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Starting nursery: drop-off, pick-up and fees

Talk to nursery staff about settling in, illness, pick-ups and fees.

Hi, is there a waiting list for the baby room?

Computer voice · not a real clip

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About 4 min Free, no account

All 15 phrases

Getting a place3

  1. Is there a waiting list?Popular nurseries fill up months ahead, and many parents sign up while still pregnant.
  2. Can we book in some settling-in sessions?Short visits before the real start date so your child gets used to the place.
  3. Who's her key person?The member of staff in charge of your child's care and progress.

Drop-off and pick-up3

  1. Her grandma's picking her up today. Is that all right?Tell the nursery in advance.
  2. How's she been today?The default pick-up question.
  3. There's an accident form for you to signA minor bump, scrape or bite was written down.

Health and care5

  1. He's still in nappiesNot toilet-trained yet.
  2. We're potty training, so I've packed loads of spare clothesStandard heads-up.
  3. She's been a bit under the weatherMildly ill: a cold, tired, not herself.
  4. She's had a tummy bug. When can she come backNurseries usually want 48 hours clear after the last bout of vomiting or diarrhoea.
  5. Does she need her dummy to settle?Staff will ask what helps your child sleep or calm down: dummy, comforter, teddy.

Fees and funding4

  1. Do you take the 30 funded hours?Asks if the nursery accepts government-funded hours.
  2. Is there a charge for meals and consumables on top?Funded places often add fees for food, nappies, suncream or trips.
  3. Can I pay through Tax-Free Childcare?A government account that tops up what you pay.
  4. What's the late pick-up fee?Many nurseries charge per minute or in blocks if you're late.
Check yourself15 questions

Question 1 of 15

Why ask about a waiting list early?

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Moments
0 of 15 phrases have a clip
Sources
Picked by Talk, CC BY-SA 4.0
Phrases
Picked by Talk.
How Talk picked them
Part of Talk's themed British life packs. Talk wrote each phrase with what it really means, when to say it, what not to say instead and one quiz question. A phrase gets a moment only if Talk's spoken videos say it with the same meaning. One review picked each moment, and a second tried to reject it. This pack holds 15 phrases.
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Talk shares this list under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Meanings and examples
Written by Talk in plain English.
Dictionary details
From Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Princeton WordNet, used under the WordNet licence. WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
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