The Early Years Group | Hampshire Early Years Provision | Hampshire Day Nursery | Hampshire Pre-School Provision

Children are welcomed into our setting into our bright entrance where they can store their belongings on their own peg and where their key group star is displayed. Within the entrance area parents have access to noticeboards outlining all staff details, menus and any important information and notices.

We have two rooms at Hamble Early Years. An under 2's baby unit that can cater for 8 babies per day where 3 staff members are employed to support the children. It has a real home from home nurturing feel. The children have access to an outside area which is utilised daily, practitioners prepare a wide range of activities for the children to enjoy which include sensory play, sand and water play among much more. With staff ratio's of 3:1 it is a safe and peaceful environment that enables learning opportunities and positive relationships for all.

When the children turn 2 years old they transition down to our preschool room which caters for children ages from 2 years until they go to school. This age appropriate room supports their changing developmental needs and challenges them a little more. They too have access to a large open space which they have access to through free flow throughout the day.

We have defined areas of learning both inside and outside for the children to enjoy, these are referred to as continuous provision and these enhanced by practitioners to support the different areas of the children's learning. We have a creative area, a small world area, role play area, construction area, loose parts and two additional rooms for the children to explore, a library and a curiosity room.

At Hamble Early Years Centre we provide your child with healthy snacks and food throughout their nursery day. If they join us for an early bird session, 7:30am they have breakfast, the children then enjoy a morning snack at 10am and lunch at 12pm. All snacks and tea are prepared by the team onsite by our nursery team.

Lunch is provided by an external nursery caterer called Hungry Monsters. They are able to cater for all religious beliefs and allergies or intolerances.

Hungry Monsters prepare a healthy range of nutritious and varied lunches for the children, we are given a weekly menu which we share with our parents. If your child needs a specialised diet for any reason we can cater for them, it is not a problem at all.

As a setting we are registered with the local council and are proud to say we have a food hygiene rating of 5 starts (the highest rating available)

Sample Menu

All ages:

Early bird: 7:30am - 8:00am
Morning session: 8:00am - 1:00pm
Afternoon session: 1:00pm - 6:00pm
All day session: 8:00am - 6:00pm

All sessions are calculated on actual sessions attended and not annualised like many nurseries. We do not charge for any periods of closure such as Bank Holidays and over the 2 week Christmas period.

Fees include all food and drink: breakfast, should they join us for breakfast club, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and high tea. They also include nappies, creams, wipes and suncream. Fees are payable monthly in advance.

We understand that one of the biggest challenges for parents when raising children can be the financial adjustment that has to be made due to the cost of childcare. We do not believe in in charging different rates across the various ages therefore all our fees are fixed. All of our invoices are calculated on actual sessions that our children attend and we do not charge for closure days. We also offer a 10% discount to siblings who attend the same setting.

Click here to find out more about various funding opportunities that maybe available to you.

Whilst we try to keep our terms and conditions as brief as possible, nonetheless, because we are caring for very young children, we are naturally obligated to many rules, regulations and also a good deal of legislation. We take our responsibilities very seriously and we have to be very clear to our parents and carers about the framework within which we operate. Please take time to read the following pages as it will help us provide and maintain the highest standards of care.

The terms and conditions detailed in this document represent the key elements of our booking agreement. However, as you can appreciate there is a significant amount of day to day details which cannot be reasonably contained in one document (hard copy and email), policies, procedures and reports.

Your acceptance of our terms is initiated at the booking and registration stage. Acceptance of this agreement is implicit when you complete the registration process and sign via our management system Nursery In A Box and applies to all parties noted on the registration form, irrespective of whether the secondary parties have signed the form. We would respectfully request that if parents/carers experience difficulty in fulfilling any of the conditions of this agreement, that they contact the Centre Manager.

Whilst this agreement naturally has legal implications, we always act with fairness and transparency when making decisions. The success of your child's time here at Hamble Early Years Centre is dependent on the partnership between the Centre and our parents and carers. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to discuss the terms and conditions set out below in further detail.

