Admission Policy
1) Equal Opportunities and Data Protection
2) What we have waiting lists for
3) Internal Waiting List (IWL)
4) External Waiting List (EWL)
5) Tips for getting a full day care nursery place
6) Waiting List Terms and Conditions
1) Equality opportunities and Data protection
We are keen to represent a cross section of members within the community and do not discriminate against a child or their family, or prevent entry into our setting, on the basis of colour, ethnicity, religion or social background, such as being a member of a travelling community or an asylum seeker.
We do not discriminate against a child with a disability or refuse entry to our setting because of any disability. We would develop an action plan to ensure that people with disabilities can participate successfully in the services offered by the setting and in the curriculum.
In compliance with current UK data protection legislation, any information you provide, will be kept secure and treated confidentially. The data collected will only be used by Dicky Birds Pre School Nurseries and Smart Chicks Recruitment. Please note this will not be disclosed to any external sources without prior consent.
Please contact Head Office on 020 8942 5779 or headchick@dickybirds.co.uk with any queries regarding our Admissions policy.
2) What we have waiting lists for.....
Dicky Birds offer the following care at their sites and waiting lists for each type:-
Queens Road, Wimbledon: Full Day Care
Dundonald Road, Wimbledon: Full Day Care
Raynes Park: Pre-school term time
New Malden: Full day care
Surbiton 62 Claremont Rd & Claremont Hall: Full Day Care, Breakfast and Afterschool Club
Each nursery has a waiting list which is divided into 2 sections:
Internal Waiting List (IWL)
External Waiting List (EWL)
Priority will be given on both lists to families with exceptional needs, whether based on social or medical grounds (supporting evidence will be required upon registration and an assessment will be undertaken to ensure the nursery concerned is suitable to cater for the child's individual needs).
3) Internal Waiting List
Our Internal Waiting List consists of:
- Children currently attending the nursery who need to increase or change days / sessions
- Siblings of children currently attending the nurseryand who will still be in attendance when the new child starts
- Children who need to transfer from one of our other nursery branches
Children on our IWL have priority over children on our External Waiting List.
Places are offered in the date order that a request has been made and may also be subject to room capacity. If once your child has joined the nursery you want to swap or increase their days, you must request to be added to the IWL.
CURRENT & NEW CHILDREN (Including those wanting to transfer between our nursery branches)
Joining our Internal Waiting List
A new child will be added to our Internal Waiting List once their place has been secured with a completed Agreement form and applicable fees having been paid.
A child or a sibling of a child already in a Dicky Birds nursery will be added to the Internal Waiting List on teh date that the request is made by the parent.
Please contact Head Office with your request to increase or change your child's days. You can do this either by email to admissions@dickybirds.co.uk, letter or telephone call.
If you are unsure as to whether your child is on our IWL please contact Head Office as soon as possible to check.
Please do not assume that your child is on the internal waiting list if you have not directly made a request to Head Office.
When will your child be able to increase or change their days / sessions?
You will be contacted as soon as a space becomes available. We usually know 8 weeks in advance for full day care and 1 full term in advance for pre-school. However there may be instances where we know at short notice (a matter of weeks) or well in advance (a matter of 8 weeks or more).
We are reliant on a child leaving to be able to offer you a space and also on room capacity. Notice for a child to leave comes to us in the form of 8 weeks notice for a full day care place and 1 full terms notice for a pre school place. There are some predicted exit points in the year when we are able to forecast which children will be leaving to attend mainstream school and therefore can offer some spaces further in advance.
We cannot predict beyond the above 2 scenarios when a space will be available for your child. We also cannot guarantee that a space will become available by the date that you have requested.
As soon as we have knowledge of a space becoming available we will contact you by telephone or email to offer you the space.
SIBLINGS
How to register your new child
We recommend that you register
your new child with us as soon as possible.
You will not be charged a registration fee to register a sibling if they will be attending the nursery at the same time as their older sibling.
If the older sibling has left the nursery before the new child is to attend, you will need to pay a non refundable registration fee and to see our External Waiting List section.
Simply send us an email to admissions@dickybirds.co.uk stating:
Childs name - or TBC:
Date of birth / due date:
Requested start date:
Requested days:
Please do not assume that the nursery has informed Head Office that you are having a second/third child or that your child/ren are automatically on our waiting list or that they will automatically get a place in the nursery. You must register your child as above to be considered for a space.
Siblings of children currently attending a Dicky Birds nursery and who will still be in attendance when the new child joins will be placed on our Internal Waiting List (please see the above section Internal Waiting List for details).
If the older child leaves the nursery, their sibling will be placed on the External Waiting List (please see External Waiting List section for further details).
We understand fully the importance of your children being in the same nursery together. However we cannot guarantee your second/third child a place in the nursery on the date you have requested or for the days / sessions you have requested.
