uniform is available to purchase and is very reasonably priced. We do encourage children to wear it as it stops your children’s lovely clothes being spoilt with paint and glue etc.

We encourage children to wear slippers or plimsolls inside, this enables us to keep up with Health and Hygiene regulations.

Any uniform, spare clothing, slippers/plimsolls, bags, coats, hats and gloves should be clearly named.
Children will play outside in all weathers, so we ask that you provide your children with suitable clothing for the weather conditions. This includes a pair of named wellies, a waterproof coat and hats suitable for both rain and shine.

Nappies/Toilet Training

If your child is not yet toilet trained, we ask that you provide a named bag containing nappies, wipes, spare clothes, and any creams they may require.

When toilet training begins, we have child sized toilets or potties if this is what your child is familiar with. Your child’s key person will work closely with you to ensure that your child has the continuity of your procedures in relation to toilet training.

Coat Pegs

Each child will have a clearly labelled coat peg and 2 pigeonholes. We encourage them to find their picture and name and take off and put on their own coat and shoes/slippers/plimsolls.

Please always check your child’s raised pigeonhole for any work they have completed whilst at Pre-School.

Sick/Unwell Child

If your child is sick or has diarrhoea whilst as Pre-School, you will be contacted to collect them. They will be cared for by their key person until you are able to collect your child.

Your child will need to stay at home for 48 hours after the last bout of sickness or diarrhoea. This will ensure the bug has passed and will stop the spread of infection.

If your child needs Calpol or cough medicine to get through the day, they must stay at home. Only if they have a prescribed medicine are they allowed to attend.

Conjunctivitis /impetigo if your child shows signs of these, we ask you to keep them at home. These infections spread very quickly.

woman wearing yellow long-sleeved dress under white clouds and blue sky during daytime

Little Acorns Pre-school has been a wonderful start to my child's educational journey. Highly recommend!

Sarah J.

A young child wearing a patterned onesie is interacting with colorful alphabet blocks on a table. An adult sitting beside the child is supporting them, dressed in a navy blue shirt with an embroidered logo. The scene conveys a sense of learning or playtime in a bright, softly-lit room.
A young child wearing a patterned onesie is interacting with colorful alphabet blocks on a table. An adult sitting beside the child is supporting them, dressed in a navy blue shirt with an embroidered logo. The scene conveys a sense of learning or playtime in a bright, softly-lit room.

The caring staff and outdoor learning opportunities have made a significant difference in my child's development.

Mark T.

A group of children gathers outdoors on an orange mat placed on the ground near a brick wall and rustic building. Some children are sitting with books, while others stand nearby. There's an atmosphere of informal learning or play in a rural setting.
A group of children gathers outdoors on an orange mat placed on the ground near a brick wall and rustic building. Some children are sitting with books, while others stand nearby. There's an atmosphere of informal learning or play in a rural setting.
★★★★★
★★★★★