"Terms and Conditions" means our standard terms and conditions relating to the running of our private childcare service providing full day care. Nothing within these terms and conditions affects your statutory rights. To enable us to provide and maintain the highest of standards of care we require all parents and carers to be aware of, and abide by the terms and conditions.
"We" / "Us" / "Our" / "the Centre" / "Manager" / "The Management" means Hamble Early Years Centre, Satchell Lane, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4NE. (Private Day Nursery on non-domestic premises, OFSTED Registration EY283126)
"Customer" "Parents" "Carers" "You" "Your" means anyone who requests and is registered for services from us and enters into an agreement or contract.
"Service" means the provision of childcare as specified under the terms of our Ofsted registration and as laid out in our policies, procedures, handbooks and agreements.
- "Booking, Contract or Agreement" means the contract between us and the customer covering the supply of services by us to the customer. The agreement includes the booking form, nursery policies, fee schedule, consent forms, care plans and all relevant data held or used in the performance of Centre's services.

1. General

Age of Admittance
6 months to 5 years of age.

Hours of Opening
The centre is open Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 6.00pm, with an optional early bird start (7.30am opening). These places are limited and subject to availability.

Weeks Open
The centre is open 49 weeks a year.

Settling In / Gradual Admissions
It is our aim to allow all children time for settling in, so that the child can form relationships with our staff and become familiar of the centre's surroundings. Each child and their needs differ so the length of time for settling in varies from child to child. We find these settling sessions normally consists of 1-2 sessions.

We request that a parent completes all of the registration forms via Nursery In A Box and permission forms in advance of the start date. Further information will be sort during the home visits. Staff can obtain the relevant child related information and consent to ensure a smooth transition into the centre.

Changes
We may change the terms and conditions from time to time especially where such change arises from regulatory issues or changes in legislation affecting us, changes that affect the way we provide our service or in our reasonable opinion it is in the interest of children attending the Centre. We will provide at least one month's written notice of such change.

Change of Details
You must immediately inform us of any changes to your contact details.

Court order
You must inform us if your child is subject of a court order and provide us with a copy of such order on request.

Mobile Phone
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children who attend our centre we enforce a NO personal mobile phone usage within our setting. Should you be on your personal mobile phone as you arrive at the centre can we please ask that you conclude your phone call before entering the premises and do not use this again until you have left the centre.

Equal Opportunities
We are an equal opportunities organisation, which makes decisions without regard to race, colour, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status or sex change status or any other factor protected by law.

Setting Closure
The centre is closed on public Bank Holidays. During the Christmas period the centre will be closed for two weeks in line with the school holidays.

If the centre takes the decision to close due to events or circumstances which are outside our control, we shall be under no obligation to provide alternative childcare facilities to you. If the closure exceeds 3 days in duration (excluding any days when the centre would otherwise be closed), we will credit you with an amount that represents the number of days the centre is closed in excess of 3 days.

Complaints or Concerns
Customer satisfaction is of paramount importance to us and any concerns/complaints will be reported to the appropriate person for investigation. If you have any complaints about the service we are offering, can we please ask in the first instance you contact your child's key-worker, if these concerns have not been resolved to your satisfaction please contact the management team.

2. Childcare Registration

Administration Fee & Confirmation of Your Childcare Place
An initial administration is payable to reserve your childcare place and reserve your booking pattern. This is non-refundable in case of cancellation or termination of your childcare place.

Securing a Childcare Place
An upfront non-refundable administration charge for each child will be requested. We are able to secure a childcare place and booking pattern on receipt of the deposit. We are unable to reserve a childcare place for more than 6 months in advance of your child's start date.

3. Booking Patterns

We do not charge for the 8 public holidays and are closed over the Christmas holidays for 2 weeks. Therefore fees are calculated on a 49 week booking pattern with itemised and actual use invoices. Please note, invoice values will change in accordance to the number of days in the month.

Full Days
Full days are calculated from 08:00am to 6:00pm.

Sessions
Sessions are calculated from 8am to 1:00pm or 1:00pm to 6:00pm.

