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The College has its own onsite nursery in the Arts Centre building. This purpose-built facility opened in September 2019 and is Ofsted registered for babies and children aged 4 months to 4 years. Please see our Ofsted report from September 2022: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2542001.
Places at the Arts centre nursery are for students and staff of the College. Students places are paid for through their childcare funding, which is part of their student finance support package. Staff pay nursery fees directly to our finance department.
The nursery provides a cosy, nurturing environment where children are cared for by qualified, knowledgeable staff in well-equipped learning areas. The nursery has a large, partially covered outdoor play area accessible directly from the childcare rooms.
Each member of the nursery team holds as minimum a Level 3 qualification in Childcare and Education. Some have a Level 4 qualification, and others are qualified to degree level. Staff are skilled in establishing secure and warm relationships with the children in their care and their parents. This helps the children to settle and enables them to learn and develop whilst enjoying their time at nursery.
If you’re a student aged 20 years or under at the start of your course, you are entitled to ‘Care to Learn Funding’ via Student Finance England https://www.gov.uk/care-to-learn/eligibility.
To be eligible for funding, you need to be enrolled on a college course and be the main carer for your child. As part of the application process, you will be required to show your child’s full birth certificate or Child Benefit letter to the Childcare Manager, who can then complete the Learning Provider section on the funding application.
If you are studying on a HE course, you may be able to apply for a Government loan to help pay for tuition and living costs. You can also apply for a Childcare Grant to help towards your childcare costs. The grant is on top of your other student finance and does not have to be paid back.
To apply or for further details about eligibility, visit: https://www.gov.uk/childcare-grant
Once enrolled on your course at the College, you’ll be directed to our online portal: PayMyStudent, where you can apply for all financial support, including childcare (NOTE: to be eligible for any financial support, your household income must be less than £25,000).
You will need to upload evidence of your identity, bank account, household income as well as your child’s birth certificate, which will be used to assess and establish your eligibility.
Should you need to apply for an Advanced Learning Loan to cover course fees, please be aware that childcare costs cannot be paid until your Loan is approved. If for any reason your loan is not approved, you will be responsible for any childcare costs.
You can apply for a place at the Arts Centre Nursery or if you prefer, find a setting of your choice for your child. Childcare funding can only be used in Ofsted registered settings (i.e. childminders, nurseries, out of school clubs) that are rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’.
Should you have any queries, please email childcare@liv-coll.ac.uk
