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Admission to Clare Bears Pre-School

Clare Bears Pre-school is open to every member of the local community for children between the ages of 2 and 5 years.

Children are eligible to attend Clare Bears once they are two years old. Any parent/carer wishing to register their child for a place at the pre-school will need to submit a Registration Form. Please phone or email us at manager@clarebears.org for an application form. On receipt of this, a Confirmation Letter will be sent notifying the parent/carer that their child is on the waiting list, which is arranged as per our admissions policy. It is important to enrol your child as early as possible to ensure their place.

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Session Times


Clare Bears is open every weekday from 8.30am to 3pm during normal school terms. Early bird sessions are 8.30-9am and main sessions are 9-12pm, or 9-3pm. We are open for 38 weeks of the year. Our term days coincide with those of Clare Community Primary School.

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Lunch Club


Lunch club runs Monday to Friday, from 12pm to 1pm. Children bring their own packed lunch and are supervised throughout the lunch period, with different activities to those during the morning session. This is an optional session, which can be used as a 'funded' hour or provided at an extra cost of £5.00.

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Fees


Fees are £3 (or £3.50 pay on the day) for our early bird session (8.30-9am), £15.00 per morning session (9am-12pm) or £20.00 per morning session with an added lunch club (9am-1pm) or lunch club can be added for £5 per session (subject to availability) and £30.00 per full day session (9am-3pm) and are payable half-termly in advance. You will be sent an invoice with instructions of how to pay. We are also registered to accept ‘Childcare Vouchers’.

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Summary of Fees

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Government Funded Places

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3 and 4-year-olds

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All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get free early education or childcare. Some 2-year-olds are also eligible for 15 hours free childcare, for example if you get certain benefits. Eligible children may access up to five free sessions per week, for almost the entirety of each term. This then replaces the session fees stated above, however lunch club is subject to an additional fee if not covered within the 15 hours.

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Government funding is available to all 3 year olds, from the fixed date following their third birthday, as follows:

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15 hours free childcare

All children in England get 570 free hours per year. It’s usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. You can get it from the term after your child’s 3rd birthday.

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30 hours free childcare

You may be able to get up to 30 hours free childcare (1,140 hours per year, which you can choose how you take). If you’re eligible for the extra hours, you sign up online to get a code to give to your childcare provider (us) to reserve your place. You’ll get the extra hours once the next term starts.

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Eligibility

You can usually get 30 hours free childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:

This earnings limit doesn’t apply if you’re self-employed and started your business less than 12 months ago.

You’re not eligible if:

  • your child doesn’t usually live with you

  • the child is your foster child

  • either you or your partner has a taxable income over £100,000

You can get 30 hours free childcare at the same time as claiming Universal Credit, tax credits or childcare vouchers.

If you can’t work

You may still be eligible if your partner is working, and you get Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance.

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Apply for 30 hours free childcare

You’ll need your details (and your partner’s, if you have one), including your:

  • National Insurance number

  • Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), if you’re self-employed

You’ll get a childcare account if your application is successful. You can use it to get your code for 30 hours free childcare.

If you pay for childcare and want to use Tax-Free Childcare to get help with costs, you can also apply using this service.

It usually takes 20 minutes to apply. You may find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to 7 days.

 

 

Visit https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/  to check if you are eligible.
 


If you require further information about the scheme, please speak to our Manager.
 

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2-year-olds


Some 2-year-olds in England can also get free early education and childcare.

You must be getting one of the following:

  • Income Support

  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

  • Income-related Employment Support Allowance

  • Support through Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

  • State Pension Credit (the guaranteed element)

  • Child Tax Credit and /or Working Tax Credit and earn no more than £16,190 per year

  • Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

  • Children looked after by a local council are also entitled to a place.

  • Child has a current statement of special educational needs (SEN) or an education, health and care plan

  • Disability Living Allowance

  • Child adopted from local authority care

  • Child left care under a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or residence order



If your child is eligible, you can start claiming after they turn 2. The date you can claim will depend on when their birthday is.

 

Contact your local Council to check if your child is eligible.

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Tax-Free Childcare

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We have signed up to receive payments from this scheme.

Tax-free childcare is a government scheme that pays working parents a 25% top-up based on what they pay for childcare - up to a maximum of £2,000 a year, given when parents pay out at least £10,000.

The scheme was launched in April 2017, and is the main option for parents who are in work.

 

Contact https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare   or https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ to check if you are eligible.

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