Regular Booking Pattern
We accept 1 day, 2 day, 3 day, 4 day and 5 day weekly booking pattern or 1 session.

Term Time Only
We are able to accept term time only booking patterns, subject to availability.

Change of Booking Pattern
To increase your booking pattern we require 24 hours notice subject to availability.

To decrease your booking pattern you must provide us with thirty (30) days' notice in writing or by email to the management team.

Should insufficient notice be given then you will be invoiced for the full childcare fees for thirty (30) day's notice from the date of any change as if the hours had not decreased.

4. Additional Days/sessions

Early Birds
Should you require additional childcare in the morning from 07:30am to 08:00am, then an additional charge will be applied to your monthly invoice. Places are limited and subject to availability and should be booked a week in advance.

5. Fees

Your First Invoice
We will create your first invoice from your child's first day of attendance until the end of the month. This invoice must be paid in advance before or on your child's first day of attendance.

Payment of Fees (Monthly in advance)
Fees are due monthly in accordance to your booking pattern by the 7th day of each month.

We accept payments by, Direct Debit, Cash or Standing Order only.

Under exceptional circumstances we may agree to payment by cash; however, it is your responsibility to obtain a receipt from the centre manager as your proof of payment.

Your Final Invoice
We will create your final invoice from the date of your termination email. You will be required to pay the full fees for the thirty 4 week notice. It is your responsibility to obtain a receipt from the management team as your proof of termination. Your child may attend during this time unless you have breached the childcare contract terms and conditions.

Hamble Early Years Centre may increase or decrease the prices set out in our fee structure at any time by giving four weeks' written notice. Hamble Early Years may increase prices in the fee structure with immediate effect by written notice is there is a government policy change. If you do not agree with an increase in the prices when notified then you have an option of terminating this agreement by giving four weeks' notice period. If the notice to terminate covers the period other price increase is due to take effect, you are required to pay the increased price for all service received in that period.

Late Fees
Hamble Early Years Centre charge an administration charge for any late payments which have not been previously agreed. A charger of £12.50 per week will be added to the fees.

All unpaid feed will be subject to our credit control procedure. The cost of recovery will be added to the fees owed and will include an administration charge of £10.00, court feed, enforcement feed and statutory contractual interest.

Hamble Early Years charge a payment of £15.00 for any returned payments.

6. Discounts and Absences

Sibling Discount
Where parents have more than one child at the centre, a 10% reduction in fees is allowed for the second and 5% on any subsequent children. This is applicable only on the booking pattern and does not include extra sessions or additional hours.

Absence
Fees remain payable for periods of absence (Sickness) as the child's place is kept open and staff and associated costs continue to accumulate and be met by the centre. We ask that you contact the centre to advise us of any absence in order that we can record these.

Term time only places are not entitled to holiday concessions and will not be expected to attend the centre during the school holidays set by the centre. However, you are welcome to book additional ad hock sessions at the normal rate if staffing and spaces allow. Unfortunately, those children claiming EYE funding through the stretched offer, will also not be eligible to holiday entitlement due to the funding being accessed over the 49 week period.

7. Early Years Entitlement (EYE/FEYE)

Early Years Entitlement
Early Years Entitlement is available for all 3 and 4 year old children, regardless of parent income, from the term AFTER the child's 3rd birthday. Some children may be entitled to access 2 year old funding, please ask for further details. This funding can be used from the child's second birthday and not the term after.

All children are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare, per week, for 38 weeks (term time only) or stretched across 49 weeks the term after their 3rd birthday. In some cases they may also qualify for 30 which again can also be used term time only or stretched over the 49 week. There is currently a £1 per hour consumables charge for funded hours, please see the centre manager for further detail.

We have a limited amount of free spaces where the consumable charge will not apply, again please see your nursery manager to further details.

8. Childcare Vouchers

Childcare Voucher Payments
Currently each parent is able to claim £243 (high rate tax payer) or £124 (standard rate tax payer) per month.

If your wage payment date falls after the 25th of the current month the voucher payment will be deducted from the following months invoice. The voucher company pays the centre directly.

