We are currently taking registrations for children from age 6 months to 4 years old. At My Little Explorers, we encourage the mixing of age groups so that our younger children (2-3 year olds - we call them our Buzzy Bees!) have the same experiences as our Pre-Schoolers (3-4 year olds). This helps to build confidence and social skills.

We encourage parents to register their interest to be added to our waiting list as early as possible and we will notify them once a space becomes available. We can't give estimates on when spaces become available as there are many different factors determining how places are allocated. Once a registration of interest form has been completed we will send our information pack with more details regarding our Admissions Policy.

Funding Structure and Options

Government Funding Overview

We offer government-funded places for children aged 9 months up to school-aged children:

• We only offer stretched funding, which means that the total funded hours are distributed over 51 weeks rather than being limited to term-time only. This allows parents to access their entitlement consistently throughout the year.

• Universal funding for 3-5-year-olds and Disadvantaged funding for 2-year-olds provides up to 570 hours per year, which equates to 11.17 hours per week when stretched over 51 weeks.

• Working Families funding for eligible children from 9 months up to 5-year-olds provides up to 1,140 hours per year, which equates to approximately 22.35 hours per week when stretched over 51 weeks.

• Parents must provide an eligibility code to access funding beyond the universal offer and the Working Families funding. This must be reconfirmed using the gov.uk website every 3 months to continue accessing the expanded funded hours. Failure to reconfirm could result in your eligibility code expiring and prevent the nursery from claiming any funding for that term. If no funding can be claimed due to an expired eligibility code, the nursery charge will be as per our price list for private fees.

How Funding Works

Government funding is applied flexibly within your child's attendance hours, making it simple and convenient for families.

Example: Forest Adventurer (2-year-old) attending 3 days 8.30am-5.30pm (27 hours/week) with 22.35 funded hours:

• Funding applied: 22.35 hours across the 27 hours attended

• Private hours: 27 - 22.35 = 4.65 hours

• Weekly cost: 4.65 × £8.38 (session rate) = £38.97

• Monthly cost: £38.97 × 4.33 = £168.74

Funding can be used flexibly across any combination of sessions - there are no artificial restrictions on when funding can be applied during your child's attendance.

Split funding: Due to our small setting size, we may not be able to accommodate the full funded entitlement. We will work with families to use as many funded hours as possible and support split funding arrangements with other providers for the remaining hours. Please ensure you have confirmation from both settings that they each accept split funding before accepting the offered space.

Note: The total funding amount in a term is limited by the annual amount per child and may reduce the hours

available per week, depending on when joining in the term/year.

2-Year-Old Disadvantaged Funding

• Places are available for eligible families based on Department for Education (DfE) criteria.

• An eligibility reference number must be provided before a funded place is confirmed.

• Fully funded places are provided until the term after the child turns 3, subject to availability.

Absence procedure

• Funding will be claimed in the manner as specified by the local authority Provider Agreement.

• We reserve the right to charge for regular unattended booked funded hours, which require funding to be returned to the local authority.

• Any absence from the setting needs to have a recorded reason for absence. You will receive a call or message through the Parent Admin app if your child does not attend their booked session or does not arrive for their booked start time, without prior notice.

Sessions and Booking Structure

Available Sessions

Morning Session 9am-1pm Includes snack and lunch

Afternoon Session 1pm-5pm Includes snack and tea 

Afternoon Session 1pm-6pm Includes snack and tea 

Day Session 9am-5pm Includes snacks and lunch and tea

Long Day Session 8.30am-5.30pm Includes snacks, lunch and tea 

Full Day Session 8am-6pm Includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and tea

Early Start 7.45am Subject to availability, please speak to the office manager for availability

Bespoke Hours available upon request. Please note that these hours are charged at a higher hourly rate. Please speak to the office manager to discuss your options when offered a place.

Minimum Attendance Policy

To support children's development, we have a minimum attendance requirement of 2 full days or 3 half-day sessions per week policy for bookings, subject to availability. Where capacity constraints exist, we will work with families to find the best available options that meet both the child's developmental needs and our operational requirements.

