How does the settling in process work?

 We are completely flexible in our settling in process and really follow the needs of the individual child. On a first settling in visit a parent stays and fills in the registration forms whilst their child familiarises themselves with playgroup, through playing with the toys and staff. Some children only need one visit before they are happy to be left, whilst others require a more graduated approach with several visits and gradually increasing the amount of time that they are left.

 

Does my child need to be out of nappies before attending Fallodon Playgroup?

 No.  Many of our younger children are still in nappies when they start with us. We have nappy changing facilities, but you will need to provide nappies, wipes and nappy sacks for your child. We do support families with the potty training process and we will follow what you are doing at home. Often children bring in their own potty from home to use in playgroup (along with plenty of spare clothes) and we will encourage them to use it.

Is payment made monthly?

 Pauline is our admin lady and she usually invoices on a termly basis and doesn’t tend to invoice until a child has been with us a few weeks. We are flexible on this and some families in the past have requested to pay monthly and we can organise this if you prefer. Although the invoice is on a termly basis we don’t start charging until a child has actually started with us, so if a child starts mid-way through a term then you will be charged from their starting date rather than the beginning of the term.

How much notice is required to terminate attendance or to swap/increase number of days/change from a shorter to a longer morning?

 Provided we have space we usually don’t need any notice to change days or to increase to a longer day, but we would appreciate 6 weeks notice if you intend to remove your child from playgroup as this helps us plan staffing levels.  If we are unable to refill a space caused by a child leaving without giving notice, parents/carers may be liable for the income lost.

How do I register my child?

 In order to secure a place at playgroup we require a registration fee of £30 to be paid via BACS. Once the child starts playgroup this then counts towards their healthy snack contribution for the next 3 long terms. Should the parent/carer withdraw from the setting before their child attends a session, this fee will be non-refundable and will account for administration charges incurred.  You will also need to provide your child’s full name and DOB and to comply with GDPR we will also send you a Data Protection Privacy Statement for you to sign.

Will I still have to pay if my child is absent due to illness or holidays?

 Yes. I’m afraid we are unable to offer refunds for sessions not attended due to illness or holidays.

Do you have a minimum number of sessions children must attend each week?

 Ideally we like children to attend at least twice a week as we feel this helps them to settle better and build up good relationships with both staff and children alike. However, if this doesn’t fit in with your needs then your child could attend for just one session a week.

I don’t think my child is ready to start playgroup. Is it possible to defer their place?

Provided you have paid the £30 registration fee then it is possible to defer a place until you feel your child is ready to start playgroup.

My child has just had their 3rdbirthday can I now claim for the funded hours?

 You can only claim the funded hours the term after your child has turned three. To be able to claim for the Autumn term (September-December) your child will need to have turned 3 by 31stAugust, to claim for the Spring term (January-March) your child will need to have turned 3 by 31stDecember and to claim for the Summer term (April-July) they will need to have turned 3 by 31stMarch.