9. Medical

Emergency Treatment
Any child who attends the centre and has an accident whilst in our care will be given basic first aid treatment by staff. This will include the treatment of minor cuts, bumps or bruises.

Any emergency treatment or medical advice will be permitted unless a parent states in writing otherwise. The centre does not accept any responsibility for treatment given against parent's wishes if we have not been informed otherwise.

Accident Book
All parents will be informed of any accident and required to sign an accident form. In the case of a more serious accident or incident a child will be taken immediately to a doctor or the nearest hospital and parents will be informed.

Sickness
The centre will make every effort to notify parents should their child become ill whilst in our care. Senior staff reserve the right to remove the child to hospital in an emergency. Please note minimum exclusion periods apply and must be adhered to; our policy and guidelines are available from the on site.

Exclusion Periods

When on Antibiotics: 24 hours
Chickenpox: Until all vesicles have crusted over
Conjunctivitis: 24 hours at home with prescribed medication
Sickness & Diarrhoea: 48 hours from the last bout
Gastroenteritis: Until authorised by District Community Physician
Hand, foot and mouth: 4 days from the appearance of the blisters
Immunisations: 24 hours
Impetigo: 24 hours after antibiotics / until the skin is healed
Infective hepatitis: 7 days from onset of Jaundice
Measles: 7 days from appearance of rash
Meningitis C: Until recovered from illness
Mumps: Unless the swelling has subsided and, in no case less than 7 days from the start of treatment
Plantar warts: No exclusion should be treated and covered
Rubella: 4 days from the appearance of the rash
Ringworm: Until cured
Scarlet fever: 24 hours after commencing appropriate antibiotics
Whooping cough: 48 hours from commencing antibiotic treatment

Contagious Disease
For the benefit of the other children in the centre, you must not allow your child to attend the centre if they are suffering from a contagious disease which could easily be passed on to another child during normal daily activities of the centre.

The centre reserves the right to refuse to accept children until the centre is satisfied they are not infectious. This is to protect other children from cross infection. The centre's exclusion policy is guided by the relevant local authority.

If in doubt
If your child is suffering from a doubtful rash, sore throat, discharge from the eyes, nose, diarrhoea or any similar symptoms; please keep the child at home until the doctor has certified that the symptoms have disappeared.

You must inform us immediately if your child is diagnosed with any allergy or intolerance.

Antibiotics
If your child is prescribed antibiotics, please keep them at home until 24 hours dosage has been administered in case of adverse reaction to the medication. Antibiotics will only be administered by centre staff after the child has been taking them for more than 24 hours at home, and only then with written authorisation from their parent. All antibiotics must be prescribed by a doctor and presented with the prescription label.

Non Prescribed Medication
The centre will only administer non-prescription medication in the form of barrier creams and paracetamol in emergency situation. On registration parents will be required to state whether they give permission for centre staff to administer liquid paracetamol in an emergency. As part of this contract it is your duty to inform us if your child has been given any form of medication prior to arriving at the centre.

10. Food and Drink

Water
Fresh drinking water is available to all children throughout the day.

For the older children water is available for them to help themselves when thirsty, this promotes independence and self-help skills. For the younger children water will be available and offered throughout the day alongside milk at designated snack and meal times in either beakers or cups depending upon the age and stage of development of the children.

All children will be encouraged by the staff to drink water throughout the day as part of our commitment to offering healthy food and drink options.

Meals & Snacks
Children will be provided with drinks and snacks at regular morning and afternoon snack times along with three nutritious, balanced meals daily. Menus are displayed on the parents display board; these include age and stage applicable meals and vegetarian options. All special dietary requirements will be catered for also.

Nut Allergy
As the number of children with nut allergies is increasing with parental support we aim to keep the centre NUT FREE. Parents are requested not to send food or empty food packaging materials into the centre.

Milk Feeds
If your child is still having breast milk then we require that the breast milk is provided in a bottle that is either expressed on the day, your child is attending, or is frozen in a specific bag/bottle, with the date that the milk was expressed.

