Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that parents and guardians will have a lot of questions about our nursery and out of school settings, so we have put together a list of common queries to help.
If there’s anything that we don’t cover or you’d like something explaining in more detail, please don’t hesitate to speak to us!
General Information
We welcome children from 12 weeks up to 5 years within Nursery settings.
We welcome children from 5 years to 11 years within Out of School Club settings
Our nursery settings are open Monday to Friday, from 7:00am – 6:00pm. Our Out of School Club settings are open Monday to Friday, from 7:00am – 9:00am and from 3:00pm – 6:00pm in Term Time.
Our Holiday Clubs are open Monday to Friday, from 07:00am – 6:00pm during the school Holidays.
Please check your chosen nursery for specific details on their respective tabs.
Yes, all our Settings are OFSTED registered and regularly inspected.
Yes, we provide free nursery education places for eligible 2, 3-, and 4-year-olds. See more information in the Funding section of the Parents Tab.
Government funding is available for eligible children from 9 months old. See more information in the Funding section of the Parents Tab.
Settling In & Daily Life
We offer flexible settling-in sessions within our Nursery settings to help your child and you to feel comfortable and confident before starting full sessions. Please see more information in the About our Nurseries Tab.
Our days are structured around a mix of child led play, adult led play and learning, outdoor play opportunities, mealtimes and much needed rest. Activities are age-appropriate and carefully planned to support every child’s development.
We provide healthy, nutritiously balanced meals, handled, prepared and served by Food Safety trained staff. All dietary requirements and allergies are catered for and all staff have Allergy Awareness training. Fresh water is provided throughout the day and an option of milk or water is given during snack times.
Yes, we provide quiet, comfortable areas for children who need to nap or rest during the day. Adhering to Safer Sleeping guidance.
Learning & Development
We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Our Curriculum is a fine balance of both Child Led and Adult Led. Please see more information on our Curriculum in the About our Nurseries Tab.
Staff will regularly update parents with progress reports, photos, and learning moments via Family. We hold regular development and progress meetings with parents. Please see more information in the About our Nurseries Tab.
Useful to know
Spare clothing is a must – we enjoy all types of messy play, water play, creative play and outdoor play.
Appropriate Clothing for the weather – such as coats, wellies, hats and gloves in the colder months and sun hats, cooler clothing in the warmer months.
A water bottle – children must have access to fresh water throughout the day.
Spare clothing during the school holidays is a must.
Appropriate Clothing for the weather – such as coats, wellies, hats and gloves in the colder months and sun hats, cooler clothing in the warmer months.
A water bottle – children must have access to fresh water throughout the day.
Don’t forget your child’s school bag.
In Nursery – we provide nappies, wipes and creams for privately funded places. Government funded places have the choice to use the optional Food and Intimate Care packages at an additional cost or to supply your own.
In Nursery – we provide your chosen formula for privately funded places. Government funded places have the choice to use the optional Food Package which includes formula at an additional cost or to supply your own.
If your child is unwell, we ask that they stay home to rest and avoid spreading illness to other children and staff members. You must notify the setting in the first instance that your child is unwell. We follow the Public Health Agency guidance for return times after common illnesses.
You will be notified in the first instance if your child becomes unwell whilst at the setting – this may result in you having to collect your child earlier than scheduled.
Only people who have been approved by yourself via the Family App will be able to collect your child. The Family App allows approved people to sign children In & Out of the setting.
We also have an extra layer of security, in the form of a ‘Password’ – this will be set with you during the registration process on Famly. If for any reason you or another approved person is unable to access the App – we will ask for the correct password to be provided to us.
If someone does not have approved access to the Family App or the correct password – they will not be permitted entry into the building and you will be notified in the first instance. If anyone is due to collect your child that we have not seen before and does not have access to the Family App – you must notify us as soon as possible as to who will be collecting and ensure they know the correct password. No Password – No Collection.
In the first instance, please communicate with the settings manager in person, via telephone or in writing via E-Mail– they will be happy to help and direct you to the correct person. If you are not fully satisfied – this will be escalated appropriately with a member of the Senior Leadership Team within All Stars Child Care Services Ltd. This is often:
Terri Dyer
Chief Operations Officer
E-Mail: t.dyer@allstarschildcare.co.uk
Aysha McDonald
Owner & Managing Director
E-Mail: a.mcdonald@allstarschildcare.co.uk
Fees & Booking Sessions
Fees vary depending on the setting, age of child and sessions booked. Please see the Fees section in the Parents Tab. A full breakdown of Fees can be requested by E-mailing the setting directly.
