Admissions
Nursery
The nursery is an integral part of Ridgeway and provides high quality nursery education for 3-4 years olds. If your child was born between 1st September 2020 and 31st August 2021, he/she may start nursery in the Autumn of 2024.
Nursery Offers
All children are entitled to 15 hours of funded nursery provision per week. Some families are entitled to an additional 15 hours funded provision (i.e. a total of 30 hours funded provision), if they meet specific criteria. See below for details.
Places will be allocated as per our admissions criteria (see below). The number of places allocated to each offer will depend on the demand for places.
Our nursery has three offers for parents to choose:
OFFER 1
30 hours fully funded nursery provision Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 3.00 pm
This will be for children whose parents meet the criteria below.
Eligibility for the additional funded entitlement will include households where:
- All parents (whether two-parent family or lone parent) are working and earning the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage (includes income received from tax credits or Universal Credit)
and/or:
- One/ both parent/s is on Statutory sick pay
- There is an income cap. If one parent’s income exceeds £100k the household will not be eligible
Please note:
- Parents on zero-hours contracts will be eligible, as are those who are registered as self-employed.
- Families are eligible if one parent is employed and the other parent has either: substantial caring responsibilities/ and or disability; is a foster carer with their own three- and four-year-old children.
- Parents who are in training will not be eligible as they can receive other Government support.
Please note this is not a one-time offer and if your circumstances change it will mean the withdrawal of funding but has a cooling off period of six weeks.
Places for eligible families will still be decided by our admissions criteria (see below).
Children would be expected to attend nursery for the full 30 hours every week and parents will need to provide a packed lunch on a daily basis.
OFFER 2
- 15 hours funded nursery provision taken as 5 mornings 9.00 am to 12.00pm
Or
- 15 hours funded nursery provision taken as 5 afternoons 12.00 pm to 3.00 pm
Children would be expected to attend nursery every morning or every afternoon.
OFFER 3
If your child is offered a morning place and you are not entitled to 30 hours, or do not wish to take up your entitlement to the additional funded hours, you can extend into the afternoon at a cost of £18.00 (subject to change) for a minimum of 2 afternoons per week, subject to availability and terms and conditions.
Times of sessions:
30 hours fully funded nursery provision Monday to Friday 9.00am – 3.00pm
Morning session: 9:00am – 12:00 noon
Afternoon sessions: 12:00 noon – 3:00pm
Additional nursery sessions: 12:00 noon – 3:00pm
Nursery Admissions Criteria
Nursery admissions are completed by the school using the Local Authority admissions criteria, which are prioritised thus:
1. Looked after children and previously looked-after children
2. Sibling priority
3. Medical
4. Distance
If you would like to apply for a place at our nursery, please follow the link below to complete a nursery application form.
Why Choose Ridgeway Nursery
Applying for Nursery 2024 for children born between September 2020 and August 2021 - CURRENT NURSERY YEAR 2024
Deadline for applying for Nursery 2025 is 15th January 2025
Reception
In Croydon schools, children are able to start primary school during the Autumn term of the school year in which they reach 5 years of age. This means that if your child was born between 1st September 2019 and 31st August 2020, he/she may start in Reception in the Autumn of 2024.
Administration for all reception admissions is done through Pan London via Croydon Council and the school is unable to help with this process. For the latest information, please contact Croydon Council’s primary admissions department or click here to access Croydon Council’s primary school admission information and guidance.
Tours of our school for prospective nursery and reception parents are run throughout the autumn term of the school year before the September the children are due to start. This enables time for parents to visit the school before the cut-off date for nursery and reception applications (which is in mid-January of the year children are due to start school or nursery).
In-year admissions
In-year admissions are applied for through Croydon Council. Please click here to access Croydon Council’s information about in-year admissions.
Secondary School Admissions
The Transfer procedure to Secondary Schools starts early in the September preceding the transfer. Secondary Schools will start to offer visits in the early part of the Autumn term so parents can make a decision before the deadline (which is the end of October, the year before children are due to start). All Secondary School admissions administration is done through Pan London via Croydon Council and the school is unable to help with this process. Please click here to access Croydon Council’s information about secondary school admissions.