Kings Castle welcomes children from 3 months to 5 years.

Kings Lodge welcomes children from approximately two to five years of age. A child’s suitability and readiness to attend Kings Lodge will be considered individually.

Both nurseries are open year-round, except for approximately 5–10 working days over the Christmas and New Year period (exact dates may vary). We are also closed on bank holidays and public holidays.

Opening times

• Kings Castle: Monday–Thursday 8.00am–6.00pm, Friday 8.00am–5.00pm
• Kings Lodge: Monday–Friday 8.00am–5.00pm

Time	Session
8.00am–12.00pm	Morning session
12.00pm–1.00pm	Lunch hour
1.00pm–5.00pm	Afternoon session
5.00pm–6.00pm	Tea-time session (Kings Castle only)

We try to be as flexible as possible and accept both full-time and part-time children.

The minimum booking is normally two sessions per week, although we recommend at least three or four sessions per week. Regular attendance helps children to settle, form relationships and benefit fully from the nursery routine and curriculum.

Please note

• We do not offer mornings-only bookings.
• We do not offer term-time-only places.
• Funded places are offered on a stretched, year-round basis only.
• All sessions are subject to availability.
• There may be a waiting list for popular days and sessions.
• We offer a discount for full-time, non-funded children attending four or five full days per week.
• Sibling discounts are available for non-funded children.

Please see our Fees page for further information.

Bank holidays / Christmas and New Year (planned closures)

The nurseries close for approximately 5–10 working days over the Christmas and New Year period; exact dates may vary each year. We are also closed on bank holidays and public holidays. Fees are not charged for the Christmas and New Year closure period or for other days on which the nursery has planned to close.

Holidays and absences

We do not offer any additional holiday allowance or fee reduction when a child is absent because of a family holiday, illness or another personal reason unless you book an “all inclusive package”. Children on one of our “All inclusive” packages receive 2 weeks’ holiday per year when fees are not charged. Please see the Fees page for further details.

Notification of absence

If your child will be absent, please notify us in advance wherever possible, or before 9.00am on the day of absence. We are required to maintain accurate attendance records and to follow up unexplained or unexpected absences as part of our safeguarding procedures.

Paid or funded hours cannot normally be transferred to another day when a child’s usual booked session falls on a bank holiday, including Good Friday.

Unexpected closures

We make every reasonable effort to remain open and provide a full service. Occasionally, the directors and management may decide that a nursery must close, open late or close early because of circumstances beyond our reasonable control. These may include: snow or ice, flooding, extreme weather, official red heat alert, power, water or heating failure, industrial action, a significant outbreak of contagious illness, serious staffing disruption, a major health and safety concern, or another emergency affecting the safe operation of the nursery.

Where a closure results from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, fees will be dealt with in accordance with our Terms and Conditions and will not therefore usually be refunded or credited. We will make every reasonable effort to minimise the closure period and provide parents with as much notice as possible.

To help children settle into their activities and minimise disruption to the Montessori learning cycle, we ask families to use the designated drop-off and collection times wherever possible.

This is particularly important for children in Lulworth, as the Montessori curriculum includes an uninterrupted learning cycle of approximately two to three hours during both the morning and afternoon. Consistent arrival and collection times help children feel secure and allow them to participate fully in nursery activities.

Drop-off times

• Morning session: between 8.00am and 9.00am
• Lunch-time arrival: 12.00pm
• Afternoon session: 1.00pm

Please contact the nursery in advance if exceptional circumstances mean that your child will arrive outside the usual arrival period.

Collection times

• 12.00pm: end of the morning session
• 1.00pm: end of the lunch hour
• Between 4.00pm and 5.00pm: end of the afternoon session
• Between 5.00pm and 6.00pm: tea-time session at Kings Castle

Children must be collected promptly by the end of their booked session.

Please see our Fees page for current charges and further information.

Our standard charges are the same at Kings Castle and Kings Lodge.

Universal funding for children aged three and four

All children aged three and four are eligible for universal Early Years funding from the relevant funding period. We offer this funding on a stretched, year-round basis, providing up to approximately 11 funded hours per week over 51 weeks of the year.

Extended funding for eligible working families

Eligible working families may qualify for the extended childcare entitlement, commonly referred to as “30 hours funding”. We offer this funding on a stretched, year-round basis, providing up to approximately 22 funded hours per week over 51 weeks of the year.

Parents are responsible for applying for this funding and for reconfirming their eligibility when required.

Funding for eligible children from nine months

Eligible working families with children from nine months of age may be entitled to funded childcare. We offer this funding on a stretched, year-round basis, providing up to approximately 22 funded hours per week over 51 weeks of the year, subject to the child’s entitlement and the relevant government funding arrangements.

Funding start dates

Funding does not normally begin on a child’s birthday. Each entitlement begins from the relevant funding period after the child has reached the qualifying age and all eligibility requirements have been met. The funding start date will therefore depend on the child’s date of birth and, where applicable, the date on which the parent applied for or reconfirmed the funding code.

