Early Education and Nursery Registration in Hereford
At Merry Go Round, our children's nursery in Green Croft and Riverside, Hereford, offers the Reggio Approach and Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for holistic child development. Register your child today to secure their admission.
Call us now to secure your child's bright future!
Ofsted Inspected
Over 20 Years of Experience
Reggio Learning Approach
How To Register for Nursery Admission
To register for nursery admission in Hereford at Merry Go Round, you can call us to arrange a visit for you and your child.
When visiting you can pick up paper copies of our Registration Forms at the nursery or download our forms below. Please complete the forms in full and return them with your child's birth certificate and 'red book' (photocopies will be made for our file) to be added to our waiting list.
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Please note: completion of forms does not guarantee a nursery space.
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We contact parents/ carers on our waiting list as available sessions arise. Parents/ carers can pre-book their desired sessions, up to 3 months in advance of requirement. Our retainer fee is currently set at 10% of the full fees for the sessions booked. The retainer fee will ensure you access the desired sessions, and is non-refundable.
Download Our Registration Forms
To register for nursery admission at Merry Go Round, call us to arrange a visit for you and your child. You can then either collect paper forms, or complete the forms below in full and return them with your child's birth certificate and 'red book' to the nursery. These documents are essential for securing your child's place and must be submitted before their settling sessions.
Parent Information
Within our registration pack is essential information about our nurseries, Green Croft and Riverside, Hereford, and should be retained by the parent or carer for future reference. Please review them carefully before submission.
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Please download the registration pack.
Choosing the right nursery for your child
At Merry Go Round Day Nursery, we understand that every family’s childcare needs are different, and we aim to exceed your expectations. We know that choosing a nursery for your child can be daunting, and finding the right information to get started can be challenging.
We suggest beginning your search by exploring a range of settings within a reasonable distance from your home.
Consider the following:
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Visiting nursery websites
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Searching for nurseries on platforms like Yell.com or Google
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Asking family, friends, and neighbours for recommendations
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Using the Herefordshire Council website
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Once you’ve identified nurseries of interest, give them a call or send an email with your enquiry. Most settings will ask a few questions about your child, such as their name, age, and your nursery requirements. It’s beneficial to visit a variety of settings to ensure you choose the right one for your child.
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At Merry Go Round Day Nursery, we’ll arrange a visit for you and your child to explore our setting, see the activities we offer, and learn more about our unique learning approach. You’ll also receive a registration pack and additional information sheets to keep.
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Our supervisor will schedule settling sessions for your child to ensure they are happy and comfortable before starting full sessions. These settling sessions are tailored to each child, and the supervisor will advise when it’s a good time to transition to full sessions.
Once full sessions begin, fees will be charged based on the sessions booked, not attendance. Fees are payable in advance.
Early Education Funding (EEF)
If eligible, the free funding starts from the term after their qualifying age. Free funding is granted by Herefordshire Council, not by the nursery.
Basic Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
The EYFS Statutory Framework only requires the minimum provision for learning, development, and care. Merry go Round go above and beyond to enrich children’s early years experiences.
Additional Provisions (Consumables)
At Merry go Round, we go above and beyond the minimum requirements set by the EYFS to ensure that your child receives a rich, engaging, and nurturing Early Years experience. Parents/ Carers can opt in or out of the consumable charge. Please see information sheet provided in the registration pack.
Free, Funded childcare for 2, 3 and 4 year olds
All three and four-year-olds in England are entitled to free, funded childcare from the term after their third birthday. This is often taken as 15 hours per week (or 30 hours per week subject to eligibility) for 38 weeks of the year.
Some two year olds are also eligible through ‘Best Start’, see below for more details.
Free, Funded childcare for children aged from 9 months old of Working Parents
Eligible working parents of children over 9 months could have 15 hours of free, funded childcare a week over 38 weeks of the year (extending to 30 hours from September 2025). You must register and complete a successful application to receive an eligibility reference number. To complete an application, please visit https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Free, Funded childcare for two year olds of Non-Working Parents
Visit https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/family-support/early-education-funding-parents/3 to see if your two year old is eligible for free, funded childcare, and apply online.
You'll need information about you and your partner (if you have one), including:
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How much you spend on childcare
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Any benefits you or your child get
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Your income
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Check your eligibility for funded childcare for your two year old and apply online
15 hours a week (free, funded childcare)
Every child is entitled to receive 15 hours a week free, funded childcare for 38 weeks of the year. This funding starts from the term after their qualifying birthday and will remain in place until the start of their Reception Year at school.
30 hours a week (extended childcare)
Eligible working parents could have 30 hours of free, funded childcare a week over 38 weeks of the year, term time only.
The 30 hours extended free, funded childcare is available to eligible working parents of three and four year olds who already access, or will access, the existing universal 15 hours free childcare. From September 2025 this will be available to children aged from 9 months.
You must register and complete a successful application to receive an eligibility reference number. To complete an application, please visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-30-hours-free-childcare
Check your eligibility and sign up on the government childcare website for your reference number. Sign up should take about 20 minutes.
With both Working Parent funding and extended funding, when you have successfully completed the application you will receive a DfE Eligibility Reference Number (DERN). You should take this, along with a note of your National Insurance number and evidence of the date of birth of the child, to your chosen childcare provider as proof of your eligibility. Code eligibility will depend on the start date.
You will need to reconfirm through your government gateway every three months to ensure you continue to receive funding. Failure to reconfirm will result in your extended funded childcare stopping. You will, however, still be entitled to the 15 funded hours per week.
Please be aware that nursery do not control any element of application or granting of Early Education Funding.
When could my child be eligible from?
From the term after turning 9 months old and a parent has successfully applied and received a code, whichever is later. Funding can start:
From 1 April - for applications made between 1 January - 31 March
From 1 September - for applications made between 1 April - 31 August
From 1 January - for applications made between 1 September - 31 December
How you can use your funded childcare hours
Different providers give you different ways to use the free, funded hours you are entitled to.
Termly over 38 weeks. Any additional weeks/ holiday care requires prior booking and full private fees apply.
Funding only covers our three-hour main sessions, 8:30 to 11:30 and 12:30 to 3:30 up to your weekly allowance. All other sessions will be charged at our usual rates.
Can be shared between a maximum of two providers
When your child starts nursery, we will claim the funding for these hours and it is paid directly to us once your child is registered. You will be expected to complete a funding form and provide any documentation required.
All information is kept securely and only shared with Herefordshire Council EEF department.
Our Policies
Our policies and procedures are reviewed annually and updated whenever legislation changes. These documents provide all the information you need about how we operate at Merry Go Round. If you have any questions, our staff are here to help. We are governed by Ofsted, ensuring we continue to offer high-quality, outstanding service.
Child Safety and Wellbeing
Operational Procedures and Policies
Register Your Child for Day Nursery in Hereford
We are a trusted children's day nursery in Green Croft and Riverside, Hereford. Call today to arrange a visit for admission at our day nurseries.
