Enquiry Form for Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your enquiry. Please check out the links below to explore or apply online for childcare government funding for 1, 2, 3, 4-year-olds, as it can take a while to set up with HMRC. You will need a government funding code to issue us before each of your children start nursery, so we can submit your claim. If accessing the 3- & 4-Year-old Universal 15 hours funding, you don't get issued a code. Codes must be reconfirmed every 3 months by you with HMRC and remain valid before August 31st to use from September Term, December 31st to use from January Term or March 31st to use from April term. Failure to reconfirm before the cut-off date above, means you will miss out on a whole term's worth of funding.

https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/childcare-early-years-education

https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/eligibility-checker

COMBINE TAX FREE CHILDCARE OR UNIVERSAL CREDIT WITH THE 15/30HRS FUNDING TOO

Working Families are also often eligible to set up an online tax-free childcare account for each of their children, to pay any additional nursery fees (for additional hours, meals, consumables, nappies, extra sessions or activities that are not covered by the government 15/30 hours funding) This account can be used to pay for breakfast, after school and school holiday club sessions too until a child is 11yrs old or 16yrs if disabled. We offer school holiday club sessions until a child’s 9th birthday too.

TAX FREE CHILDCARE ACCOUNT BRINGS EXTRA SAVINGS For every £8 you pay into each child's online Tax-free childcare account the government top up £2. This adds up to a considerable saving as you then select our nursery Sandfield Natural Play Centre from the drop-down list and pay us your invoice direct from that account to get the saving. Apply via this link:

https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/childcare-early-years-education/tax-free-childcare

UNIVERSAL CREDIT AND CHILDCARE FEES If you are not eligible for a tax-free childcare account, then via universal credit you may be able to claim up to 85% of additional childcare fees back for nursery sessions and school breakfast or holiday clubs for older children too. Please note any meals, nappy or consumable charges during your funded sessions term time are optional and universal credit will not refund a percentage towards those costs now. This is as most families can now also claim 15- 30 hours free childcare for 38 weeks term time annually:

https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/childcare-early-years-education/universal-credit-childcare

THIS FORM WILL ONLY ALLOW YOU TO SUBMIT IT IF ALL THE SECTIONS WITH A RED ASTERISK ARE COMPLETED.

Your Relationship To Child*

Title*

Your Name*

First NameLast Name

Home Phone Number

Mobile Phone Number*

Email*

example@example.com

Address*

Address

Address Line 2

Town or City

Post Code

Who is considered a critical worker?

If you are eligible then we will be authorised to continue to provide childcare for you during any pandemic lockdown periods or emergency situations. We will remain open throughout any emergency, like we did during Covid-19 pandemic, to support all children of Critical Workers.

Please note we are required to prove Critical Worker Status for all eligible parents/guardians. This information is kept personal, but data is collated if such event occurs for local Authority purposes to ensure sufficient places are provided. On your child's registration form your Critical Worker employment information is captured if you take the nursery place.

We will prioritise childcare places for critical worker parents as part of our admission policy during a pandemic to further support the community.

Do you qualify for Critical Worker Status?*

If you are a critical worker please select the Key Sector you work in ?

Are you in receipt of Universal Credit?

Do you already have a Tax-Free Childcare Account set up for each of your children already?

Child's Legal Name *

First NameLast Name

Child's Known Name if different

Child's Gender*

Child's Date of Birth (If Pregnant add due date)*

Date

Does this child have a disability or special educational need? The Disability Access Fund (DAF) provides early years providers with an annual, one-off payment to support children with disabilities or special educational needs. If you currently claim DLA (Disability Living Allowance) for this child, we can also claim the DAF fund to support them further in nursery too. We can discuss this in the nursery viewing.*

Any additional information about this child that is not already covered

Name of Nursery or preschool if currently attending or on waiting list? If you decide your child will transfer to Sandfield, we will then contact the previous nursery to request their current learning and development records. This ensures a smooth transition for your child.

Which funding are you eligible to claim? Please note eligibility begins the term AFTER your child's birthday but you MUST apply the term prior. *

How many days do you want to book for this child per week?*

Anticipated Start Date*

Date

Anticipated Leave Date*

Date

Which school are you hoping they attend?*

Days and session types required - please note as per best practice to allow a child to settle fully into nursery, 2 days minimum is usual. We don't offer half days. Funded sessions during term time weeks are 7.30am-3pm claiming a maximum of 7.5 hours of funding per day between 2-4 days depending on your 15 or 30 hour code. Early start 7am-7.30am or late afternoon sessions are available to book 3pm-6pm during term weeks. Additionally, if you require more days than your funded days, you may book full days during term time or all year and those days are all 7.30am-6pm. We explain meal costs, optional extras available during funded sessions and everything else during your nursery viewing. *

Rows	Early Start 7am-7.30am £4	Funded 7.5hr session 7.30am-3pm term weeksFREE	Late Afternoon Session 3pm-6pm term weeks£29	Full Day non funded 7.30am-6pm£85
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Inform if any flexibility -it may be that a specific day is currently full. Children move groups and alter days, so we can add to a waiting list.

2nd Child's Legal Name

First NameLast Name

2nd Child's Known Name if different

2nd Child's Gender

2nd Child's Date of Birth (If Pregnant add due date)

Date

Does this child have a disability or special educational need? The Disability Access Fund (DAF) provides early years providers with an annual, one-off payment to support children with disabilities or special educational needs. If you currently claim DLA (disability Living Allowance) for this child, we can also claim the DAF fund to support them in nursery too. We can discuss this in the nursery viewing.

