Nursery Childcare Fee Policy 2024

Overview

Dorset Council provision is committed to providing a high quality, safe and stimulating early years childcare and education for children, giving them the best start in life:

our childcare provision is open 50 weeks per year, excluding bank holidays and 5 staff training days. Where possible, advance notice of closure will be given. Fees are not payable when the settings are closed. Any fees from an unexpected closure will result in a credit applied to your account against future invoices. This credit can be refunded upon request
fees are invoiced one month in advance with payment being due as per the date on your invoice. Invoices unpaid after this date will incur a £10.00 late payment charge per family, added to the next months’ invoice. Please speak to us if you are having difficulties making your payments. If beneficial a payment plan could be agreed
non-payment of fees may result in your child’s space being suspended. Continued non-payment or failure to maintain a payment plan could result in your child losing their childcare place/s
fees are required to be paid even if your child does not attend due to illness, absence, or holiday
if you want to cancel your child’s place, you must give us 4 weeks’ written notice or 4 weeks’ payment instead of notice. If your child is in receipt of Early Education Funding (EEF) the setting will retain funding for the relevant notice period
fees can be paid by childcare vouchers or via a tax-free childcare account through HMRC. There is also a payment website for each nursery. Blandford Nursery is also able to take payment by Credit or Debit Card
you can view your account history by logging into your Parent Admin account (please allow time for payments to show as they are added manually)
fees are reviewed annually, and we will provide at least one calendar month notice of any changes to families

Childcare funding options from April 2024

The Government has announced a new initiative helping working parents with childcare with a range of new measures, so that parents can return to work more easily.

Working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of funded childcare per week, for 38 weeks of the year, from when their child is 9 months old to when they start school.

The new measures will be rolled out in stages:

from April 2024, all working parents of 2-year-olds can access 15 hours funded childcare per week
from September 2024, all working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3 years old can access 15 hours funded childcare per week
from September 2025 all working parents of children aged 9 months up to 4 years old can access 30 hours funded childcare per week

Early education funding

we accept children who receive 2-, 3- and 4-year-old childcare funding. We offer funding term time only or ‘stretched’ across both term time and holidays. This proportions 38 weeks of funding over 50 weeks of the Nursery opening year. Please ask the setting for more information if needed
2-year-old funding. Parents can apply for their 15 hours funding via the Dorset Council website, and we will need a copy of the eligibility email. If you are eligible for 2yr funding, it applies to the funding period following your child’s 2nd birthday
3- & 4-year-old funding. All 3- & 4-year-olds receive 15 hours of funding. This commences the funding period after their 3rd birthday. Some parents are eligible for 30 hours of funding and need to apply directly. An eligibility code will be issued for the next funding period
it is the responsibility of the parent or carer to re-check their child’s eligibility every three months to maintain the funding validity
funding periods are from 1st January-31st March, 1st April-31st August, 1st September-31st December

Charging structure for privately funded hours 2024

Families can also pay for additional sessions over and above any funded hours your child receives.

Table. Charging structure for privately funded hours 2024
Session	0 to 4 years
Full day including breakfast 8am-6pm	£62
Breakfast Club 8am – 9am	£7.30
8am – 1pm including Breakfast Club charge of £7.30 for the hour	£36.50
9am – 12pm	£21.90
12pm – 1pm	£7.30
1pm – 4pm	£21.90
1pm – 6pm	£36.50

Additional charges

Registration Fee for privately funded places. (Non-refundable).
A £50 fee is payable which includes 1 hour trial session in either the morning or the afternoon.

Booking cancellation.
You must provide 4 weeks’ written notice or 4 weeks’ payment instead of notice. If your child is in receipt of Early Education Funding (EEF) the setting will retain funding for the relevant notice period.

Late payment charge.
A £10 fee will be applied to any invoice left unpaid after the cut-off date to the next invoice per family

Late collection charge.
Occasionally delays are unavoidable however, we should be informed at the earliest opportunity if you are going to be late.
A £10.00 fee will be applied per family if you are more than 10 minutes late collecting your child/children.

Session change fee.
A £10.00 administration fee is applied to the next invoice when a green session change request form is approved

Review

This policy was last reviewed in 2024.

The next expected review date is 2025.