Session times
Rainbow Pre-school and Sunbeams sessions run from 9:00 to 15:00, Monday to Friday, with the following times available:
- Morning session: 9:00 to 12:00
- Morning session plus lunch club: 9:00 to 13:00
- Afternoon session (including lunch club): 12:00 to 15:00
- All day (including lunch club): 9:00 to 15:00
Lunch club
Lunch club is optional and starts immediately after the morning session and runs from 12:00 to 13:00. Please bring a healthy packed lunch for your child. In line with Shelford Primary School, we are a nut-free site. We kindly ask that you DO NOT include the following in your child’s packed lunch:
• Portions of any kind of nuts
• Nutella or peanut butter sandwiches
• Pesto pasta with pine nuts or similar nut ingredients
Packed lunches should not include fizzy drinks, sweets or chocolate bars. You may include a drink, otherwise water will be provided. During Lunch club children, will be encouraged to sit together and observe good manners. After lunch, there is usually time for some quiet play.
We offer a maximum of 30 spaces in Lunch club. In the event that we are oversubscribed for Lunch club, priority is offered to Rainbow children taking an all-day session.
Session fees
- From 1 September 2023 £5.50 per hour
- From 1 January 2024 £6.00 per hour
Fees
Fees are normally paid in advance every term and invoices are issued in the first half of term. Fees are as outlined above unless Early Years Funding can be claimed for your child.
Fees are payable for every day on which a child is registered to attend and will not be waived for illness or holiday. If you wish to pay in instalments, arrangements can be made with the Financial Administrator. Parents who may have difficulty paying the fee should talk to Allison Tomlin, in confidence, to enquire about the possibility of an assisted place.
Early Years Funding : Universal 15 hours (EYF)
Early Years Funding is available to all children from the start of the term after their third birthday. Please note that the Department for Education (DfE) states that the terms run from 1 January, 1 April and 1 September, irrespective of the actual date term starts. The funding can be used for up to 15 hours per week.
Extended Entitlement: Additional 15 hours
Some parents may be eligible to a further 15 hours through EYF, called Extended Entitlement. To find out if you are eligible please go to
www.childcarechoices.gov.uk. You can apply for an Extended Entitlement code from the time your child reaches 2 years and 6 months old, although you won’t be able to take up funding until the term after your child turns three years old. You must apply by 31 August, 31 December or 31 March to claim funding for the following term. Any applications after this date will not be eligible to claim additional funding until the next term.
Short-notice sessions
For occasional extra sessions, we offer a short-notice service for children already enrolled with us. Subject to availability, short-notice sessions will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please note that these sessions do not qualify for Early Years Funding and a rate of £6.50 per hour will apply.