Any additional information about this child that is not already covered

Name of Nursery or preschool if currently attending or on waiting list? If you decide your child will transfer to Sandfield, we will then contact the previous nursery to request their current learning and development records. This ensures a smooth transition for your child.

Which funding for this child will you/are you applying for a code for? Please note eligibility begins the term AFTER your child's birthday but you MUST apply the term prior.

How many days do you want to book for this child per week?

Anticipated Start Date

Date

Anticipated Leave Date

Date

Which school are you hoping they attend?

Days and session types required - please note as per best practice to allow a child to settle fully into nursery, 2 days minimum is usual. We don't offer half days. Funded sessions during term time weeks are 7.30am-3pm claiming a maximum of 7.5 hours of funding per day between 2-4 days depending on your 15 or 30 hour code. Early start 7am-7.30am or late afternoon sessions are available to book 3pm-6pm during term weeks. Additionally, if you require more days than your funded days, you may book full days during term time or all year and those days are all 7.30am-6pm. We explain meal costs, optional extras available during funded sessions and everything else during your nursery viewing.

Rows	Early Start 7am-7.30am £4	Funded 7.5hr session 7.30am-3pm term weeks FREE	Late Afternoon Session 3pm-6pm term weeks £29	Full Day non funded 7.30am-6pm £85
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Additional Information if required

Sandfield Term Dates for 38 weeks of Government Funding.

ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/26

Spring Funded Term 5th January 2026 to 27th March 2026 (11 Weeks)

Half Term 16th-20th February 2026
Term ends for Easter Holidays on Friday 27th March 2026
Bank Holidays - Nursery closed on 3rd April 2026 (Good Friday) and 6th April 2026 (Easter Monday).

Summer Funded Term 13th April 2026 to 17th July 2026 (13 weeks)

Half Term 25th-29th May 2026
Bank Holidays - 4th May, 25th May and 31st August 2026
Term ends for Summer Holidays on Friday 17th July 2026

ACADEMIC YEAR 2026/27

Autumn Funded Term 7th September 2026 to 18th December 2026 (14 Weeks)

Half Term 26th October-30th October 2026
Term ends on Friday 18th December 2026

Christmas Closure – Nursery closed 24th December 2026-4th January 2027
Bank Holidays - Nursery closed on 1st January 2027 for New Year’s Day and 4th January 2027 for staff INSET day. Nursery reopens 5th January 2027.

Spring Funded Term 4th January 2027 to 26th March 2027 (11 Weeks)

Half Term 15th-19th February 2027
Term ends for Easter Holidays on Friday 26th March 2027
Bank Holidays - Nursery closed on 26th March 2027 (Good Friday) and 29th March 2027 (Easter Monday).

Summer Funded Term 12th April 2027 to 16th July 2027 (13 weeks)

Half Term 31st May-4th June 2027
Bank Holidays - 3rd May, 31st May and 30th August 2027
Term ends for Summer Holidays on Friday 16th July 2027

FUNDED SESSION INFORMATION

Funded sessions for 15-30 hours are only available to book during term time weeks as detailed above.

We do not 'stretch' funding all year, as it has proved problematic in the past when any changes occur.

Any other non-funded sessions during term dates or if you book your child to attend all year are charged the usual rate. We discuss everything during the nursery viewing.

Are you applying for a Term Time only nursery place? *

Government Funding is available for 3 terms annually, like schools and totals 38 weeks of Term Time. All other dates you will be charged full fees if you require your child to attend all year.

Select all days you are available to attend a nursery viewing 10.15am? Please note we can only book one viewing per family, as we have a very busy diary and many enquiries wanting to view or reserve future places. Therefore, if applicable, please ensure your partner attends too or they can see the nursery once your child starts. Rest assured we have been awarded Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted on 4 consecutive occasions and are the only nursery in Merseyside to achieve this.*

Nursery Viewing Information

It takes between 30-45 minutes to show you around, discuss your needs and answer any questions. Please note mobile phones or any electronic devices are not allowed to be used within the nursery. We have our own company synched secure devices that you may see staff using.

Please arrive on time as we have a busy diary and want to be able to enjoy showing you around before the nursery lunch period starts. If your child is accompanying you, please note we do not allow any snacks or drinks to be brought into the nursery by visitors as we have children with many allergies in attendance.

Once your child attends, we operate an open door policy so you are free to drop off and collect at any time to suit and we invite you to plenty of stay and play outdoor sessions too with refreshments.

How did you hear about the nursery?*

Name of staff, child or parent that you know at nursery

If required, please tell us anything extra that may help us to support your enquiry- if you are only available to view certain dates over the next 4 weeks or on holiday certain weeks please tell us now as it takes a while to book you in the diary

Thank you for completing our enquiry form, we will contact you if we have availability for your start date to arrange a nursery viewing, and if not, we will contact you to see if you want to be added to a waiting list to view when a session becomes available. We discuss everything during the viewing and require a decision within 24 hours and £50 deposit to secure the place (deductible from your first invoice) or we must move to the next family on the waiting list. On acceptance of a nursey place we invite you in for a meeting to introduce you to the designated staff member who will care for your child's individual needs and arrange free introductory mornings so we can find out more about their individual stages of development, sleeping patterns, dietary needs and interests etc. Looking forward to meeting you and your child soon :-)

Sandfield Natural Play Centre

Sandfield House, Lickers Lane, Whiston L35 3SR

0151 426 6262

Leave a message and we will return your call when able or contact us via email on:

enquiries@sandfield.org.uk

www.sandfieldnaturalplaycentre.co.uk

Enquiry Form for Nursery and Preschool

Help with Childcare Costs

Parent/Carer details completing this form

Child's Details

2nd Child's details if applicable

Term Time Weeks when funded sessions are available