Applying for funding

It is the responsibility of parents and carers to:

• check whether they are eligible;
• apply for the relevant funding;
• provide the nursery with a valid funding code;
• complete the required declarations; and
• renew or reconfirm their eligibility when required.

Funding is not awarded automatically, and the nursery cannot apply on behalf of a family.

Optional consumables charge

A non-mandatory consumables charge of £1.75 applies for each funded hour. Government Early Years funding is intended to provide funded childcare hours. It does not cover all the additional consumables, activities, experiences and services that we offer.

The consumables charge contributes towards items and services including: snacks, cookery and gardening activities, music and movement, yoga and wellbeing activities, weekly sessions at Kings Lodge Nature Nursery for children over two, sun cream, nursery sundries (wipes, creams, nappy sacks, face cloths, bedding, etc), emergency medication and supplies, access to the downloadable learning and photograph journal, outings and special events and cultural activities.

The consumables charge does not apply to paid hours. The charge may not apply to families receiving certain means-tested benefits, including some families receiving a means-tested two-year-old funding code. Please ask us for further information if you believe this may apply to your family.

Parents may choose to opt out of the consumables charge and related services and provision. Please contact us before your child starts, or as soon as possible thereafter, so that we can explain the alternative arrangements available. Please see the Fees page for further details.

Additional hours

Children receiving funded hours may book additional sessions or hours, subject to availability. These will be charged at our standard rates.

Session availability

We try to be as flexible as possible. However, because of demand, we do not offer mornings-only or term-time-only funded places. All sessions are subject to availability and there may be a waiting list for popular days and sessions.

Minimum session length

Our minimum session duration is four hours and we cannot register children for shorter sessions.

For example, if a child receives 11 funded hours per week and attends three four-hour sessions, the child will attend for 12 hours in total. The funding will cover 11 hours and the remaining hour will be charged at the nursery’s normal rate.

Further information

Further information about help with childcare costs and Early Years funding is available from: Childcare Choices, the government childcare calculator, GOV.UK: Help with Childcare Costs, and the Department for Education’s Education Hub.

Cow’s milk and water are available for children. If your child requires formula milk, expressed milk or another suitable milk alternative, please provide this in an appropriately labelled container and discuss the storage and preparation arrangements with nursery staff.

Healthy and varied snacks and drinks are offered throughout the day in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage and relevant government guidance. The cost of standard snacks is included within nursery fees or the consumables charge.

Lunch is a more structured social occasion during which children eat together and develop independence, social skills and appropriate table manners. Parents may choose either:

• to provide a suitable packed lunch; or
• to purchase a freshly prepared hot lunch.

A hot lunch includes a main course and dessert. Sample menus and current prices are available from the nursery office and on our Fees page.

Packed lunches must comply with our Healthy Eating and Packed Lunch Policy and relevant statutory guidance. Parents must inform us in writing about allergies, intolerances, dietary requirements and any medical dietary needs.

Every Friday at Kings Castle is a “Feel Good Friday”. Nursery staff organise a range of age-appropriate wellbeing activities, which may include: yoga, music and movement, sensory activities, meditation or relaxation, healthy eating activities and physical exercise.

There is a special emphasis throughout the day on children’s emotional wellbeing, healthy choices and physical development. These activities are included within nursery fees or the consumables charge.

Baby room

We normally offer new babies two free settling-in sessions. Each session is approximately one hour and usually takes place during the two or three weeks before the child’s official start date.

The first session is normally a stay-and-play session. We ask the parent or carer to remain with the child and complete the relevant forms so that we can learn more about the child, their family, routines, interests and needs. During the second session, we normally encourage the parent or carer to leave the child for a short period, where appropriate.

Toddler room and pre-school

We normally offer new children in Christchurch and Lulworth two free settling-in sessions during the week before they start.

The first session is normally a one-hour stay-and-play session. A parent or carer remains with the child and completes the relevant forms so that we can learn more about the child and their family. The second session normally lasts approximately one-and-a-half hours. We encourage the parent or carer to leave the child for part or all of the session where this is appropriate.

Additional or adapted settling arrangements may be agreed where reasonably necessary but are usually charged.

Settling-in sessions are provided for children who have already accepted and booked a place. They are not free trial or taster sessions.

Children experiencing difficulty settling

We will communicate openly with parents and carers throughout the settling-in period. In the very rare event that a child continues to experience significant difficulty settling despite an appropriate period of support, we will meet with the parents or carers to discuss the child’s needs and the most appropriate next steps. This may include:

• adapting the settling-in arrangements;
• temporarily adjusting sessions;
• introducing additional consistency or transition support;
• seeking advice from relevant professionals, with parental involvement or consent where appropriate; or
• considering whether a different form of childcare may be more suitable.

Where it becomes apparent that we are unable to meet a child’s needs safely and appropriately, we may be unable to continue the placement. Any decision will be considered individually, discussed carefully with the family and handled in accordance with our Terms and Conditions and relevant policies.

