Beechtree - Kindergarten

About the Kindergarten
Children are admitted at 3 or “rising 3” (e.g. the term they turn 3) and may stay in the Kindergarten until Class 1 entrance (6½ -7) or until primary school age. In our Kindergarten the children grow in a secure caring homely environment, surrounded by quality natural toys and materials which allows the children to develop physical and social skills and creative impulses, together with imagination and fantasy which all help to form a foundation for a healthy adult life. Please see “The Rhythm of the Day" link for more information about a Kindergarten session. We are fully registered with Ofsted and are registered as a New Initiative with the Steiner Waldorf Early Years Fellowship.

Kindergarten Admissions:
We receive Kindergarten Applications a year in advance of your child starting Kindergarten. At the start of the term prior to your child starting, we will send a Reservation form to ask for a deposit to secure your child’s place. We require a minimum of 2 morning sessions of attendance for each child. Admission to the Kindergarten is by Application form and visit to the Kindergarten with parent/ carer and child a term before the child is due to start. This enables the parent and teacher to assess whether the child is ready to attend Kindergarten. A discussion will take place at this occasion/ at a date as soon after as possible, to determine this decision. Children are admitted into the Kindergarten in the term in which they turn 3, if both the parents and teachers are satisfied that the child is ready. Readiness for Kindergarten includes showing increasing independence e.g. in potty training, in dressing themselves, in eating and at play. It also includes the beginnings of the ability to socialize with other children, as well as an increasing level of concentration i.e. for stories and songs. It is requested that children are potty-trained when they start at Kindergarten. These procedures will be used alongside our Special Educational Needs (SEN) policy, which recognizes all children are special and have individual needs. o Please call the Beechtree line (0113 226 5689) to arrange a visit to the Kindergarten. We will also arrange a Home Visit, where we would like to find out about your child and their development. We will tell you more about Beechtree, and you can ask us any questions you may have about the provision and Steiner education. To download the application form click here

Further requirements:
A parent or carer must attend a Management Committee (MC) Meeting before their child can be assigned a place. A Parent MC Representative will contact applicants regarding MC attendance.

Kindergarten Fees:
All 3 and 4 years olds are eligible for Nursery Education Grant (NEG) which can be offset against Kindergarten fees. Beechtree will claim this grant on your behalf and deduct it from your fees at the beginning of each term. Current Kindergarten fees are £14.25 per morning session and £9 for Afternoon Care. With recent changes to the NEG the first 3 sessions a child attends at Beechtree will now be completely funded by the grant (i.e. free!). For further info on the NEG and fees, please contact us.

Working parents can also receive Working Tax Credit to help towards the costs of the Kindergarten. Parents apply for this themselves.

Once we have received your Kindergarten Reservation form, the Finance Team will contact you regarding fees.

Fees for the Kindergarten are set at the beginning of each term. Fees are to be paid in full at the start of the term, or by monthly standing order into the Beechtree account. Fees are based on the agreed number of days attended and are payable even if the child does not attend (e.g. because of illness or holiday taken during term time). We require one half-term’s notice in writing to terminate a child’s place or to change days, otherwise the fees will be charged for that half of term.

Visitors:
Parents, teachers and other interested people are welcome to visit our Kindergarten by appointment. If you would like to bring your child to experience a morning with us, we would be happy to welcome you. Please contact the Kindergarten 0113 226 5689 to arrange this.

Beechtree Parents:
We feel it is essential for the teachers and parents to work together in order to provide the best care for their children. It is vital for us all to make links, so we can have a greater understanding and whole picture of each child and build a healthy school community together. Parents are encouraged to take part and are welcome. We include parents in our celebrations of festivals, birthdays and other occasions. We may ask them to come in to the group to tell a story about themselves or perhaps share a skill with the children. They are also involved with and contribute to the general maintenance of the Kindergarten, such as washing up or tidying away after a session. Parents and friends of Beechtree also form the Management Committee of ‘Beechtree Steiner Initiative’, to contribute to the present running and future vision of Beechtree. Management Committee meetings take place monthly, and deal with Administration, Publicity, Fundraising, Finances and Business planning. These are essential for keeping Beechtree alive and well! Please see minutes of meetings and other notices on the Beechtree Noticeboard at Stainbeck Hall to see how you can help out.