Optional Forest School Enhancement Services

Early Years Funding is provided to cover the cost of delivering childcare only. It does not include meals, snacks, consumables, additional services, or any extra hours outside of the funded entitlement. Due to the unique nature of the My Little Explorers offering we charge an voluntary Forest School Enhancement Programme Fee to cover many things that the government funding doesn't fund, such as our 1 to 3, 1 to 4 and 1 to 8 staffing rations, specialised equipment e.g. outside toilets, tents, tools, bespoke staff training including forest school training, delicioous food offerings with child friendly and healthy nutritious meals, as well as other standard consumables which include nappies, wipes, sun cream etc.

We recognise that these charges may be difficult for some families. In certain cases, we may reduce or waive the fee, allow families to provide their own consumables, or offer support with other costs. These decisions are made at the discretion of the nursery, considering individual circumstances.

Those in receipt of the following will not be charged for the Optional Enhancement Services:

• Disadvantaged 2-year-old funded places

• Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

• Receipt of means-tested benefits

We are committed to inclusion and will not exclude any child from taking part in activities or experiences due to financial hardship.

At My Little Explorers we believe in the importance of good food and a balanced diet. All snacks and meals are prepared on-site with organic fruit and vegetables (where possible). All other ingredients will be locally sourced.

Snacks are served during our morning and afternoon sessions. We offer children a selection of fruit or savoury snack. During our woodland sessions the children are able to cook on the campfire and enjoy eating outdoors.

On registering for the nursery you will be asked to fill in comprehensive forms which include a section for specific dietary requirements. This information will in turn be handed to catering staff and if necessary they will contact you directly or alternatively you can contact them. We endeavour to meet the needs of all children whether they have any food allergies or intolerances. We also cater for religious and cultural choices.

Forest School principles lie at the heart of what we do at My Little Explorers.

The principles of Forest School are:

1. Using nature to provide a real context for learning

2. Using children’s preferred learning styles; being active, learning through practical outdoor experiences and employing all their senses

3. Using nature’s resources to facilitate learning

As well as having fun children develop their communication skills and learn to identify, interpret and manage risk. They will naturally become more inquisitive and learn new levels of perseverance whilst developing physically, socially and emotionally. All sessions are delivered by a qualified Forest School practitioner and are fully risk assessed.

Parents can apply for a place on our waiting list by completing our online registration of interest form, which can be found on our website: https://mylittleexplorers.co.uk/registration-form-nursery.

Completing the online form does NOT automatically guarantee a place at our nursery. Places are subject to availability.

The following applies only after written confirmation by the nursery once a place has been allocated to your child:

• If a child is offered a place via our waiting list, parents must confirm acceptance by the date stipulated by us. Otherwise, we reserve the right to offer the place to the next eligible family.

• Full payment of the registration fee of £175 must be received by us within one week of accepting the place, otherwise the place is not secured, and the offer may be withdrawn. The registration fee consists of a non-refundable administration fee of £75 and a refundable deposit of £100.

• Along with the administration and/or deposit payment, a signed copy of our Terms and Conditions must be returned to the nursery by the date stipulated by us in our confirmation email to you.

• Deposits are credited to your invoice the month following acceptance of the funding claim by the local authority or to the final invoice if a written notice has been provided, whichever comes first.

• Due to high demand for places, parents wishing their child to attend our setting must first join a waiting list. Available places will be allocated as they become available in the following order: 1. By start date first 2. By the age of the child that we have corresponding place for 3. By days requested 4. By order of the date that the waiting list was joined.

• The nursery office manager will check availability, confirm a start date, and book the settling-in sessions with you.

• All operating hours outside of our funded sessions are considered additional services; these are not covered by government funding and are subject to an additional charge.

• The Nursery will publish its fees, which are accessible on enquiry and on enrolment. If you would like a copy, please speak to the nursery office manager.

Please note: There are lots of different factors which can affect the admissions timeline. Therefor we can't predict or give you an estimate if or when a place will be offered to you. Furthermore, our enrolled children and siblings of our enrolled children always take priority over all external waiting lists.

Updated: October 2025