Admissions Policy 

These Terms and Conditions are necessary in order to maintain our high standards and to ensure children gain the maximum benefit from their attendance at Nursery. We reserve the right to change or amend these at any time.

References to “us”, “we”, “NTN”, in these Terms and Conditions shall mean Nature Trail Nursery Limited, a private limited company incorporated under the laws of England & Wales with company registration.

References to you in these Terms and Conditions shall mean you the parent, parents, legal guardian or legal guardians of the child, named in the Nursery Admissions Form and the term “your” shall be construed accordingly.

Any reference to “in writing” shall include email.

AGE OF ADMITTANCE / OPENING HOURS / ATTENDANCE
• Children from 3 months to 4 years are welcomed. Children are accommodated in separate areas, designed, equipped and staffed to meet their developmental needs.
• We are open for 51 weeks of the year, Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 18:00 (Park Road and Euxton settings opening hours differ), excluding Bank Holidays. Closed one week at Christmas
• A minimum of two full days’ attendance weekly is required.
• Requests to increase or decrease attendance sessions may only be made in writing 4 weeks’ in advance.
• Requests to amend booking/attendance patterns may only be made in writing 4 weeks’ in advance and days/sessions booked may not be exchanged in any circumstances.
• Changes to booking/attendance patterns must remain in place for a minimum of 8 weeks before any further change can be made.
• Additional one-off sessions may be booked based upon availability and are payable on the day of the extra session, unless agreed with the manager to be paid via an alternative method.
• A number of settling in visits are offered prior to a child starting nursery, at the nursery’s sole discretion.
• If there are any confirmed or suspected additional needs, a member of staff from the nursery will meet with you in advance and offer additional classroom visits to ascertain if we are able to meet your child’s needs within our provision.

REGISTRATION, FEES, PAYMENT AND NOTICE PERIOD
• Applications for a child’s place at the nursery can be made at any time.
• A non-refundable fee of £40 is payable prior to or on submission of the Nursery Admission Form and the nursery cannot process any application until this has been paid.
• The first four weeks’ fees must be paid within the first week of attendance. All private fees include meals, drinks, snacks, consumables and administrative costs. Fully funded places are required to pay a consumables charge.  This will be discussed with you during enrolment.
• Fees are payable in advance and it is your responsibility to ensure payment is made and released from the necessary accounts within the required time frame. We accept a variety of childcare vouchers and tax free childcare as supplementary fee payment options, however a method of payment must always be in place and agreed upon prior to enrolment.
• Notice of cancellation of additional sessions is required in writing by noon on the Friday prior to the week of booking or full fees will be payable.
• Full fees are payable for all absence and holiday periods including Bank Holidays.
• Attendance is recorded when children arrive and leave and parents/guardians are required to inform us if a child is to be absent for any reason. If a parent does not contact nursery, a member of the team will contact the child’s parents/guardians, to conduct a welfare check.

• Term time only children – For children under the age of two years old, there is a requirement to honour day/s in the school holidays, to ensure continuity for both children and staff. If your child attends four or more days, then we ask for two honour days per week. If your child attends three days or under, then we ask that you honour one day. This will be incorporated within your monthly invoice. 

• We ask that you confirm your child’s starting date/ hours as early as possible. Please note, there will be a charge of £100, if parents change the child’s intended start date more than once.

• Parents Duty to keep us up to date - Parents/guardians must inform nursery of any changes regarding the health of your child, change of address, new family arrangements, telephone numbers and who is allowed to collect.
  
  NON-PAYMENT OF FEES
  • In the event of a direct debit payment failing on the day it is due a fee of £25.00 will be payable.
  • If any payment is not made on the date it is due a fee of £25.00 will be payable.
  • Any payment that is due and which is not made within 21 days of the date it is due will result in the child’s place being temporarily withdrawn for a maximum period of 5 days until such payment is made. A fee of £100.00 will be payable to reinstate the child and end the suspension.
  • If the overdue payment is not made before the 5-day suspension period ends the child’s place will be permanently withdrawn.
  • If payments are not paid within 21 days of their due date on more than 3 occasions during a single calendar year the child’s place will be permanently withdrawn.

MEALS AND SNACKS
• A healthy, nutritionally balanced menu is offered to all children and all food is prepared on the premises.
• Copies of menus are available and special arrangements can be made to accommodate individual dietary requirements on medical or religious grounds only, in consultation with parents/guardians. Vegetarian and vegan diets can also be catered for upon request.
• The nursery reserves the right to not offer a place at the nursery if it feels it cannot meet a child’s dietary needs.
• Children are offered an early morning snack, lunch and light tea. Parents of babies not yet eating a full diet need to provide formula milk daily.

SICKNESS AND MEDICATION
• It is not our policy to administer medicines to children. However, if requested to do so by parents/guardians we will administer prescription medications wherever possible but reserve the right to refuse a request to administer medicines whilst a child is in our care. No non-prescription medicine is to be brought into nursery. If it is agreed that medication may be administered, a signed form must be completed by the parent/guardian confirming authorisation (please see our Medication policy for further information). A phone call will also take place
• Children with certain illnesses or conditions must not attend Nursery for the time stated in the Medical Exclusion Table within the Sick Child Policy. Specifically, children with sickness and/or diarrhoea must remain at home until 48 hours after the last bout of sickness and/or diarrhoea. For any illnesses requiring government intervention, their guidance must be followed at all times.
• If a child becomes unwell during attendance, we may require emergency assistance. If this is necessary, parents will be contacted at an appropriate time, to inform them. Permission for this is requested on the admissions form. An appropriate adult/key person would accompany the child, in the absence of the parent.
• If a child has an accident whilst attending, a record is made and parents/guardians or those designated to collect the child are informed. Full details of accident will be posted on to I connect, including a copy of the completed accident form.

