Nursery FAQs
Here are answers to the questions we’re asked most often.
If you can’t find what you need, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.
Admissions, sessions and funding
Yes. We offer support for eligible working families with children who are 9 months, 1, 2, 3 or 4 years old, and universal funding for all families with children who are 3 and 4 years old.
Yes, we encourage prospective parents to visit for a personal tour with our Nursery Manager, who will answer your questions and show you our nursery rooms and extensive gardens.
Please contact Jane Kemp, Admissions Manager, to arrange a visit.
You can also watch our video tour on the bottom of the home page.
We’re usually very busy, so we recommend applying as soon as possible. For part-time places, flexibility on days can help. Places are occasionally available at short notice. Offers for nursery places are usually made up to 4 months ahead of your preferred start date.
The minimum attendance is 2 full days (4 sessions).
We’ll try to accommodate session changes whenever possible. For permanent changes, we require one calendar month’s notice in writing; changes are subject to availability and nursery planning. To request a permanent change, please email admissions@chilternntc.com. One-off extra sessions can be requested via the Nursery Manager or Deputy Managers up to 2 weeks in advance, subject to availability.
We require one calendar month’s notice in writing. Please note contracts are for a minimum 3-month period. Email your notice to admissions@chilternntc.com and we’ll confirm your child’s last day in writing.
Rooms, ages and ratios
We have two age groups — Under 2s and Over 2s. Children in our Under 2s’ rooms usually move to our Over 2s’ department around their second birthday.
We have 3 rooms for children under 2, each with a maximum daily occupancy of 12 children. We have 6 rooms for our Over 2s — five with a maximum occupancy of 16 children, and one with a maximum occupancy of 14 children.
Places are offered according to availability in the rooms at the time, so unfortunately we can’t guarantee a specific room.
In our Under 2s’ rooms the ratio is 1:3, and 1:4 for the Over 2s.
We’re lucky to have large garden areas which we use daily. Please provide suitable outdoor clothing so children can enjoy the gardens in all weathers. Our Over 2s spend time outside every morning and afternoon (weather dependent), and in very hot weather we may limit time outside for safety. Our Under 2s also visit the garden daily, sometimes for shorter periods to fit around routines such as sleep.
Practical information and policies
We’re open 51 weeks a year, Monday to Friday, 8.00am–6.00pm. We’re closed on Bank Holidays and from Christmas Eve until the first working day after New Year.
Yes. We are registered and inspected by Ofsted and were rated ‘Good’ in our last inspection on 21st August 2024. You can view the report on the Ofsted website here.
Yes, parking is available for parents to drop off and collect their children.
You’ll find policies, procedures, documents, forms and helpful links on our Resources page.
Settling in and care approach
Yes. Your child will be allocated a key person when they join the nursery and again when they move department. Your key person will arrange an induction meeting and organise settling-in visits with you. They oversee your child’s needs and complete observations and assessments to support development.
We understand this can be an anxious time for children and parents. We arrange settling-in visits before your child’s first day so they can get to know the room, staff and other children — and you can spend time in the room with your child. Before they start, we’ll hold an induction meeting to learn about routines, likes and dislikes, and individual needs, and we’ll follow home routines as closely as possible to keep things consistent. Your child’s key person will keep you updated throughout the settling-in process and can arrange a call if you’d like to talk it through.
Food and wellbeing
Yes, we can cater for children’s individual dietary needs. During induction we’ll discuss allergies, intolerances, or cultural dietary requirements and prepare an individual menu. This will be shared with you and the team caring for your child.
Yes. We have an on-site catering team who prepare all meals from scratch. We follow the ‘Eat Better, Start Better’ guidance for providing a healthy, balanced diet, and we don’t add sugar or salt to our recipes. More information can be found on the Foundation Years website.
We provide sun cream unless your child needs a specific brand due to an allergy, in which case we’ll ask you to provide this. We use a reputable children’s SPF 50 cream that protects against UVA and UVB.
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