Minimum days & Notice Periods
We ask that all children attend a minimum of 3 sessions / days each week. We count a day as 8.30am to 3.00pm. Some parents choose to attend only Am's or Pm's (when very young children begin for example), but we charge for the whole period and the time is booked for your child - so it's yours to use as you wish. Why do we organise like this?
- Essentially, to sustain the quality of the environment, it is the high quality that attracts parents to us and that makes the environment a lovely place for the children who attend.
- Our environments are communities. The nursery community needs continuity for the sake of children and staff.
- Children often find it takes a long time to settle if they only attend 1 or 2 sessions a week. It can be like starting again each week.
- If we allow places on 1 or 2 days, we end of with a large numbers of children on our books to fill the available places. This fragments the community and places a huge admin burden on teachers who must complete child profiles for every child
- Drop in centres are very different from good Montessori settings. Parents choose which they require
Why do we require a full terms notice when children leave or change sessions?
- Again the issue is community. If we can plan our staffing well, we can meet the long term needs of you and your children.
- We are aware that some parents find this too rigid. But we ask that you consider why you like the environment if you have chosen us. It may be because of the continuity, the low staff turnover, the sense of family.
- It is also true that we protect the places you book with us based on the understanding that a terms notice will be given. This means we actually turn other parents away so you know your child's place is secure. We think its reasonable to ask you to plan careful and inform us within the time periods that form the contract between nursery and parent.
- We try to help parents plan. Notice dates are published on the main school diary. And the terms and conditions are given on reminders / invoices etc. Staff also ask parents in the first week of each new term if their children will be attending the following term.
What happens if you can't give us a full term's notice?
- You will be expected to pay the fees for the term in question without exception.
- We simply can't run the settings without this assurance.