College support for student parents

Your college is here to provide assistance to you while you are studying at the University.  As a student parent you have a unique set of needs which your college will aim to support.  We have highlighted some of those areas: college nurseries, family accommodation, financial support and designated college childcare contacts.

College Nurseries

Queens' College Nursery

The College has a nursery situated at Owlstone Croft in Newnham, with up to 25 places for children from 3 months to school age. The Nursery is open all year round, from Monday to Friday, from 0830 – 1700, excluding bank holidays when the Nursery is closed. Priority is given to children of Fellows, students and staff, but early application is essential as places are limited and there is usually a waiting list. For further information, please contact the Nursery Manager on 01223 335623 or email qcdn@wigwamnurseries.co.uk 

The nursery will be moving to a new site on Barton Road in collaboration with Pembroke College and will be able accommodate up to 44 children. The Nursery will serve the Fellows, staff and students of Queens’ College and Pembroke College, as well as the outside community - all are welcome subject to availability.

The Mrs Cameron Day Nursery (Gonville and Caius College)

Gonville and Caius has a nursery based near Harvey Court, Sidgwick Avenue site, with up to 25 places for children from 3 months to school age. Known as the Mrs Cameron Day Nursery, the facility is open 8.30am–5pm, Mon–Fri. Gonville and Caius staff, students and Fellows are given priority for places but any remaining vacancies are open to others. For more information, contact nursery owner Mrs Elizabeth Wiggam or the Nursery Manager on 01223 740688 or email Gonville and Caius College Nursery.

The Wolfson Court Nursery

Girton, Churchill, St John's and Trinity Colleges are connected to the Wolfson Court nursery, which opened in January 2005 on Clarkson Road, off Grange Road. Wolfson Court has up to 76 places for children from 3 months to school age and is open from 7.30am–6pm throughout the year. The nursery is run by Bright Horizons, who operate a number of other private nurseries in the region. Priority places are available to staff, students and Fellows of Girton, Churchill, St John's and Trinity Colleges but the nursery is also open to others, including the general public. For more information and an application form, contact the nursery on 01223 656318 or email parentenquiry@brighthorizons.com. Alternatively, contact the individual Colleges or Bright Horizons on 0845 365 2929.

Accommodation

Some colleges provide family accommodation for students with families. To research your options please go to www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/colleges/key-facts-and-figures and click on individual college links.

If your college cannot provide appropriate accommodation, the University's Accommodation Service could help you find somewhere to live.

General Information

The University's Accommodation Service can help you find a suitable place to live. Register to enable a full search of their online property database. They have a large selection of University properties and they also have a large database of private properties. The service advises against taking a private property sight-unseen. It is suggested that where possible you visit ahead of your stay or ask a local contact to view properties on your behalf.

Other information on accommodation can be obtained from property agencies in Cambridge, from noticeboards in the University Centre and the Students' Union and the Cambridge Evening News property section. The University website has a discussion forum that includes accommodation advertisements. The Cambridge Accommodation Notice Board may also be helpful.

Financial support

The Childcare Support Fund offers limited financial assistance to eligible student parents towards OFSTED-registered childcare costs.

Each College has a designated childcare contact who is a point of contact and a voice for student parents within their College.

The College Childcare Contacts are required to signpost students to the Childcare Services, provide information on their College's family accommodation, and have knowledge of the financial support available to student parents. They are also encouraged to work with the College in order to ensure that arrival, orientation and social, pastoral and academic events are accessible to all student parents. Along with the MCR, Childcare Contacts are also encouraged to play a role in organising child-friendly events to enable student parents to meet, as well as facilitate communications between them.

If you have an issue relating to your status as a student parent at your College then please contact your designated College Childcare Contact directly.