We don’t have a fixed settling in policy as every child is different. We work with our families on an individual basis. Currently, due to Covid-19, we are unable to have parents or visitors in our building. We are currently working out an appropriate procedure to assist with settling in when September arrives, such as using our outdoor space. We will keep you updated on this as we want to ensure that your child's starting time with us is the positive experience that they deserve. In our experience, we usually find that some children can become upset a few weeks after they have started, once the so-called ‘honeymoon period’ is over. Again, we will work with you to overcome this and help your child to settle.

No. Please try not to worry. A lot of staff work part-time so we may not be able to match key persons with 100% of your child’s sessions. However, all staff members are on hand to support every child, whether they are key children or not. You can always speak to the room supervisor or another staff member on those occasions when your key person is not available.

Please supply a change of clothes, (or several, if your child is in the early stages of toilet training). We recommend that you do not dress your child in their best clothes as we encourage messy play indoors and outdoors. Peapod t-shirts are available to purchase from us at £4.50 each. Also supply nappies, if relevant, and a named water bottle. Please label everything, particularly lunch boxes, bags and coats and hoodies, etc. Seasonal items including wellies, hats, gloves should also be named.

We are happy for comforters to be brought in as we recognise their importance for settling in. Other toys will not be allowed into setting, due to Covid-19.

Yes, this is fine; they should be on your emergency contact list. Please let a staff member know at drop off or call us if this was not possible. We will not let your child leave the setting unless we have directly spoken to you. 

Prior to Covid-19 we were flexible with pick up times. We may have to introduce staggered pick up times but will keep you informed of this. 

Yes. Provide your child with a named packed lunch. Due to allergies, we operate a no nuts allowed policy. Please ensure that your child does not have Nutella, or similar, Naked cereal bars or similar or peanut butter in their lunches. We can order hot lunches for £2.30 from the Avenue Junior School. These must be ordered before 9am and paid for via BACs to Peapod.

Yes, provided that the medication is labelled and prescribed by a doctor. Medication must be supplied in the original packaging with the child’s name clearly marked on the packaging. You will be required to fill out and sign a medication form. We strongly advise that you keep your child at home if you have administered calpol or similar to your child first thing in the morning as we would question that they are not well enough to attend. Peapod cannot look after sick children.

If your child becomes ill during his/her time at Pre-School, then you will be contacted via phone. If we are unable to make contact with you, we will refer to your child’s emergency contact list. If required we will ask your permission to give Calpol in certain cases, to reduce a temperature for example. However, it is not fair to the other children for us to look after a sick child as this reduces the child: staff ratio.

Dependent on the illness, he/she should not attend Pre-School until the symptoms have cleared up or until medical advice is sought and clearance is given for your child to return. If your child is suffering from sickness and/or diarrhea, he/she should not attend Pre-School for 48 hours after the symptoms have ceased or until clearance is given by a Doctor, in writing.

Yes please. We will always record the reason for absence. If your child is ill, it is helpful for us to know so that we can be aware of any potential illnesses that are highly contagious, such as chicken pox.

All children are eligible for Universal 15 hour funding in the term after they turn 3 years old. Based on local authority qualification criteria 2-year-old funding is also available for 15 hours per week.

No. Eligibility for free childcare starts the term after your child’s 3rd birthday. For example, if your child’s birthday is 13 January, eligibility for funding will commence with the local authority’s Summer Term dates.

Only if we have the availability. We will try to accommodate any requests if we have the available sessions. Your request will be added to our internal waiting list.

Yes. We do offer 30 funded hours at Peapod. You can also share your hours with Peapod and another setting.

You are required to obtain your eligibility code at the start of every local authority funding year or academic year. Peapod cannot claim your code on your behalf. You are responsible for obtaining your code and you must renew it on a termly basis, otherwise. It is really important that you have this code and send it to us well before your invoice is raised as we may not be able to claim back the funding for reasons out of our control. In such cases you will be charged for your child’s hours. https://www.gov.uk/apply-30-hours-free-tax-free-childcare

It is your responsibility to obtain your eligibility code and provide it to us in good time ahead of the local authority funding term dates. If you did not provide Peapod with this code then we are unable to claim any funding from the local authority and therefore you will be charged the standard Pre-School fees for your child’s attendance.

Yes, this is possible. Please note that sharing of your funded hours is totally your responsibility. If for any reason we are unable to claim the funded hours back from the local authority then we reserve the right to invoice you in full for the time attended.

You will be invoiced once every term, a few weeks into the start of the term. The invoice will be for the whole of the term and we require 28 days for payment. Our preferred payment method is BACs transfer. We also accept tax-free childcare payments and childcare voucher payments. We do not accept cheques.

We accept most childcare vouchers, please note all vouchers must have your child’s name or reference on them or they will remain unallocated to your account. We are currently registered with a number of different childcare voucher companies, however, please check with Caroline in the office that we accept childcare vouchers from your provider.

Yes. You will need to set up your own tax-free childcare account. Find further information visit: https://www.gov.uk/get-tax-free-childcare or www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Yes. Fees are required to be paid in full for any days your child does not attend Pre-School due to sick days, holidays or other time taken off from Peapod.

We require 4 weeks notice during term time for any changes to your sessions, including notice to leave Pre-School.

Yes, it is possible to book ad-hoc sessions if we have the availability. Please contact us and we will make a note in our diary. Such sessions are usually arranged at the last minute, should another child become absent. You will be invoiced for separately for any ad hoc sessions.

In this case as part of the registration process you will have paid your non-refundable registration fee which will be retained by Peapod in accordance with our admissions policy and procedures.