Details for our Policies & Procedures
At Highmoor Nursery School the safety, happiness, and well-being of every child are at the heart of everything we do. Our comprehensive policies and procedures ensure we meet the highest standards of care and education.
Below you can find our key policies. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Admissions and Fees
Highmoor Nursery School is committed to providing a fair and transparent admission system. We do not have a designated catchment area and will accept children from any locality as long as we have space available. We will promote the use of Childcare Vouchers, Tax Free Childcare and the Government funded 15 or 30 hours for eligible children.
Admissions
When a parent/carer contacts the Nursery enquiring about a place for their child, they will be given all the relevant information they require including details of the Admissions and Fees policy and Charging Policy and told whether there is currently suitable place available for their child, if required immediately. If a suitable place is available the parent/carer and, where possible, the child
will be invited to visit the Nursery and speak to Gwen Pragnell and members of staff. If the parent/carer decides to register their child for a place, they will be asked to complete a pre registration form and provide a registration fee of £50.00. They will also be given a copy of the Nursery Terms and Conditions and are asked to sign them to indicate agreement with them. Once a place becomes available, Gwen Pragnell will contact the parent/carer concerned to arrange a date for the child’s pre-visit and organise sessions required. It is at this stage that the Registration Form, Funding Contract, Security and Publicity Consent form and All About Me Form will be completed to confirm the child’s place. If the Terms and Conditions have not already been signed, this must take place before a place is confirmed.
Waiting List
To ensure that admissions to Highmoor Nursery School are offered on a fair and transparent basis, the following procedure will apply to the management of waiting lists:
• If, on making an enquiry about a place for their child, a parent/carer is informed that there is not currently a suitable one available, the Nursery
waiting list procedure will be explained and then activated on the parent’s/carer’s behalf.
• Parents/carers will be asked to complete a Pre-Registration Form and pay a £50.00 deposit. The details from this form will be placed on the waiting list,
in the order that they are submitted. The registration fee will be refunded if we are not able to offer a place when the child is due to start, as a result
of being full. If parents / carers are requesting a zero cost place, they may be charged a £50 deposit which will be refunded in their child’s first term.
• The waiting list will be operated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Highmoor Nursery School will advise the parent/carer of how long they are likely to have to wait before a suitable place becomes available. This information will only be an estimate and will not constitute a binding guarantee from the Nursery.
• When a vacancy at the Nursery becomes available, the Nursery will contact the parent/carer whose child is suitable for the place and is highest up on the waiting list. In addition to this, the Nursery may consider the following:
• Extenuating circumstances affecting the child’s welfare or that of his/her family.
• Children of siblings who have or are already attending the Nursery.
• If that parent/carer still wishes to take up the place for their child, they will be asked to complete the forms detailed above.
• If the parent/carer concerned no longer wishes to take up a place, the parent/carer of the next child on the list will be contacted.
All Government Funded hours are delivered at £0 with all additional hours and our voluntary additional services fee charged at our advertised rates. Please see our charging policy for more information.
Fees
Highmoor Nursery School understands that the cost of registered childcare may seem expensive to a parent/carer. However, providing a high quality, safe and stimulating environment for children is not cheap and to ensure the continued high standards and sustainability of the Nursery, it must ask that parents/carers respect its fees strategy.
• The level of fees will be set by the Owner and reviewed annually in the light of the Nursery’s financial position, its future strategic plans and any other broader economic or social considerations deemed relevant. Normally, any annual increase in fees will be advised in the Spring term and implemented at Easter. However, the Nursery reserves the right to increase the fees at
any point, should it be necessary to maintain the viability of the business.
• Payment of fees should be made within 14 days of the date of invoice. However, individual payment arrangements will be negotiated between the Nursery Owner and parents/carers (please see our Charging Policy).
• All childcare vouchers are accepted and information re account details can be obtained from Gwen Pragnell. These payments are usually made monthly and this is acceptable to the Nursery.
• The Nursery will be sympathetic to requests for daily, weekly or ad hoc payment arrangements, wherever possible.
• Parents/carers wishing to negotiate this or any other alteration to the standard fees should arrange to discuss the matter with Gwen Pragnell at
the earliest possible opportunity.