ADMISSION POLICY
• Our admission policy, available in our policy pack

WITHDRAWALS AND FEES ON WITHDRAWALS
• Should you decide to remove your child from the nursery, you may withdraw their place by giving the nursery 4 weeks’ notice in writing of your intention to do so and all fees due to the nursery will be payable up to and including the end of such notice period. The nursery may at its discretion offset any part of any advance payment you have made against the fees that are due and charge you the balance.
• Whether or not a child continues to attend during the 4 weeks where the 4 weeks’ notice applies, payment of all fees for that time period without deduction or set off must be made.
• Should the nursery decide to remove your child, other than due to a child’s special educational, learning or developmental needs, in accordance with its Exclusion Procedures, all fees payable up to and including the date the child leaves the nursery will be payable.
• A child’s place may be withdrawn if the nursery decides (acting reasonably) that it cannot continue to adequately provide for and meet a child’s particular special educational, learning or developmental needs. Full details can be found in the admission policy. In such circumstances all fees due up to and including the date the child leaves the nursery will be payable.
FUNDED PLACES MUST GIVE A TERMS NOTICE AS FUNDED HAS BEEN CLAIMED AND ALLOCATED

SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION
NTN have a duty of care to all children and act in accordance to national and local safeguarding and child protection procedures. Where we have reason to believe that a child may be at risk, we have a duty to refer this to the appropriate authority. This is clearly defined within the company safeguarding policies and permission to share information in such circumstances is requested on the enrolment form.

PERSONAL PROPERTY, VALUABLES AND BELONGINGS
• All property and clothing should be clearly marked with the child's name.
• For safety and security, children should not bring valuables or money at any time unless specifically requested.
• We do our utmost to take care of children's belongings but regret that no responsibility can be accepted for them becoming lost or damaged.

CAR PARKING AND SAFETY
• Parents may use the nursery car parks, where possible but are requested to drive slowly at no more than 5mph and with caution, especially when parking or setting off. If parking away from the premises, consideration should be shown to ensure the safety, comfort and convenience of neighbours.
• All vehicles are parked at the owner’s risk and the nursery accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to vehicles or contents whilst on our premises.
• Please note, before children arrive or after they are collected from the nursery, parents/guardians or designated persons are responsible for their safety and children must be carefully supervised. Gates and doors must be closed after passing through.

OUTINGS OFF THE PREMISES
• Occasionally, we may wish to take children off the premises for an educational visit. Due care and attention is given to risk assessment safety. Permission for such outings is requested on the admissions form. Further details will also be issued at the time.

CONTACT DETAILS
• Full details of parent/guardian addresses, places of work, contact numbers and email addresses must be supplied before a child may attend. It is parents/guardians’ responsibility to ensure that all contact details are up to date and that they are contactable in cases of emergency.
• Details of any changes in circumstances or person/contact information must be provided immediately in writing.

CANCELLATION OF A PLACE
• If at any time following formal acceptance of a place and before the start date it is decided for whatever reason not to take up the place, then 4 weeks’ written notice must be given prior to the start date. In the event that less than 4 weeks’ notice is given then 4 weeks of fees will be payable no later than 1 week prior to the start date.

NURSERY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
• You agree to adhere to all of the nursery’s policies and procedures in place at all times, including but not limited to:
o Medication Procedures
o Exclusion Policy
o Diversity and Equal Opportunities
o Critical Incident Policy and Plan
o Admissions Policy and Procedures
o Behaviour Management Policy and Procedures

• To this extent we advise you to read and understand the policies and procedures which are emailed out to parents individually, upon enrolment

Please note the nursery reserves the right to amend its policies and procedures whenever and however it deems appropriate. You will be informed of any adjustments, changes or updates, via email/iconnect.

FORCED CLOSURE
• If the nursery or any part of the nursery is closed due to circumstances occurring which are beyond the reasonable control of the nursery including but not limited to:

o acts of God, flood, drought, earthquake or other natural disaster;
o epidemic or pandemic;
o terrorist attack, civil war, civil commotion or riots, war, threat of or preparation for war, armed conflict, imposition of sanctions, embargo, or breaking off of diplomatic relations;
o nuclear, chemical or biological contamination or sonic boom;
o any law or any action taken by a government or public authority, including imposing an export or import restriction, quota or prohibition, or failing to grant a necessary licence or consent;
o collapse of buildings, fire, explosion or accident

Then all fees which the nursery at its sole discretion deems payable for the delivery of education will be payable. Please refer to the nursery’s Critical Incident Policy and Plan for practical guidance should such an event occur.

WAIVER
• A waiver of any right or remedy under these Terms and Conditions or by law is only effective if given in writing and shall not be deemed a waiver of any subsequent right or remedy.

SEVERANCE
• If any provision or part-provision of these Terms and Conditions is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall be deemed deleted, but that shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the rest of this agreement.

• If any provision or part-provision of these Terms and Conditions is deemed deleted we shall negotiate in good faith to agree a replacement provision that, to the greatest extent possible, achieves the intended result of the original provision.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT
• These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between us and supersedes and extinguishes all previous agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations and understandings between us, whether written or oral, relating to their subject matter.
• These Terms and Conditions and any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter or formation shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales.

JURISDICTION
• You and we irrevocably agree with each other that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions.