Nursery Admissions

Welcome to Harris Primary Academy Crystal Palace's Nursery!

The Nursery at Crystal Palace is an Early Years provision with warm and welcoming staff, that are a dedicated team of individuals working together to promote a wide and varied Early Years provision. Our highly qualified and experienced staff offer the children a learning through play based experience as required for the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.

Our Nursery class offers 52 places (26 each session). Children can start in Nursery the term after their third birthday, if places are available.

At present all three and four year olds are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare per week, up to 38 weeks per year. The government has also introduced an extended 15 hours of free childcare per week - 30 hours in total for 38 weeks per year, for those families that are eligible.

The hours for the Nursery are as follows:

15-hour government funding:

Morning session: 8.30am - 11.30am, or afternoon session: 12.30pm - 3.30pm.

30-hour government funding-including a FREE hot lunch:

Full Day: 8.30am – 2.30pm

Extended nursery day to 8:30am - 3:30pm- including a FREE hot lunch:

There is an option to extend the nursery day from 2:30pm-3:30pm, which is chargeable at £6.00 per pupil per day or £4.00 per day for children eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium funding.

To find out if you are eligible for funding you will need to apply via the link www.bromley.gov.uk/30hours. All full time places are subject to 5 days a week.

Eligibility for the additional free entitlement will include households where:

All parents (whether two-parent families or lone parents) 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 away on leave (parental, maternal etc.)
One/both parent/s is on Statutory Sick Pay
Parents on zero-hours contracts will be eligible, as are those who are registered as self-employed
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
There is an income cap. If one parent's income exceeds £100K the household will not be eligible

Please note - for those parents not entitled to the 30 hours funded childcare (extended 15 hours free child care), we can offer a paid full time place, at a cost of £100 per week, payable in advance. All full time places are subject to 5 days per week, 38 weeks per year.

For more information, please visit: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Nursery Admissions: How to Apply

We are delighted that you are considering a place at our Nursery. Please read the following information carefully to ensure your application is submitted correctly and on time.

1. Complete the Nursery Application Form
To apply, at least one parent must complete the Nursery Application Form. This form is available:

Online via the Academy’s website
In hard copy from the Academy’s main office

Please note: There is no preference given to online or paper submissions. All applications are treated equally.

2. Check the Application Opening Date
It is essential that you submit your application form from the correct date and time. Please note, your child becomes eligible for a nursery space, the term following your child’s third birthday. Please refer to the table in Section 6.2 of our Nursery Entry Policy/or below to determine when you can apply.

Please note: Applications submitted before the opening date will not be accepted.

3. Submit Your Application
Once completed, you can submit the form (from 10am on the respective day):

By email to: admissions@harrisprimarycrystalpalace.org.uk
By hand to the Academy’s main office

4. 30 Hours Funding
If you are applying for a full-time place using the government’s 30 hours funding, please include your funding code on the application form.

5. Notification of Outcome
You will receive a written response within 10 school days of submitting your application.

6. Applying Between Terms

If your child is eligible and you are applying between official application periods, please feel free to contact the Academy directly.
There may be places available, and we will be happy to advise you on current availability and next steps.

Children who will turn 3 years old on or between:	Application submission from:	Date child will start at the Nursery (if offered a place)
1 April and 31 August	10am 20^th April 2026	First day of Autumn term in September
1 September and 31 December	10am 6^th October 2025	First day of Spring term in January
1 January and 31 March	10am 2^nd February 2026	First day of Summer term in April (depending when Easter falls)

If you have any questions, please contact the academy office – we are happy to help.

We can assist you with the eligibility criteria for the universal 15 hours free child care and extended 15 hours free child care (30 hours).

Nursery Criteria:

Children looked after, or who have an allocated social worker who has provided written support of the application
Children who are recommend for a place at that school by the Disability or Locality TAC (Team around the Child)
Children with professionally supported educational, medical or social needs. When deciding whether a child has an educational, medical or social need, the Principal will consider the child’s needs or circumstances, and supporting evidence from other professionals
Children with a brother or sister currently attending our school, and who will still be at school when the child is admitted
Children who live nearest to the school on the basis of distance between the child’s home and the school, measured by a straight line