• If the fees are not paid on time, the Nursery will notify the parent/carer by telephone or email and request payment at the earliest possible opportunity.
• The Nursery reserves the right to charge a late payment fee if it feels this is necessary.
• The Nursery Owner has the right to issue a formal warning to the parent/carer and inform them that continued late payment will result in
their child’s place at the Nursery being forfeited.
• The Nursery Owner reserves the right to take legal action, if necessary, to recover any outstanding payment.
• If fees are paid persistently late or not at all, with no explanation, Highmoor
Nursery will be forced to terminate that child’s place. Under exceptional circumstances, the Nursery Owner may agree to allow the child to continue attending the Nursery for the remainder of that week or term.
• Parents/carers are encouraged to speak to Gwen Pragnell if they have any
query about the Admissions and Fees Policy, or if for any reason, they are likely to have difficulty in making a payment on time. Parents/carers are
strongly advised to arrange a meeting at the earliest possible opportunity, to avoid jeopardising their child’s place at the Nursery.
Policy Adopted: October 2015
Review Date: November 2027
Administration of Medicine
Adverse Weather
At Highmoor Nursery School we have an adverse weather policy in place to ensure our Nursery is prepared for all weather conditions that might affect the running of the Nursery such as floods, snow, wind and heatwaves. If any of these impact on the ability of the Nursery to open or operate, we will contact parents via phone and email and put a message on our Facebook page. We will not take children outside where we judge that weather conditions make it unsafe to do so.
Flood
In the case of a flood, we will follow our critical incident procedure to enable all children and staff are safe and continuity of care will be planned for.
Snow (or other severe weather)
If high snowfall, or another severe weather condition such as dense fog or wind is threatened during a Nursery day then the manager will decide whether to close the Nursery. This decision will take into account the safety of the children, their parents and the staff team. In the event of a planned closure during the Nursery day, we will contact all parents and carers to arrange for collection of their child. In the event of staff shortages due to snow or other severe weather, we will contact all available off duty staff and group the children differently until they are able to arrive. If we are unable to maintain statutory ratio requirements after all avenues are explored, we will contact Ofsted to inform them of this issue, recording all details in our incident file. If we feel the safety, health or welfare of the children is compromised then we will take the decision to close the Nursery, but we will remain open if the Nursery Manager decides it is safe to do so.
Heatwave
Staff will make day-to-day decisions about the length of time spent outside depending on the strength of the sun. Children will not be allowed in direct sunlight between 11.00am – 3.00pm on very hot days between March and October, following NHS sun safety advice. Shaded areas are provided to ensure children are able to still go out in hot weather, cool down or escape the sun should they wish or need to. For further details please refer to our sun care policy.
Managing Indoor Heat and Ventilation
• Climate Control Equipment: The nursery is equipped with 3 portable air conditioning units which will be deployed to key rooms (2 in the main room and 1 in the nest) to regulate indoor temperatures during
severe heatwaves.
• Temperature Monitoring & Action: Staff will actively monitor room temperatures. If indoor temperatures rise significantly, we will ensure
rooms are actively cooled using our portable units, blinds/curtains are drawn to block direct sunlight, and windows are managed safely to
optimise airflow.
• Sleeping Conditions: For children sleeping during the day, we will strictly adhere to our Sleep Policy when ambient temperatures exceed the recommended room temperature range of 16°C to 20°C. This includes adjusting bedding (e.g., using lightweight sheets instead of heavy blankets) and positioning sleep mats away from direct sunlight
or heavy heat spots.
• Hydration: During hot weather, staff will offer water to children much more frequently throughout the day, ensuring easy and constant access to fresh, cool drinking water.
• Clothing: Parents will be requested to dress children in loose, lightweight, breathable, and light-coloured clothing suitable for hot weather.
Please refer to our Safer Sleep policy for guidance about children sleeping in a heatwave.
There is no legal requirement to close the setting due to extremes of heat or cold, unless advised to do so by the Local Authority for the safety of the children. Decisions based around this will be made by
the Nursery Manager after all appropriate action has been taken, for example, using heaters or air conditioning units and fans.
Policy Adopted on: 1st April 2025
Review date: November 2027