We are reliant on a child leaving to be able to offer you a space and also on room capacity. Notice comes to us in the form of 8 weeks notice for a full day care place and 1 full terms notice for a pre school place. At some points of the year we are able to forecast which children will be leaving to go to school and therefore can offer some spaces a further in advance.
We cannot predict beyond the above 2 scenarios when a space will be available for your child. We also cannot guarantee that a space will become available by the date that you want it.
Spaces will become available eventually we just cannot predict for you when that will be. Therefore when registering your second/third child you may want to consider starting them earlier at the nursery if we have spaces earlier, or putting other child care provisions in place such as a nanny.
We have a sister company called Smart Chicks who provide nannies and babysitters. To discuss the option of a nanny for your child/ren whilst you are waiting for a nursery space, please contact Sue@smartchicks.co.uk or 07969 009 891.
Reducing your current child's days / sessions during
maternity leave
If you are considering reducing your current child's days / sessions at the nursery whilst you are on maternity leave, please bear in mind that we cannot guarantee when we will be able to change or add additional days / sessions following the completion of your maternity leave.
Attending the nursery for 1 day (Full Day Care only)
A parent/guardian who wishes their child to attend the nursery for 1 day per week, will be obliged to take a day specified by the nursery. Should a parent/guardian wish to reduce their child's days at the nursery to 1 day per week, they will be required to reduce/transfer to a day specified by the nursery. If the chosen day is not suitable, the parent/guardian will be obliged to give notice. At the discretion of the management this condition may be waived.
What happens once a parent has been offered a place for their child?
Once a parent has been offered a place for their child in the nursery they will be sent an offer email with various forms to be completed and returned to the nursery with payment to secure place. The nursery will contact the parent to arrange a Home Visit and to discuss settling in dates.
An Agreement form will need to be completed and fees will need to be paid to secure the place.
A Home Visit provides the parent with the opportunity to meet the nursery staff and for the staff to see the child in its home environment.
The offer email will document the necessary fees that the
parent will be required to complete to secure the place.
Fees
We require the following payments to secure a child's place:
- A deposit of £250.00
- 1 full month and applicable part-month fees in advance
The deposit, full months and applicable part-month fees in advance are non refundable should a parent decide not to take the place for their child.
4) External Waiting List
Our External Waiting List consists of children who do not already attend the nursery and those who have siblings that have previously attended the nursery.
Children on our Internal Waiting List have priority over children on our External Waiting List.
Former clients of the nursery (those who have had children with us who have now left) are given priority on the External Waiting List.
Entry onto the External Waiting List (EWL)
To join the nursery EWL a parent must complete a registration form via the Dicky Birds website (www.dickybirds.co.uk) and pay a non refundable registration fee. Their child will then be placed on the EWL in date (and time) order of which the registration form was received by Head Office and only once the registration fee is paid.
Once we have received a registration form and payment a
receipt will be sent by email along with a copy of our terms
and conditions.
Attending the nursery for 1 day (Full Day Care only)
A parent/guardian who wishes their child to attend the nursery for 1 day per week, will be obliged to take a day specified by the nursery. Should a parent/guardian wish to reduce their child's days at the nursery to 1 day per week, they will be required to reduce/transfer to a day specified by the nursery. If the chosen day is not suitable, the parent/guardian will be obliged to give notice. At the discretion of the management this condition may be waived.
When a place becomes available...
We will contact parents by telephone/email to confirm availability of spaces for the child. This will usually happen 12 to 4 weeks prior to a requested start date for a full day care place and one full term in advance for a pre-school place , but can also happen earlier or later if spaces arise.
We will endeavor to offer parents the days / sessions they have requested. However, if we are unable to offer the days / sessions requested, we will offer those days / sessions that we do have, with the option to increase or swap when the requested days / sessions become available.
Once you have been offered a place and it has been confirmed, please ensure that your request is added onto our IWL if you wish to increase or swap your days.
We will contact the parent via telephone and email to offer a place. From the date that the offer is made, the parent will have a maximum of 5 working days to decide whether to accept the place. If the parent fails to contact us or confirm acceptance of the place within 5 working days, the place will be offered to the next child on the waiting list. If we receive no contact from the parent once a place has been offered, their child will become 'inactive' on our waiting list.
It is the parent's responsibility to inform our Head Office of changes to contact details or alternative contact details if they are away for a period of time.
If a child is 'inactive' on the EWL the parent may contact the nursery to have their place 'reactivated'. The child will then be places back on the EWL in the order that they originally registered. If a child is 'inactive' they will not be offered a place in the nursery unless the parent has requests that the child is 'reactivated' on the waiting list.
What happens once a parent has been offered a place for their child?
