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Purpose

At The Nestlings Kindergarten, places are offered based on availability within each age group and staffing ratios. When a family accepts a place, we reserve that place specifically for their child and may decline other families on our waiting list.

For this reason, requests to defer a start date can have a significant financial impact on the setting. This policy explains how requests to defer a place will be managed.

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Definition of a Deferred Place

A deferment is when a parent or carer wishes their child to begin attending later than the agreed start term for which their place was accepted and the placement fee paid.

For example, if a child accepts a place for the Autumn Term but later wishes to start in the Spring or Summer Term, this is considered a deferment.

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Our Approach

Once a place has been accepted, staffing, budgets and admissions are planned on the expectation that the child will start in the agreed term.

If a family subsequently requests to defer their child's place, The Nestlings Kindergarten cannot guarantee that the original place will remain available.

Instead:

• The child's original place may be offered to the next family on our waiting list.

• We will add the child back onto our admissions list and make every reasonable effort to offer another place as close as possible to the requested start date.

• Any future place offered will be entirely dependent on availability and cannot be guaranteed.

 

Administration Fee

A £50 administration fee will be charged for all approved deferment requests.

This fee contributes towards the additional administration involved in amending admissions records, waiting lists, staffing plans and funding arrangements.

The administration fee is non-refundable and is payable to:

Clophill Preschool Ltd

20-05-74

83334716

 

Agreed Start Dates

When a start date is offered and accepted, parents are expected to ensure their child begins attending on that date.

If a family is unable to make the agreed start date, we will normally offer flexibility of up to two weeks from the original agreed start date, where operationally possible.

Requests to delay a start date by more than two weeks will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and entirely at the discretion of the management team.

Where a later start date is agreed beyond the initial two-week period, The Nestlings Kindergarten reserves the right to charge fees from the original agreed start date in order to retain the child's place.

 

Exceptional Circumstances

We understand that unexpected events can occasionally arise.

Exceptional circumstances, such as serious illness, family emergencies or other significant unforeseen situations, will always be considered on an individual basis by the management team.

Any agreement to defer a place due to exceptional circumstances is entirely at the discretion of The Nestlings Kindergarten and does not set a precedent for future admissions.

 

Our Commitment

We appreciate that family circumstances can change, and we will always try to support parents wherever possible.

However, as a small independent kindergarten, we must also ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the setting. Places cannot be held indefinitely, and requests to defer a start date may result in the original place being offered to another child so that we can continue to operate effectively for all families.

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Updated July 2026