There is a minimum booking commitment for all children:
- Full-time places: 3 full days per week
- Term-time places: 4 full days per week
All bookings must be for the same sessions each week.
Due to staffing requirements, we ask for as much notice as possible:
- Term-time places: One term’s notice
- Full-time places: Two months’ notice
Our fees include:
- All meals, including a cooked lunch and morning and afternoon snacks
- Nappies, wipes and creams (where relevant)
Yes. However, the full day rate or afternoon rate still applies, even if your child is collected earlier.
- Term-time places: Invoiced termly
- All-year-round places: Invoiced monthly
Yes. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds for sickness or holidays.
Yes, if we have availability during the holidays. Please speak to our Nursery Managers. Holiday places are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and the standard day fee will be charged for any sessions booked.
- Term-time places: One term’s notice
- Full-time places: Two months’ notice
Please arrange a visit to meet the team and look around the nursery. We will confirm availability for your child. If a place is available, you will receive an offer letter and admission forms.
To secure the place, we ask for:
- A £50 registration fee
- A £300 deposit, which is fully refundable (less any unpaid charges) when your child leaves Clayesmore Nursery
Yes. Nursery fees are reviewed regularly. Any changes will be communicated with a full term’s notice before implementation.
Yes. Clayesmore Nursery participates in the government Early Years Education Funding (EYEF) scheme. Further information is available on the Dorset Council website:
Once a place has been confirmed, your child’s key worker will contact you to arrange a settling-in session. These sessions usually take place around two weeks before your chosen start date, with the first session lasting approximately 30 minutes and parents remaining present.
Depending on how this session goes, a second session may be arranged; we usually recommend that parents step out during this time.
Settling-in sessions are informal, flexible, and tailored to each child’s individual needs. We would never rush or enforce a start date, and will only proceed once everyone feels confident that your child is happy, settled, and ready.
Unlike many nurseries, all meals are freshly prepared by the dedicated catering team at Clayesmore School. The team is experienced in tailoring food to suit the needs of different age groups and can accommodate all dietary requirements.
Our nursery staff monitor children closely throughout the day and will often check a child’s temperature as part of this care. If a child has a raised temperature or is experiencing discomfort due to teething, parents will be contacted and paracetamol can be administered with prior parental consent.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to toilet training, so open communication between families and our team is essential. Please let us know when you feel your child is ready, and we will work closely with you, offering support and guidance throughout the process.
We share feedback in a variety of ways. When you collect your child, you will receive daily updates about their sleep, meals, and any exciting developmental progress. Additional information may be shared via email and through our Famly app, where we also upload photos, developmental milestones, and curriculum information.
Some extra curricular activities are included within the Nursery fee structure and are delivered by our Clayesmore specialists. Some activities, such as rugby tots, are offered as extracurricular options and incur an additional termly charge. Parents are always informed in advance of any activities that carry an extra cost and can opt out of these.