Opening hours Active Learning Hornsey nursery has standard opening hours of 7:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday, 51 weeks per year. Active Learning closes from lunchtime on 24th December through January 1st inclusive. Due to government regulations a child may not be in a child care setting for more than 10 hours per day

Drop-off and collection Drop-off can be agreed between 7:30 am and 9:00 am, collection between 3:30 pm and 6:30. Children leaving at the end of a normal session should be collected promptly. Any parent who is unable to collect at the correct time needs to inform the nursery immediately to allow us to staff the nursery accordingly. If you collect your child more than 10 minutes late and have not informed the nursery there will be an additional charge of £20 per late collection. Parents who require a late pick (up to 7:30pm) may arrange this through the manager in advance. When agreed in advance the late collection charge is £10.

Collection security For security reasons, your child may only be collected by those individuals (including named alternate contacts) you have listed on the registration form. Any changes to these named alternate contacts can only be accepted in writing, in advance, and the new named alternate contact must be introduced to the child’s key mentor. Children will only be released to named alternate contacts on provision of a password to be agreed with you. We will never permit a child to leave the premises unaccompanied or with an unauthorised person. Only in the event of an emergency will we allow your child to be collected by an individual who has not been designated as a named alternate contact. In this instance the parent must first provide the nursery with a photograph of the emergency contact, and agree a special password (different to the alternate’s password) with the nursery in advance. The emergency contact must bring a valid passport for identification. Finally, we will not permit a child to be collected by an authorised, named contact or alternate, if they appear to be unfit to provide for the child’s safety, or appear to be under severe influence of alcohol or drugs.

Our security includes the webcams and external CCTV system (which records high quality images for three months), alarms and a buzzer entrance to the nursery (the only access from outside the nursery), coded security locks on all internal entrances to areas where children can be present and the training of our staff.

Dress Parents should see that their children arrive in normal day clothes and bring a full change of clothes. You may purchase smocks to protect clothes for Active Art and any wet or messy activities. You need to name/label your child’s clothing, especially outdoor clothes and smocks, to avoid confusion with garments that look similar. Active Learning cannot accept responsibility for any lost or damaged property.

Activities in the Active Studios All activities in the Active Studios are included in your nursery fees, and provided by our own, qualified, specialist staff.

Moving up in Active Learning Children move from the toddler room to the Active Studios (nursery school) based on their date of birth and their level of physical and social development. We move children in September, January and April to correspond with school terms. Your child’s curriculum will suit their own stage of development, and not correspond to their home room.

Excursions From time to time we will arrange visits to museums, galleries and places of interest. There will be a modest additional charge to cover entrance and transportation.

Illness and health and safety Please see the section on ‘what to do if your child is ill’ Active Learning maintains the highest possible standards of hygiene in the nursery. Our premises are kept clean and hygienic at all times. When changing nappies, providing first aid or dealing with any bodily fluids we have to take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of children in our care and staff against the possible transmission of any diseases. We ensure that there are always a number of staff fully trained in first aid and health and safety.

Active Learning is registered under the Children’s Act of 1989 and as such follows the guidelines set by the local authority. Our first priority is towards the children in our care. In any instance of suspected child abuse or neglect we will deal with the matter first in the nursery and then with Social Services if necessary. This is a legal requirement for the nursery, and we must ask you to read our policy documents and sign them as part of the settling in period in the nursery.

Fees Fees are reviewed annually. If any changes are deemed necessary, parents are informed no later than the last week of June. New fee structures commence on the 25th of August for September’s payment.

Registration fee There is a one-off fee to register your child of £50, payable when you return the registration form. This is non-refundable.

Deposit To secure a place at Active Learning there is a one-off deposit payable, equal to one month’s fees, based on the sessional attendance you are booking for your child. You can determine the amount from our fee table, and may discuss this with the nursery staff if you are uncertain of the exact amount. If you have confirmed with the nursery that a place is available for your child the deposit must be enclosed with the registration form. If a place is not available when you are registering your child, you need only pay the registration fee, and your child will be placed on the waiting list.

Once we have accepted your deposit, and you have returned the completed acceptance form, your child's place is guaranteed. Deposits are refunded 6 - 8 weeks after the last month of your child's attendance, subject to all fees and other liabilities to the nursery having been paid in full. If a child leaves without full notice, we will offset the fees that are due in lieu of notice against the deposit.

Sibling discounts We offer a 15% discount off the fees of the older child. There are no reductions for older siblings in the after-school club.

Payment terms Fees are to be paid monthly in advance by standing order on the 25th of the previous month or the next banking day thereafter. Fees are calculated on an annual basis and then divided by 12. This allows for a consistent amount payable per month regardless of holidays or variations in the number of days in each month. Refunds or deductions cannot be made if your child is ill, on holiday or for any other reason does not attend the nursery. Days that are reserved and not used cannot be re-allocated.

Loss of place at Active Learning Active Learning Childcare Ltd. reserves the right to terminate your child’s place at the nursery in the event that any fees remain unpaid, where any of the terms and conditions are breached or termination of a place is considered to be in the best interests of the nursery. Late payment charges will be applied to any overdue accounts.

Babysitting Babysitting may occasionally be arranged directly between parents and nursery staff. This may only be organised outside of nursery operating hours, or in the Christmas week that the nursery is closed (see below). Active Learning does not provide this as a service, and can assume no responsibility for staff or children in such circumstances.

Employment of nursery staff by parents We have chosen our staff carefully, based on their training, skills, experience, enthusiasm and abilities. We expect that you will be impressed by their capabilities. Parents may not employ our staff for any purpose on a part- or full-time basis during the hours of 7:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday through Friday, without the payment of a recruitment fee based on 17.5% of their salary at Active Learning Childcare Ltd. On leaving Active Learning Childcare Ltd., staff may not work for any Active Learning Childcare Ltd. parents (current or former) for a period of 6 months after their departure, unless specifically agreed between Active Learning Childcare Ltd. and the parents directly in writing. In the case of permission being given the parents will pay the same recruitment fee indicated above.

Notice of changes in your child's attendance Notice that your child is leaving the nursery or decreasing days, including for the purpose of holidays, must be given in writing at least one calendar month before the intended date of departure/ reduction. The school will acknowledge letters of notice in writing to confirm they have been received.

Review of terms and conditions We reserve the right to alter our terms and conditions at any time. In this instance, you would receive written notification regarding new terms and conditions.