Fees, Funding & Charges
We know childcare funding can feel confusing, so we aim to keep things clear, fair and easy
to understand.
If you ever need help, our team is always happy to talk things through with you.
At a Glance
- Open: 51 weeks per year
- Daily nursery fee: £95 per day (£9.5 per hour)
- Funded hours: Stretched evenly across 12 months
- Food, consumables & activities: £27 per day
- Funding available: From 9 months to 4 years (subject to eligibility)
- Billing: Same monthly amount each month
Opening Pattern
We are open 51 weeks of the year.
To help families budget, funded childcare hours are stretched across the year, meaning your
invoice stays consistent each month rather than changing.
Government Funded Childcare
Your child may be eligible for funded early education depending on their age and your
circumstances:
- 15 hours funding for all 3 and 4-year-olds
- 30 hours funding for eligible working families from 9 months old
- Funding may also be available for some 2-year-olds
Funding begins from the term after your child becomes eligible.
Check eligibility or apply here:
How Stretched Funding Works
Although funding is awarded over 38 weeks, we stretch the total hours across the 51 weeks
we are open.
This means:
- Funded hours are spread evenly across the year
- No large changes to invoices during holidays
- Easier monthly budgeting
- Continuity of care for your child
For families eligible for 30 hours funding, this works out as:
- 22.35 funded hours per week
Nursery Fees
- Standard daily fee: £95 per day (£9.50 per hour)
Any hours attended outside of your child’s funded entitlement are charged at our additional
hours rate.
Food, Consumables & Activities
Government funding covers early education only.
It does not include meals, consumables or enrichment activities.
We therefore charge a flat daily fee of £27, which includes:
- All meals and snacks
- Nappies, wipes, sun cream and craft materials
- Outings, visitors and enrichment activities
This allows children to fully enjoy everything the nursery offers, with no hidden extras.
Opting Out – Important Information
The food, consumables and activities charge is optional.
However, before deciding to opt out, parents must:
- Read our Opt-Out Policy in full
- Discuss their decision with the Nursery Manager
If parents choose to opt out:
- All meals, snacks and consumables must be provided daily
- Children may not be able to take part in certain outings or activities
- Advance notice is required, in line with our policy
Working Families Funding Example – Plain English
Example:
Your child attends nursery 3 full days per week, all year round.
You are eligible for 30 hours funded childcare.
How your funding works
When funding is stretched across the year (51 weeks), 30 hours becomes 22.35 funded hours per week.
Each full nursery day is 10 hours.
| Day attended | Hours attended | Funded hours used | Hours charged* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 10 hours | 10 funded hours | 0 |
| Day 2 | 10 hours | 10 funded hours | 0 |
| Day 3 | 10 hours | 2.35 funded hours | 7.65 hours |
*Charge for food, consumables and activities
What this means in simple terms
- 2 full days are fully covered by funding*
- 2.35 hours are used towards the third day*
- The remaining 7.65 hours are charged at our additional hours rate
*Charge for food, consumables and activities
Additional hours charge
- £9.50 per hour
Your funded hours reduce the childcare cost, and the remaining balance is then spread evenly across 12 months, so your monthly invoice stays the same each month.
Because every child’s start date and attendance pattern is different, we are always happy to work this out individually for families.
Tax-Free Childcare - Easy Guide
Tax-Free Childcare is a government scheme that helps working families with childcare costs.
How it works
- For every £8 you pay, the government adds £2
- That’s up to £2,000 per child per year
- A saving of up to 20% on childcare costs
You may be eligible if:
- You (and your partner, if applicable) are working
- You each earn at least the National Minimum or Living Wage
- You each earn under £100,000 per year
Tax-Free Childcare can be used to pay:
- Nursery fees
- Additional hours
- Food, consumables and activity charges
Find out more or apply here:
Invoicing & Payments
- Invoices are issued monthly in advance
- Fees are spread evenly across the year
- Fees remain payable during holidays and periods of absence
- Funding can only be applied once all required parent declaration forms are completed
- Parents must reconfirm eligibility codes every 3 months, where required
Annual Fee Review
Please note that all fees are reviewed and increased annually in April.
Need Help?
We’re always happy to help you:
- Understand your funding
- Check eligibility
- Talk through your invoice
Please speak to the Nursery Manager at any time.