Yes, we accept Tax Free Childcare Payments. Please see Fees section in the Parents Tab for a full breakdown on ways to pay.
Fees are paid one month in advance to help us plan ahead and ensure your child’s place is securely reserved. It allows us confidently arrange staffing in line with ratios, resources, meals and activities so that we can provide high-quality care every day. This approach helps us to keep the nursery running smoothly and sustainably for all families. If you ever have a question about payments, contact the Settings Manager in the first instance.
Extra sessions are subject to availability and require additional staffing and planning to ensure we continue to meet required ratios and provide safe, high-quality care. Paying in advance, allows us to securely confirm your child’s place and make necessary arrangements before the session takes place. This approach helps us to plan effectively and ensures fairness and consistency for all families.
When a child is absent, their place is still reserved for them and our staffing, resources and running costs still remain the same. To meet required staff: child ratios and ensure continuity of care, were unable to reduce, refund or provide alternative days for short-term absences including illness. This approach helps us to remain fair and consistent for all families while continuing to provide high quality care.
We know this can be frustrating for parents but even on Bank Holidays, our fixed costs such as staffing, premises, utilities and resources still remain the same. Including bank holidays within our fee structure helps us to plan effectively and continue to provide high-quality care throughout the year.
Our late collection of children charge is in place to ensure children remain safe and well cared for if they are collected after closing time. When a child is collected late, 1 or 2 staff members (if its closing time – this will be 2) must stay beyond their scheduled hours, which creates additional staffing and operational costs. The charge helps cover these costs and encourages timely collection, ensuring fairness for families and staff.
Late payment fees help us to manage the Settings fairly and consistently for all families. Timely payments allow us to meet essential costs such as staffing, resources and day to day running of the Setting. When payments are late or not made in full – this has a detrimental impact on our ability to plan effectively. The late payment fee encourages payments to be made on time and helps to cover the additional administration involved.
If we are not informed in a timely manner that a child does not need collecting from school, it will still be staffed accordingly and staff will still be scheduled to attend the school and follow safeguarding procedures to confirm the child’s whereabouts. This takes staff time and resources and is essential to ensure every child is safe and accounted for. The fee helps cover additional staffing and administration involved and encourages timely communication to keep all children safe.
Government funded hours cover the care and early education element only. Costs for items such as food, nappies, wipes and creams are not included in the funding and are therefore charged separately if families choose to Opt-In to them. These packages are entirely optional and parents are always welcome to Opt-Out of the packages and to provide their own if they prefer this.
If the optional package items are not provided on the day, we must supply them to ensure your child’s comfort, well-being and their routine in maintained. This creates additional costs for the settings. The charge simply covers the cost of the items provided and ensures every child’s needs are met without any disruption to their day.
Babies and very young children benefit most from consistent routines, familiar caregivers and secure attachments. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) places strong emphasis on the importance of continuity of care and stable relationships to support children’s emotional well-being, development and sense of security. Term time only attendance can involve long breaks that may disrupt routines and attachments for children aged 0-2 . To ensure we can meet each child’s individual needs and provide high quality care, we have chosen to offer only year-round places for this age group. This approach allows us to support your child’s well-being, development and secure relationships in line with the EYFS. However, if agreed in advance with the manager – you can opt use the 30 hours government funding during term time and agree to privately fund the holidays for a MINIMUM of 2 full days. Please speak to the Nursery Manager about sessions for babies and they can help you decide what is best for your child and you.
Our 4 training days per year allow staff to complete essential ongoing professional development, safeguarding updates as well as EYFS requirements. This ensures that we continue to provide safe, high-quality care for your child, The EYFS requires providers to ensure that staff are well trained, knowledgeable and up to date with current guidance and best practice.
Although children do not attend on these 4 training days, our staffing, premises and operational costs still continue. Including training days within our fee structure allows us to plan effectively and to maintain consistent, high-quality provision throughout the year.
In rare circumstances, we may need to close temporarily due to unforeseen events such as emergencies, adverse weather conditions, being unable to safely meet legal ratio requirements, utility failures or other situations that are beyond our control. During these times, our staffing and operational costs often continue even though children are unable to attend. For this reason, fees usually remain payable for short – term, unexpected closures. This helps us to keep the setting stable, safe and ready to re-open as soon as possible, ensuring the continuity of care for families.
Note: All Terms & Conditions are outlined in the Parent Agreement Contract which is signed by yourselves and representative of All Stars Child Care Services Ltd upon registration.