If you would prefer to provide formula milk then we request that this is to be provided in a new unopened box with instructions and with the date clearly identifiable on it. We are unable to take pre-measured containers or bottles that are already made up at home due to restrictions and guidelines of the EHO and health visitors.

As part of the Ofsted regulations we must ask that you provide a clearly labelled bottle that can be left at the centre, we will then sterilise this and make up feeds, as and when required.

11. Child Security and Protection

Child Protection
Any child who attends the centre, irrespective of their racial origin, gender, physical or mental impairment, class, religion or cultural background has a right to protection from neglect, physical, sexual or any other abuse and it is our priority to keep children safe from harm whilst in our care.

The centre has a full written policy on child protection which is available in the main reception.

Delivery of children
Children should be delivered by parents/careers into the care of a staff member and entered into the attendance register.

Collection of Children
Children will not be released into the care of anyone other than those named on the childcare registration form unless authorised by the parents personally, by telephone or in writing. Any person collecting who is not recognised by the staff members will be asked to provide a form of photographic ID and the collection password. If we are not reasonably satisfied that an individual is allowed to collect your child, we will not release your child into their care.

In addition, a personal visit of introduction by the parents, of anyone who will be collecting the child on occasions is encouraged so we are able to confirm their identity.

Hamble Early Years permit minors between the ages of 14 and 18 to collect a child from the centre on behalf of parents, provided that Hamble Early Years has been notified that the minor has been given authority to do so. The centre manager will give the final and absolute permission for a child to be collect by the minor.

In the event of late collection, you will be charged for any extra time at your normal rate if it is before 6.00pm. However after 6.00pm you will be charged £7.50 per child for every 15 minutes late. Please see our Policy in the event of a parent failing to collect a child.

Social Services
It is our obligation to require or seek professional advice or actions from the local social services team if we suspect a child is suffering from harm. We have an obligation to report any instances where we consider that a child may have been neglected or abused to the relevant authorities. We may do so without your consent and/or without informing you.

Behaviour Management
The centre has a written policy on behaviour management which is available in the main reception.

The use of any form of physical chastisement, verbal humiliation, or aggressive handling of a child is not acceptable at the centre.

12. Property and Premises

Personal Property
The centre does not accept responsibility for loss or damage of personal property brought on to the premises by children or parents.

Clothing
Parents are requested to send children in easily washable, clearly labelled clothing which is appropriate to the weather conditions. Please discourage your child from bringing items of value to the centre. Please provide several spare sets of clothing for your child in case of an accident or the need for a change of clothing.

Car Park
Drivers are asked to drive at a very slow speed and be cautious before setting off. We are able to offer limited car parking spaces for parents however it should be noted that the car park does not belong to the centre and any vehicle parked in this car park is parked at your own risk.

13. Cancellation of Your Childcare Place

Termination of Contract
If you no longer wish to maintain your child's place at the centre you will be required to give thirty (30) days' notice in writing or by email to the management team.

You may end this agreement with immediate effect if we have breached any of our obligations under this agreement and we have not or cannot put right that breach within a reasonable period of being requested to do so.

We reserve the right the end this agreement with immediate effect if (1) you have no paid the agreed feeds (2) you have breached your obligations under this agreement and you have or cannot put right that breach within a reasonable period of being requested to do so (3) your child's behaviour at the centre is deemed by us to be unacceptable or endanger the safety and well-being of other children at the centre (4) financial, business or commercial reasons compel us to radically change the nature of the Centre's operations, including but not limited to permanent closure of the Centre, change of childcare service provider, re-registration of child numbers and age groups, changes to the registration and bookings policy. Naturally we will of course provide as much notice as possible given any of the above events.

Non Payment of Fees
If the payment of centre fees is outstanding for more than 7 days after the 1st of the month this will result in the termination of your childcare contract and the loss of your childcare place.

Upon termination of this contract the child shall not be permitted entry to the centre. This shall be regarded as a formal demand for all outstanding monies and we will issue a final invoice and pass this to a debt collection agency for full recovery. In addition you will be liable for all associated debt collection fees and court costs.