Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most frequently asked questions about Rode Heath Pre-School:

 

  • "If my child/ren attend the pre-school will they be guaranteed a Reception class place?"  Unfortunately, attending our pre-school will not guarantee a school place at Rode Heath Primary School for your child/ren. School applications must be completed through your “home” Local Authority as usual; you cannot apply through Rode Heath Primary School for a school place with us. (Links to Cheshire East Admissions can be found here.)  

 

  • "How many pre-school places are there?"   There are 26 places available in the morning and 24 in the afternoon. If there is demand for more than 24 places in the afternoon sessions then we will try to increase resources so that we can accommodate the additional children. 

 

  • "When can my child start pre-school?"  Admissions will be in the term following your child/ren’s 3rd birthday. We have in-takes in September, January and April.

 

  • "Who will work in the pre-school?"  A qualified, highly-experienced early years teacher leads the pre-school environment every morning and plans for the afternoon sessions; these sessions are then led by an early years practitioner. 

 

  • "When will the pre-school operate?"  The pre-school operates daily between 9am and 3pm, 38 calendar weeks a year, i.e. term time only, less the 5 statutory INSET days. Morning sessions run from 9:00am – 12:00pm and afternoon sessions run from 12:00pm to 3:00pm.

 

  • "Will my child be able to have lunch at pre-school?"  If your child is booked in for a morning session or a full day then you can pre order a lunch in advance. If your child is booked in for the afternoon session only then they will need to have lunch before arriving at pre-school at 12pm. During their time in Pre-school they will eat their lunch in the pre-school room, shortly before they start their transition to Reception the chidren will join the older children in the main school hall for their lunch.   

 

  • "What if I need care outside of these hours?"  You can book your child/ren into our Before and After-School Club  "All Stars" which allows care and education to be extended from 7:30am to 6:00pm. 

 

  • "My child/ren are currently in a private day care from 7:30am to 5:30pm, do you effectively match that?"  Yes! You just need to complete 2 separate booking forms – one for the pre-school and one for the Before and After-School Club  according to the hours that you need.

 

  • "How much will it cost for additional hours above my 15 free hour weekly entitlement?"  An additional morning or afternoon session will be £15.00.

 

  • "Do I have to use all my free hours in the mornings? What if I wanted my child/ren to attend in the afternoon(s) – would they still be classed as “free” to me?" As long as you are booking in 3 hour blocks, either 9:00am - 12:00pm or 12:00pm - 3:00pm, then you can use your free hours entitlement however you choose.

 

  • "Can I register now, even if my child/ren will not be old enough to start pre-school until September 2024?"  Yes! Just complete a registration form here  and we will get in touch with you 3 months before your child/ren would be due to start to confirm your sessions.  Please make sure you inform us if your contact details change in the meantime. 

 

  • "Will there be a uniform?"  Children are not required to wear school uniform in our Pre-school but we would encourage it as it can get a little messy at times, it also gets the children used to wearing a uniform for when they start school.  Our school jumpers are available to purchase from https://www.badged.co.uk/ along with Jogging bottoms with the school logo.  Plain navy joggers are also an option.

 

  • "Can we have a look around the pre-school and school?" Of course! The school day is always a busy one however, and as such we cannot generally accommodate unscheduled requests to have a look around. However, you are always more than welcome to arrange a visit to tour the school and pre-school to see us all in action, where possible we will request that visits take place at 10am or 1pm or Thursday appointment after school hours. -  please get in touch with Mrs Powell via the office if you would like to do so.  

 

  • "If I register my child/ren for the pre-school now, can I change my booking later?"  Yes, although we cannot guarantee that places will necessarily still be available. Complete a booking form now with your provisional requirements and we will get in touch 3 months in advance of your child/ren’s start date to confirm your booking. If you know your needs have changed in the meantime please get in touch with us.

 

  • "How far in advance do I need to book?"  Pre-school places need to be booked on a termly basis in advance, ideally annually, whereas Before and After-School Club and Holiday Club places can be booked on an adhoc basis in advance.  Bookings can be amended up to 48 hours before the day of the session.

 

  • "How would I pay for my child/ren’s pre-school and Before/After-School Club fees?"  Payments can be made using the school’s online payment system Scopay. Once your child's place has been confirmed you will recieve a registration letter containing your unique log-in code, this will give you access to use the system.

 

  • "What if my employer gives me childcare vouchers, will you accept these?"  Yes, just let us know which childcare voucher provider your employer uses and we will set everything up.

 

  • "If my child is already settled in a private nursery for their funded sessions, can they still come to Rode Heath Pre-School or the Before and After-School Club for extra sessions?"  Absolutely, we would love to see them! We just ask that your child/ren attend a minimum of 2 pre-school sessions each week (to allow for continuity of care with an assigned key-worker). You can then bolt on Before and After-School Club sessions on those days.

 

  • "What will happen on  Bank Holidays?"    As with other school and private childcare providers, we will be closed on Bank Holidays. You will not be charged if your child/ren’s usual days fall on a Bank Holiday.

 

  • "Can I ever make a one-off, last minute booking?"  Yes - if we have capacity within our headcount ratio for that day.  Please contact the school office to request any extra sessions required.

                                                 

Rode Heath Primary School

Heath Avenue, Cheshire, ST7 3RY

Main Contact - Mr John Frankland

Tel: 01270 314414

Email: admin@rodeheath.cheshire.sch.uk

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