Additional Information
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Nutrition
Circle of Friends Day Nursery supports the Healthy Start campaign, implementing a healthy and well balanced diet.
We work with parents to raise awareness of quality nutrition and positive eating habits. All of this lays the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating, appreciation of good food, and experiencing the social pleasure of shared meal times.
We believe that diet is vital to a child’s physical and emotional development; therefore, we offer fun and seasonal menus which, when possible, include garden vegetables grown by the children.
Menus are planned for individual children to meet any dietary or medical requirements. We empower all children to be involved in their daily diet and encourage children to help in meal preparation.
We recognise the importance of drinking water and therefore we encourage children to drink water throughout the day.
The nursery also has a Nutrition Policy and we welcome parental involvement in developing or reviewing policy.
Family Support
We supply support and information such as leaflets to parents for help with fees. Many parents will be entitled to help with fees through WTC and other benefits. Please enquire for available Discounts.
Working Tax Credit
You may be entitled to claim two tax credits, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. Child Tax Credit is for people who are responsible for at least one child or qualifying young person. As part of Working Tax Credits you may qualify for help towards the costs of childcare.
If you receive the childcare element of Working Tax Credit, this will always be paid direct to the person who is mainly responsible for caring for the child or children, alongside payments of Child Tax Credit.
Childcare Vouchers
The Childcare vouchers scheme allows you to pay for childcare from your pre-tax income. Childcare Vouchers are non-taxable and exempt from National Insurance Contributions (N.I.C.) for employees.
Childcare Vouchers also offer National Insurance savings for employers. Childcare Vouchers are a government work life balance scheme, supported by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
The childcare vouchers are provided by employers so ask your employer if they run a childcare voucher scheme.
Free Early Education Place
3 and 4 year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of free early education each week for 38 weeks of the year.
Your child becomes eligible from 1 September, 1 January or 1 April following their 3rd birthday. We are an approved provider for three and four year old funding and parents are encouraged to contact the nursery if they are interested in a place for their child.
When can my Child start free Nursery Education?
Three year olds will be able to start a free nursery place in the September, January or April following their third birthday.
Your childs birthday must be before:
- 31 March will be eligible for free nursery education from the Summer Term (April)
- 31 August will be eligible for free nursery education from the Autumn Term (September)
- 31 December will be eligible for free nursery education from the Spring term (January)
These are the cut off dates. If your childs birthday is for example on the 1st or 2nd January and the term starts on the 5th January I am afraid their funding will not start until the Summer Term after Easter because they have passed the cut off date of 31st December.
How many funded hours can my Child have?
Your child is entitled to a maximum of 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year.
How can I use my funded hours?
You are guaranteed to have the funding in the following ways –
- 3 hours a day over 5 days of the week
- 5 hours a day over 3 days of the week
Information for Early Years PVI providers
Pre-School Funding for Two Year Olds
From September 2013, the government has allocated some funding for Two year olds.
Two Year Old Funding is not available for all two year old children and families must meet a criteria to be eligible. The Department for Education (DfE) stipulate that the funding is aimed at the most economically disadvantaged two year olds and their families.
Children from families meeting the criteria also used to decide eligibility for free school meals, and looked after children, will be eligible.
Eligible children who are offered a funded place can access: Up to a maximum of 10 hours weekly over 38 weeks in a 52 week period (term time only).
Parent/Carer must be in receipt of one of the following Benefits or Credits:
- Income Support
- Income based Job Seekers Allowance
- Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the Family Element
- Extra Working Tax Credit relating to a Disability
- Pension Credit
- Receiving support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
2 year old free Early Education funding entitlement
Coventry City Council Information for Early Years PVI providers
http://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/2045/2_year_old_free_early_education_funding_entitlement
Ofsted Report
Circle of Friends was inspected and highly praised by Ofsted in April 2006.
The Report States…
“The provision is good. Children are cared for in a warm, very welcoming and child-centred environment where risks are identified and minimised. This means they can move around freely, safely and independently.
Children settle very well at the nursery. Their emotional well-being is fostered well. The staff display their knowledge and understanding of children’s development with careful and consistent management. This enables children to develop appropriate strategies for sharing and playing together as they are clear on what is expected of them and what the boundaries are regarding behaviour.”
“Children enjoy their time in the nursery. They are happy and confident and most settle immediately on arrival. Children who are less settled are comforted by familiar staff who sensitively ease them into play. Children make good progress as they access a broad range of activities which are both adult-led and child-initiated.”
Inspection Report: Circle of Friends Day Nursery, 10/03/2010 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006
Coventry Healthy Early Years Settings Award (CHEYSA)
Good health is one of the most important determinants of a child’s life chances.
We are commited in promoting and encouraging children’s healthy development and we are a CHEYSA awarded setting.
CHEYSA is a new, free, award that recognises and reward nurseries – and other settings looking after 0 to 5 year olds – who are doing the most to promote good health in the children that they look after.
The CHEYSA has been developed in response to identified need nationally and locally and has been funded by the Coventry Health Improvement Programme (CHIP) – a partnership between NHS Coventry and Coventry City Council to improve the health of residents in Coventry and reduce the health inequalities in the city.
Further information:
http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/200016/childcare/728/coventry_healthy_early_years_settings_award_cheysa
Circle of Friends Day Nursery Menu
Click here to download a copy of our food menu.