Parents As Partners

Nursery fees are kept as low as possible and cover only the basic running costs. Current nursery fees are given in your offer letter. Fees are paid on a half term basis and you are asked to pay your bill by the end of the first week of half term . If anyone prefers to pay weekly, this can be arranged. Surrey County Council pays towards fees of a child the term after the term after his third birthday. The nursery grant pays for a child to attend 5 sessions of 2 and a half hours per week, for 38 weeks per year. As the nursery opens for 3 hours per session in the mornings we also charge ‘top up fees’. The nursery opens for only 36 weeks per year. A £35 deposit is payable on acceptance of a place. This is refundable only when your child leaves to attend school at the expected time, i.e. September of the school year in which he/she will be 5. In April before the school year in which your child starts at the nursery you will be asked to pay fees for the first half term in advance, which are not refundable should your child subsequently not start at nursery. Fees may be changed at any time subject to the financial position of the nursery, which is a non-profit making organisation.

In order to replace new equipment and add to our existing stock, parents have to fund raise. Various events are held throughout, the year such as jumble sales , sponsored events, Christmas and summer fairs. About 10 parents usually volunteer to arrange these events but all parents are expected to help - it is, after all, for the benefit of all children. If nursery fees covered all the true costs of running the nursery the fees would have to be much more per session. However, helping out with fund raising and getting involved with your child's nursery education can be fun, and is a good way of getting to make new friends.

All morning parents are expected to take on a special role from Chairperson, Secretary, Fund-raising organisers, Cashier, Treasurer to weekly washing. When the children of these parents leave to go to school, the next group of parents are asked to take on these positions. Each holiday a team of eight parents are asked to give the nursery and equipment a thorough clean, and so all parents are expected to take their turn doing this.

Parents help at nursery sessions and this is shared out by rota. The rota is put on the notice board at the beginning of each term so that parents can fill in the dates which are convenient to them. Two parents are asked to help each session, at all sessions, morning and afternoons. All parents are expected to help at a minimum of 4 sessions per term. Please see rota co-odinator if rota is full.

Most parents have found that they enjoy helping at these sessions and it enables them to learn more about the needs of small children. Children enjoy it when it is their parent's turn to help, even though some show off a bit. You are welcome to bring younger brothers and sisters of any age when you help at nursery sessions, but they remain your responsibility throughout the session. In the mornings special days are allocated a place for a toddler who accompanies a parent helper. However, we do realise that sometimes it is just impossible for a family to help for a while because of long term illness or other serious reasons. If this happens, you need only to speak to one of the Supervisors in confidence.

Sometimes two parents prefer to share a session between them if they have small babies, we do not mind at all. Incidentally, we say parents help because Dads do help sometimes and the children really love having a man helping for a change. We have had several grannies who have helped too.

We would appreciate parents sharing home information with us, such as illness or death of a pet or relative, or parental absence. This would help us understand if a child is uncharacteristically quiet or troubled and we can support the child and family.

Nursery business is dealt with at regular term meetings which all present parents are asked to attend.

We realise that not all parents will wish to become involved the way Manorcroft Nursery parents do; if you feel like this or cannot help at nursery sessions , please look at the other pre-schools in the area which may operate in a different way and which perhaps do not require as much, if any, parental involvement and therefore may be more suitable to your needs.

If you think you and your child will be happy to join Manorcroft Nursery and carry on the tradition of parent involvement, please feel welcome to visit the nursery again at any time.

 

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