Nursery

We have a morning Nursery which can take children from the term after they turn three years old.

When can my child start?

Children may start from the term after they turn three years old as shown in the table below:

Applications for our Nursery need to made directly to the school.

Applications will open on Monday 29th January 2024 and you should complete an online application form here. All applications for September 2024 must be received at the school office by the application deadline on Friday 1st March 2024. Any applications received after this date will be considered after on-time applications.

If your child currently attends another setting, please check the period of notice that you need to give.

30 Hours Childcare

From the term after a child’s third birthday they are eligible for 15 hours funded Nursery education, which we provide at Shepherd Primary School from 8.55-11.55 am each morning, Monday to Friday.

As from September 2017, working parents may be eligible to access an additional 15 hours funded Nursery education, making a total of 30 hours per week. For full details on the eligibility criteria for the 30 hours free Nursery education and to apply, see www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

At Shepherd Primary School we can offer 20 hours to eligible parents – alongside Nursery education from 8.50-12.00pm, we can also offer for children to stay for our lunch club (12pm-1pm) each day.

For the remaining 10 hours per week, we are very lucky to have a partnership with Berry Lane Nursery who have been rated ‘Good’ in all areas by Ofsted in June 2016. Those children eligible for the 30 hours may spend the morning with us and then stay to eat their home packed lunch (20 hours in total). They can then be collected by Berry Lane Nursery at 1pm and stay there until 3pm. Parents will need to contact Berry Lane Nursery directly to arrange the additional 10 hours.

Application dates for admission in September 2024:

Applications open – 29th January 2024

Nursery Tours (please contact school office to book a place)

• Wednesday 24th January 2024, 9:30am
• Monday 12th February 2024, 9:30am
• Tuesday 27th February 2024, 9:30am

Deadline for applications – Friday 1st March 2024
Offers made – Monday 11th March 2024
Deadline to accept – Friday 22nd March 2024
Late applications will be dealt with after all on-time applications have been considered.

Over-subscription criteria:

• Children with a Statement of Special Educational that names the school or an EHC (Education, Health and Care) Plan which names the school will be allocated a place in accordance with section 324 of the Education Act 1996.
• Parents may state their preference as to which nursery class, school or centre they would like their child to attend in the years leading up to the child’s fifth birthday. However, if there are not
  enough places available, places will be allocated in the following order of priority:

1. Children looked after and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order).
2. Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to the school.
3. Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age-range of the school. Note: the ‘normal age range’ is the designated range for which the school provides.
4. Any other children.

If more children qualify under a particular rule than there are places available, a tiebreak will be used by applying the next rule to those children. If more children qualify than there are places available, priority will be given to those who live nearest to the nursery as measured in a straight line.

Where there is a need for a tie-breaker where two different addresses measure the same distance from a school, in the case of a block of flats for example, the lower door number will be deemed nearest as logically this will be on the ground floor and therefore closer. If there are two identical addresses of separate applicants, the tie break will be random.

*Distances will be calculated by using Hertfordshire County Council’s ‘Find a School’ tool.

Please note that attendance at 3 Year Old Nursery does not guarantee a place in the 4 Year Old Nursery class. You must confirm that you wish to be considered for a place in 4 Year Old Nursery class even if your child is currently attending the school’s 3 Year Old Nursery class.