What are your opening hours?
Our standard opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, on an ‘All Year Round’ basis (so we don’t close for school holidays).
We offer a mixture of full day and half day sessions to suit your needs, however all children must attend for a minimum of two full day sessions per week. Red Bus closes for all Bank Holidays, and from 1pm Christmas Eve into the New Year.
What are the fees, and do you accept the government funding?
The costs for childcare will vary depending on how many sessions you would you’re your child to attend for. You can find our detailed fee list here, and please contact us if you would like a more detailed breakdown of costs.
We accept the government funded hours, which you can find more information on through the government’s Best Start in Life website.
The Red Bus settings span three different local authorities, so may operate differently depending on your preferred location. You can find some basic information on our Fees & Financial Information page, but please contact your local setting if you have more questions.
Do you offer any discounts on fees?
We offer a sibling discount of 10% for the eldest child, and a full time discount of 5% for any children who attend five full days per week.
How do I register my child, and is there a waiting list?
We do not register unborn children or allow them to be registered more than 12 months in advance of their preferred start date. For example - if you wish for your child to start with us in January 2027, the earliest you could register would be January 2026.
We encourage families to visit their preferred Red Bus setting before going ahead with registration – just make an enquiry or give us a call! You will be shown around by a member of our management team, who can answer any questions you may have and discuss our availability for your preferred start date.
If you choose to go ahead with registration, simply get back in touch. We’ll have a quick chat about your requirements to make sure we can offer you the sessions you need, then you will be sent a secure private link to our registration form. The last step is to pay the registration fee – this, alongside a completed form, secures your child’s place with us.
The age of your child and the start date and sessions you require will dictate whether we can register your child immediately. Some of our settings hold external waiting lists, some only allow currently attending families to request changes to sessions. Please speak to your preferred nursery directly about their availability.
Can I book in additional ad-hoc days?
Yes! You can speak to the office team by phone or email, letting us know the dates you require. This will depend on our availability on the day. We need two working days’ notice to cancel extra sessions without charge, and extras are always added to the following month’s invoice unless specified.
What age range do you accept, and how do the differing ages work with staff to child ratios?
We accept children from 3 months up to 5 years old. We have three different rooms at Red Bus -
Nursery - 3 months to 2/2.5 years old
For children under 2, we maintain a 1:3 ratio of staff to children.
Kindergarten – 2 to 3/3.5 years old
For two year olds, we maintain a 1:4 ratio of staff to children.
Pre-School – 3 to 5 years old
For children over three, we maintain a 1:8 ratio of staff to children.
What qualifications do your staff have?
Our people are the heart of Red Bus - they are what make us outstanding! We have a combination of...
When it comes to training, our team go on a comprehensive process that never truly stops - covering essential courses such as First Aid and Child Protection as well as exploring their own interests, from Makaton to Music!
How do you support children with additional needs?
All children are welcome at Red Bus – regardless of ability, disability, race, religion or culture – and are all welcome to play, learn and develop alongside their peers in a stimulating and safe environment.
Each setting has an overall SENDCo and SEND Practitioner, and each room has a SEND Champion. These experts work alongside the greater team in identifying SEND, liaising with third party professionals and agencies and ensuring families are closely involved throughout.
Our Local Offer goes into detail about how we make inclusive provision for all children, and the ways we support children with SEND.
What is your settling in process for new children?
Around one month before your child is due to start, we get in touch with you to arrange ‘settling in’ sessions. The first session you will stay with your child, meet their new key person and get to know each other! The second we ask that you try dropping your child off at the door, to see how they get on.
Once the settle dates are booked in, you’ll be emailed an ‘All About Me’ booklet for you to fill out in advance of your first visit. This is your opportunity to tell us all about your child’s routine, likes and dislikes, and any other information we might need.
You’ll also receive our Red Bus Welcome Guide, which includes information like the daily routine, pictures of staff, and an explanation of our approach to learning. There will also be an individual book for your child, which contains photos of their new key person and the nursery itself. It is a great tool to use to talk to the children about starting nursery!
What meals are provided, and do you cater for dietary requirements and allergies?
All our food is freshly prepared on site, managed by an experienced team with a passion for quality food and nutrition. Our three week rolling menu features breakfast, a two course lunch, a two course light tea, and two snacks throughout the day.
Our menus are updated twice a year, reflecting the seasonal changes. You can view and download our full menus here.
If your child has any dietary requirements, you can let us know at the point of registration. You can also update us on any changes to this through the ‘All About Me’ booklet, which is completed shortly before your child joins us. However we ask that you always keep us updated about your child’s requirements, so that we can keep your child safe.
Some of the ways we manage allergies and dietary requirements at Red Bus…
How do you communicate with parents about their child’s day and development?
At Red Bus we use the app ParentZone to share updates about your child’s day. Before your child starts with us, you’ll be invited to set up your account so you’ll begin receiving updates from their first day! We’ll let you know about the day’s menu, how long they have slept, and any nappy changes. You’ll also see snapshots of activities they’ve taken part in, as well as periodic ‘Focus Weeks’ providing a more indepth observation on your child.
You’ll also receive a daily handover when you come to collect, sharing any important information about the day. We see our relationship with you as a partnership – we love it when families also use ParentZone to share important moments and updates from home, and also provide us a handover about your child when you drop off!
What security measures are in place to keep children safe?
Our settings use a fob security system. The front door is always locked, and can only be opened by a member of staff or parent with their fob. Only staff are able to open internal doors. We have rigorous security measures in place with regard to your child being collected. We train our staff in the importance of security, encouraging them to feel confident in noticing anything unusual and challenging anything they see.
Our environments are deliberately designed open spaces, so that everything happening within the setting is visible to others - without detracting from a child’s privacy. All staff are DBS checked with active and thorough training plans to ensure safeguarding is paramount. We use CCTV technology at the entrances to the building.
Do you have connections and relationships with local schools?
Yes - A vital part of our approach is helping children prepare for starting primary school. And after thirteen years, we think we’ve got pretty good at it.
Local primary schools say they can recognise a ‘Red Bus child’ when they join them! Their time in at Red Bus allows children to become confident, independent and resilient learners, who can easily build relationships with others and communicate their needs and feelings.
Every year (with parental permission) we share information on each child with their new school, allow teachers in to visit the setting when requested, and attend transition evenings to discuss that year’s cohort.
Which schools do children commonly join after Red Bus?
Coombe Dingle
Stoke Bishop Primary School
Elmlea Infant’s School
St Ursula’s Academy
Sea Mills Primary School
Bristol Grammar School
Downend
Avanti Gardens School
Christ Church Infant School
Stanbridge Primary School
Blackhorse Primary School
Flax Bourton
Flax Bourton Primary School
Birdwell Primary School
Golden Valley Primary School
Hannah More Infants
I have more questions - how can I find out the answer?
There is always a member of the management team available to speak to in our main offices, or you can drop us an email with your query. We have detailed policies and guides that cover a variety of topics! We also have dedicated team for finance, who are always available to answer questions via email.