Securing your child's place online
Once a parent has been offered a place for their child in the nursery they will be sent an offer email and a Sign Up appointment will be arranged to take place at the nursery.
By the date of the Sign Up Appointment, an Agreement Form will need to be completed and the deposit and first month and applicable part month fees will need to be paid.
At the Sign Up Appointmnt a Home Visit may be arranged. A Home Visit provides the parent with the opportunity to meet the nursery staff and for the staff to see the child in it's home environment.
The offer email will document the necessary fees that the
parent will be required to have ready at the Sign Up appointment.
Fees
We require the following payments to secure a child's place:
- A deposit of £250.00
- 1 full month and applicable part-month fees in advance
The deposit , full month ans applicable part-month fees in advance are non refundable should a parent decide not to take the place for their child.
5) Tips for getting a Full Day Care nursery place
Our tips on acquiring a place in the nursery.....(these do not guarantee you a place are merely some suggestions)
Be flexible
We recommend that you take whatever days we have to offer you. Once you are in the nursery your child will be added to our Internal Waiting List, bettering your chances of increasing or swapping your days quickly.
Start a little earlier
Think about starting your child a month or two before you go back to work. This will automatically add your child to the Internal Waiting List, bettering your chances of increasing or swapping your days quickly. This may also be an opportunity for you to get used to your child attending nursery before you go back to work.
Choosing your start date
BEST TIME - The most likely time to get a place in the nursery (usually) is between July and September - when our school leavers fly the nest
The most difficulty time to get a place in the nursery (usually) January and February - there is not much movement at these times and a high amount of siblings who have priority also wanting places.
6)Waiting List Terms and Conditions
Registration: A child's name will be placed on the waiting list for the chosen nursery/ies on receipt of a completed registration form and non-refundable registration (administration) fee at out Head Office (HO) via our website www.dickybirds.co.uk. Admission and entry will be subject to the availability of a place.
Waiting list policy and procedure: A child is placed on the waiting list in the order of the date on which a registration form is received by HO. HO will contact the parent/guardian to confirm the availability of a place 12 to 4 weeks in advance of a requested start date for a Full Day Care place and 1 full term in advance of a requested start date for a Pre-School/Breakfast After School Club place. In some circumstances HO may be able to contact the parent/guardian earlier than the periods stated above and reserve the right to require a decision from the parent/guardian based on this early notification. The parent/guardian is responsible for ensuring that HO have up to date email/telephone and address details to ensure that contact can be made.
Priority for places and waiting list fluidity: Priority for nursery places is given to certain categories of child. Therefore a child's position on the waiting list is subject to change. Please see our Admissions Policy for details.
Availability of places: Places are subject to availability and Dicky Birds cannot guarantee nursery places. Places usually become available based on children leaving and are subject to room capacity.
Offer of a place: HO will attempt to contact the parent/guardian 3 times via email/telephone over a period of 5 working days. If we are unable to contact the parent/guardian on the third attempt we will assume that a place is no longer required for their child and will remove them from the waiting list. Please see out Admissions Policy for further details.
Once a parent/guardian has been offered a place for their child they will be given a deadline date to confirm the place. Failure to confirm the place by the deadline date will result in the place being offered to the next child on the waiting list.
Refusal of a place: The Parent/Guardian has the right to refuse any places offered for their child by up to 5 times. After the 5th refusal the parent/guardian will be obliged to contact the HO once they are ready to confirm a place, rather than HO contacting the parent/guardian. Places will be subject to availability.
ADMISSION
Securing a place: For a Full Day Care place; a completed Agreement form, a deposit (details of the current deposit are set out in the Fees List) and 1 full month and applicable part-month fees in advance will be payable upon acceptance of the offer of a place. For Pre-School / Breakfast & After School Club place; a completed Agreement form, deposit (details of the current deposit are set out in the Fees List) and 1 full term's fees in advance will be payable upon acceptance of the offer of a place. When the child leaves the nursery the deposit will be repaid without interest to the parent/guardian by means of a cheque and any outstanding fees will be deducted from this sum.
Cancelling Acceptance of a Place: The deposit and fees are non refundable should a child not join the nursery. A child's place is deemed accepted upon receipt of The Agreement. Cases of serious illness or genuine hardship may receive special consideration upon written request.
Attending the Full Day Care nursery for 1 day per week (Full Day Care only): A parent/guardian who wishes their child to attend the nursery for 1 day per week, will be obliged to take a day specified by the nursery. Should a parent/guardian wish to reduce their child's days at the nursery to 1 day per week, they will be required to reduce/transfer to a day specified by the nursery. If the chosen day is not suitable, the parent/guardian will be obliged to give notice. At the discretion of the management this condition may be waived.
Updated August 2011