Where we recommend that a family considers alternative childcare during the initial settling period, we may waive the normal notice period. Parents will remain responsible for sessions already used and any registration or administration charges will normally be retained.

Transitions within the nursery and to Kings Lodge

When children move from one room to another within the nursery, or begin attending Kings Lodge, we arrange a gradual transition. Each child will normally have at least two introductory or settling sessions in the new room or environment. These usually take place during the child’s normal booked nursery hours and fees are charged in the usual way. The arrangements may be adapted according to the child’s confidence, age and individual needs.

Transition to primary school

The nurseries have excellent links with local primary schools. Before a child leaves nursery to begin primary school, their key person will normally provide an appropriate handover to the school. The handover may include information about the child’s learning and development, interests and strengths, communication, independence, friendships and social development, any additional needs and support strategies.

Relevant information will be shared in accordance with our privacy, safeguarding and information-sharing responsibilities.

Many of our pre-school children move on to local primary schools, so children may start school alongside friends they already know from nursery. Children at Kings Castle and Kings Lodge consistently achieve high levels of school readiness. Preparing children for a confident and successful transition to primary school is an important part of our Lulworth pre-school curriculum.

Kings Castle and Kings Lodge are inclusive mainstream nurseries. We welcome children with a range of abilities, backgrounds and individual needs, including children with special educational needs and disabilities, where we are reasonably able to meet their needs safely and appropriately.

We are not specialist SEND settings and do not have specialist medical facilities or unlimited access to one-to-one support. We may therefore be unable to offer a place where a child requires a level of specialist care, supervision, staffing, equipment, clinical support or environmental adaptation that we cannot reasonably provide.

Before offering a place, we may ask parents or carers to meet with us and provide relevant reports or information about their child’s development, health, behaviour, communication and support needs. This allows us to consider:

• the child’s individual needs and wellbeing;
• the safety and wellbeing of the child and other children;
• staffing levels, qualifications and experience;
• the nursery environment and available facilities;
• whether reasonable adjustments can be made;
• whether additional funding or external professional support is available; and
• whether the child’s needs can be met consistently throughout their booked sessions.

Where appropriate, we will work with parents, carers and external professionals to consider reasonable adjustments and suitable support arrangements. However, the availability of external funding or professional recommendations does not necessarily mean that we will be able to provide the required support.

Every application will be considered individually. A place cannot be confirmed until we are satisfied that the nursery can reasonably and safely meet the child’s needs. Continued attendance may also need to be reviewed if a child’s needs change significantly or if it becomes apparent that the nursery can no longer provide the level of support required.

All places are also subject to ordinary session availability.

Communication with parents

We provide regular feedback about each child’s learning, development and wellbeing, usually via the Famly app and your Famly learning journal. Access to the full learning and photo journal is included in the Consumables Charge. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s key person or a member of the management team if they have any questions or concerns about their child’s development.

Parents also receive regular newsletters and updates about nursery activities and events through the Famly app. Please ensure that we always have up-to-date email addresses, telephone numbers and emergency contact details for your family.

Invoices and payments

Monthly nursery invoices are sent by email or through Famly. Fees are payable by the first day of each month in accordance with our Terms and Conditions.

Clothing and outdoor activities

Children spend time outside throughout the year and in a wide range of weather conditions. Please provide:

• one complete, clearly named set of spare clothes for children attending Kings Castle;
• two complete, clearly named sets of spare clothes for children attending Kings Lodge;
• wellington boots throughout the year;
• suitable weather-appropriate clothing;
• a sun hat from approximately April to September; and
• a warm coat, waterproof jacket and trousers, hat and gloves during colder months.

All clothing and personal belongings should be clearly named.

Nappies and personal care items

For babies and children who require them, parents should provide: nappies, any preferred comforter and any specialist personal care products required because of an allergy or medical need.

The nursery provides standard wipes or cotton wool, nappy cream, nappy sacks, face cloths and bedding. These are included within the nursery fees or consumables charge.

Sun protection

From approximately April to September, parents should apply sun cream to their child before arrival. The nursery will apply additional sun cream throughout the day as required. This is included within nursery fees or the consumables charge.

We normally use a standard, child-friendly, high-factor sun cream suitable for sensitive skin. Please inform us in writing if your child has an allergy or sensitivity to sun cream or requires a specific product.

Allergies, health conditions and medication

Parents must inform us in writing about: allergies; intolerances; health or medical conditions; prescribed medication; additional care requirements; and any change to a child’s health or treatment.

Where necessary, appropriate healthcare plans, medication forms or risk assessments must be completed before the child attends.

Students and apprentices

We occasionally provide placements for trainee Montessori practitioners, Early Years students and apprentices from organisations including Bournemouth Montessori College, Brockenhurst College and other recognised education and training providers. Students and apprentices work under appropriate supervision and are not treated as qualified members of staff unless permitted by the applicable staffing and ratio requirements.