Nursery Admissions

Welcome to Gorsemoor Primary school. Thank you for taking an interest in a place at our school nursery. We hope that you have been able to find all of the information about our nursery useful.  You can register your child for a place by completing the application form and returning it to the school office as soon as possible. 

We do offer places for children who are eligible for the additional funding, meaning that they are entitled to 30 hours of nursery provision rather than the universal 15 hours. Therefore, one child may use a morning and afternoon place.

We do hope you choose our Nursery for your child. If you require any further information, do not hesitate to get in touch with our Nursery Manager, Mrs Campbell - ccampbell@gorsemoor.staffs.sch.uk.

Nursery Admissions at Gorsemoor Primary School

At Gorsemoor Primary School, we are committed to providing a nurturing and stimulating early years environment where children can develop their confidence, curiosity, and love for learning.

Admissions Process

Nursery admissions are now managed directly by Gorsemoor Primary School, rather than Staffordshire County Council. Places are allocated by the Nursery Manager in accordance with our Admissions Policy. Our admissions process is open all year round, with places available for a September or January start.

Funded Hours & Session Structure

We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environment where every child can thrive. To support their development and ensure a consistent routine, the first 15 funded hours are allocated evenly across the week. Children are required to attend either:

• Five morning sessions (8:45 am – 11:45 am)
• Five afternoon sessions (12:25 pm – 3:25 pm)

This structure helps children build strong relationships, develop a sense of security, and fully engage in the planned learning opportunities each day.

Children eligible for the 30-hour funded provision will attend both morning and afternoon sessions.

• 30 hours funded sessions (8:45–3:25pm, Monday - Friday)

A lunch club is available for all children at an additional cost. Please refer to our Lunch Club Policy for further details.

Changes to Funding

Recent updates to Early Years funding guidance place a strong emphasis on ensuring that funded childcare is offered to parents without any mandatory charges. In response, we are making adjustments to how we provide our 30 hours of funded provision.

Our priority is to ensure that all families can access their funded entitlement in a way that best meets their needs, while continuing to deliver the high-quality early years education we are known for.

To support parents, we now offer two session types:

 

• Option 1: 8:45am – 3:25pm (this includes a small lunch club charge) This option exceeds the 30 funded hours, offering a full day of provision. A small lunch club charge will apply to cover the additional 45 minutes of care each day, which supports staffing and operational costs during this extended time. This will be invoiced termly and payments can be made through ParentPay or Tax Free Childcare accounts. A school-hours session, which includes a lunchtime period and therefore carries a lunch charge.

 

• Option 2: 8:45am – 2:45pm (fully funded) This session is entirely covered by the 30-hour funding, with no additional weekly charges to parents. (Please note: children attending this session will miss part of our afternoon curriculum, including enrichment activities that support wider learning, and our daily reading for pleasure sessions, which are valuable for building a lifelong love of reading.)
   

We are committed to transparency and fairness, and we hope that offering both options gives families the flexibility to choose what works best for them.

On admission to nursery, parents are provided with a link to an online form where they can select their preferred option.

Please note that half a term’s notice is required for any changes to session choices. This is necessary to meet invoicing requirements and local authority funding deadlines.

Why We Do Not Offer ‘Block’ Sessions

At Gorsemoor, we believe that a consistent routine is essential for children’s development and wellbeing. Some nurseries allow parents to use 15 funded hours in larger, concentrated periods—known as ‘block’ sessions (e.g., two and a half full days). However, research and experience show that this can disrupt children's learning, routines, and social development.

To ensure children receive the best possible learning opportunities, we distribute funded hours evenly across the week, helping them:

• Build secure relationships with staff and peers
• Settle into a consistent routine
• Experience a broad and balanced curriculum

For more details about our admissions process, please refer to our Nursery Admissions Policy.

We look forward to welcoming your child to Gorsemoor Nursery, where their learning journey begins!

Nursery Admissions 3-4 year olds

Applications for 2026 admissions are now open! You can now apply for your child's place online!  Just complete the Google form, by following the link.

For September 2026 applications: September 2026 application online form

For January 2027 applications: January 2027 application online form

For September 2027 applications: September 2027 application online form

Leaflings Nursery Admissions - 2 year old provision

Applications for 2026 admissions are now open! You can now apply for your child's place online!  Just complete the Google form, by following the link.

For September 2026 applications: September 2026 application online form

For January 2027 applications: January 2027 application online form

For September 2027 applications: September 2027 application online form