Parakeets Before & After School Club
PICKHURST PARAKEETS
Parakeets is our before and after school provision and is offered to children who attend both Pickhurst Infant and Pickhurst Junior Academies. It is based on the school site. If you would like any more information, please e mail us: parakeets@pia.nestschools.org
We provide a safe, caring environment where children will have the opportunity to socialise with their peers across both schools. The children have access to a wide range of toys and games, including board games, dressing up, role play and construction as well as more structured sessions such as arts and crafts. Children are able to choose which activities they take part in. We celebrate festivals and special events across the year.
We have a high staff ratio to ensure that the needs of the children are met in a nurturing and caring environment which extends the school values at Pickhurst into Parakeets.
We operate from a special ‘Parakeet room’, the dinner hall, the main hall and the playground; weather permitting.
Before school sessions run from 7:30am – 8:40am Monday to Friday (term time only) and are charged at £7 per session
After school Club sessions run from 3:15am - 6pm Monday to Friday (term time only) and are charged at £16 per session
BREAKFAST AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUB
In the mornings children should be dropped off at the main entrance at Pickhurst Infant Academy.
Our Breakfast club opens at 7:30am.
The Junior children will be accompanied by a Parakeet Playleader to the Junior school Playground by 8:30am.
The Infant children will be accompanied by a Parakeet Playleader to their classroom by 8:40am.
After school the Junior children will be collected from the Junior playground by a Parakeet Playleader, where they will be accompanied to Parakeets in the infant school.
The Infant children will be collected from their classroom by a Parakeet Playleader.
If your child attends an extra-curricular club after school, they will either be dropped into Parakeets when the club ends, by the club leader, or by a Parakeet playleader. These arrangements will be made in advance between Parakeets and the club leader.
Please collect your child from the main Infant reception area at the end of the day.
If your child is being collected by anyone other than yourself, please advise Parakeets via email and ensure that the person collecting your child has the password.
Children under 16 years of age are not authorised to collect children from Parakeets.
CATERING
Our school caterers, Harrisons prepare meals in our kitchen and food served is on a rotation menu and includes hot food items on most days. This is available to see in our main Reception area.
Please note that although the afternoon snack is a good-sized portion, it is not intended to replace an evening meal.
PAYMENTS
An invoice will be issued each term for sessions booked and payment is to be made in advance (by the date requested). Payment will be by Bank Transfer and details will be provided on the invoice. Childcare vouchers are accepted. Pickhurst Parakeets is registered with several organisations.
Should payments not be made we reserve the right to ask you to withdraw your child from Pickhurst Parakeets.
We request four weeks’ written notice if the place is no longer required.
We are happy to accept payment for sessions via childcare vouchers, the school has registered with many childcare vouchers providers, please e mail us at parakeetsfinance@pia.nestschools.org if you would like a list.
DISCOUNTS
We offer a 15% sibling discount which we hope will help towards the cost of childcare for families with more than one child.
We offer half price clubs at the Infant school for all clubs run in house by our staff (this does not include sessions run by external providers such as cooking and munchkins sports).
AD HOC BOOKINGS
Ad hoc sessions can be booked via email, the day prior to the session you require. Please wait for a confirmation email confirming that your child has secured a space.
Morning sessions are £7 per child, afternoon sessions are £16 per child. Sibling discounts are not given for ad hoc sessions.
Morning drop off is from 7:30 onwards.
Ad hoc sessions are only for children who already attend Parakeets on a termly basis.
Ad hoc fees are due 48 hours after receipt of the invoice.
We require 48 hours’ notice to cancel ad hoc sessions. All payments are non-refundable after 14 hours.
CLUB STAFF
Pickhurst Parakeets is managed by trained staff, all of whom have enhanced DBS checks, as well as a qualified paediatric first aider, and first aiders.
A member of our schools Senior Leaders Team is always on site.
Parakeets is managed by Mrs Singleton and the Deputy managers are Miss Goodwin and Miss Kennedy.
CONTACT DETAILS
Email address: parakeets@nestschools.org
Contact Number: 07392 197588
For finance related queries, please contact: parakeetsfinance@pia.nestschools.org
Reception places
Once your child has officially been offered a Reception place at Pickhurst Infant Academy for the September intake, you can then complete the Parakeet Application, which includes our Terms and Conditions and a Booking form.
Application form for new Reception 2025 children can be found below. Places will be awarded w/c 2nd June.
