How we operate

The Orchard Nursery is open for 38 weeks of the year in the nursery rooms and up to 50 weeks of the year using additional childcare facilities in The Hub. This offers parents the ability to use their 15 - 30 funded hours in the nursery over 38 weeks or stretched for up to 50 weeks per year; this means fewer hours per week over a greater number of weeks, up to 1140 hours per year. 

Age of admittance

The Orchard Nursery is open to children from the age of 3 years, with up to 15 or 30 funded hours available per week from the term after their third birthday.

Additional 3-hour sessions can also be paid* for in addition to funded ones and are equivalent to a rate of £5.75 per hour (from September 2025 and is subject to change following an annual review).  Additional paid* 3-hour sessions may be added according to availability.

* A 3-hour session costs £17.25.

We can also accept applications from families that are in receipt of 2-year-old funding, so their child can start nursery once they turn three with funded sessions. 

For families not in receipt of 2-year-old funding, we can also accept applications for a child as soon as they turn three (depending on availability of places), but these sessions will be charged until the term after their 3^rd birthday when funding will commence. 

Chargeable extras

The Orchard Nursery does not have any chargeable extras.  School meals can be purchased separately if required.

Sessions, timings & wraparound provision

The Nursery has 39 spaces per session.  Sessions run from 09:00 – 12:00 and 12:00 – 15:00 with lunch care provided.  A school meal incurs an additional charge. 

In addition, families have the option to either pay for Breakfast Hub or include it in their hours from 08:00 – 09:00 (07:30 – 08:00 incurs a charge of £1 and may not be included in funded hours) and also the After-School Hub, open between 15:00 - 18:00.  This may be used as funded hours or paid for as extra.  This allows families to access complete wrap-around care from 7:30am - 6:00pm if needed.  We also provide a Holiday Club during school holidays at an additional cost or may be used as part of funded hours.

Families are able to request a mixture of full and half-day nursery sessions, depending on their individual requirements.  In our experience, only attending one or two sessions a week can reduce the effectiveness of the learning and play experiences for children.  We therefore strongly recommend that children take the full funded entitlement, or more, in our setting; however, we understand that this may not always be possible. 

We are only able to offer a regular session pattern and are unable to make session changes week on week.  In some cases, subject to availability, we are able to offer more sessions if families need to make a permanent change.

Places in The Hub may be taken as part of the funded hours as we run an Early Years Foundation Curriculum for nursery age children in all provisions. Places at The Hub are subject to availability and must be booked in advance.

For Nursery admissions, please contact:

Mrs Chantal Bailey on 01803 613556 or shiphayadmin@rivieraet.co.uk