fees
fees
We are open Monday to Friday term time only please click the link for our academic calendar: 2024/2025
Monday to Thursday: morning session - 9am - 12pm or all day 9am - 3pm
Adventure Friday: 9am - 3pm all day session only
Our Adventure Friday only runs as a full day and is only available for our top cohort (those due in school the following September).
We require children to do a minimum number of sessions over Monday to Thursday: (1 session = 3 hours)
2 year olds - two sessions over two days
3&4 year olds - three sessions over 2 days
Adventure Fridays operate as an additional session and are not included in the minimum. Minimum sessions are likely to increase from September 2025.
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We require children to do a minimum number of sessions (one session = 3 hours) over Monday to Thursday:
2 year olds - two sessions over two days
3&4 year olds - three sessions over two or more days
Our Adventure Friday sessions count as an additional day and are not counted in this minimum.
Allowing your child more time with us at our preschool each week allows them to…
• settle more easily reducing stress
• fully access all that the setting offers
• encourage friendships with peers
• form better attachments with the adults
• revisit activities, resources, interactions more frequently to build up understanding, learning and resilience
It also allows staff the opportunity to get to know your child properly and build a strong bond.
There is an expectation that children start with fewer sessions and build up their time with us, to include the Adventure Friday in their final year, in preparation for full time education.
If your child attends a full day 9-3 they will need to bring a healthy packed lunch, information on this can be found in our New Starter Guide.
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We offer ad hoc lunch sessions from 12-1 Monday to Thursday at a cost of £10 per session. These cannot be claimed through funding.
For those children doing an all day session, lunch club is included.
You can book a half term at a time or the morning you require it. If booked half termly the cost will be included in your invoice. If booked ad hoc you must pay at the latest, by pick up of that day.
Fees for academic year 2024/2025
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Once you have completed our registration form you will be asked to pay £25 to add your child to our waiting list.
When spaces become available for a place for your child's age group we will contact those next on the list to offer a place.
Should you wish to take up the place you will be asked to pay a placement fee to secure the space. While the payment of a Placement Fee is not mandatory we cannot guarantee space availability without it.
Should you not wish to take up that space, please let us know and you will remain on the list and be contacted when the next applicable space becomes available.
This fee is non-refundable and a space offer is not guaranteed.
Feb 25
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We cannot hold your child's offered place without payment of this fee. While it is not a mandatory fee, your child’s future space cannot be guaranteed without it. £25 of this fee is refunded at your child's enrolment on their start date. If you decide not to take up your place with us none of your placement fee will be refunded.
The rest of this fee covers:
· guaranteed minimum number of sessions from the date offered
· administration to this point
· FREE weekly settling in Stay & Play sessions (term time only)
· monthly newsletter (emailed out)
· invitation to a variety of in-house events
· staff support with .e.g. funding applications, wellbeing and advice
You can click the below link to pay your placement fee and choose which applies to you. Please be aware that if you claim the reduced rate you will need to email us copies of your documental proof. The sibling discount is only available to those with another child already currently attending the setting or those with more than one child starting.
PLEASE NOTE - DO NOT PAY A PLACEMENT FEE UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED A SPACE, IF YOU DO SO, YOUR FEE WILL BE RETURNED.
Mar 25
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This fee of £75 is reduced to £50 when your £25 placement deposit is refunded. It goes towards covering administrative costs to include:
· all paperwork
· meeting with a manager to complete paperwork
· meeting with your child’s key worker to complete paperwork
· parent settling in goody bag
· All About Me form
· registration name card for your child
· allocated belongings box
· FREE preschool polo shirt
Enrolment fees should be paid before your child starts at preschool, if you fail to pay it at enrolment, you will be asked to either pay online before their next session or when you next bring them in.
Feb 25
Please be aware that we try to keep our charges to a minimum, they allow us to continue to operate and offer the excellent service we are renowned for. Unfortunately, over a decade of Government underfunding means that our charges, while not mandatory (other than non-funded session charges) if not paid, mean we cannot exist as a business and our preschool will close so we thank you for your support.
We currently accept Government funded hours - to see which hours you may be eligible for please click on Childcare Choices below.
Non Funded session rates
These rates apply from 1st April 2025. (We reserve the right to review our charges annually.)
Education, Health and Wellbeing Package
To enable us to continue to offer all the high level of services and care that sets our preschool above many others we charge an Education, Health and Wellbeing Package fee for all sessions claimed through Government funding.
These rates apply from 1st April 2025. (We reserve the right to review our charges annually.)
Invoicing
All parents are invoiced half termly and are asked to pay within 2 weeks. For those newly starting, your invoice will be sent out within 2 weeks of your child’s start date. Please see our Fees policy for more information. If you are still having difficulty with your payment, please get in touch to see if we can help.
Additional Support
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If you already have a child at our setting or you are enrolling 2 children at the same time, you will be eligible for our 33% sibling discount .
This discount applies to
placement fee
non-funded hours (Monday to Thursday)
Education, Health and Wellbeing package fee (Monday to Thursday)
The discount stops when one or both children leave the setting.
Feb 25
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EYPP is paid to setting for most children whose parents are in receipt of Government financial support. If your child qualifies for EYPP you can get a reduced rate on your placement and enrolment fees, you will also receive a FREE set of waterproofs for your child when they start (subject to availability).
You will also be eligible for the Household Grant from Central Bedfordshire Council to receive supermarket vouchers each holiday.
Evidence to claim this discount, a benefit claim letter, should be emailed to us before your child's start date.
Feb 25
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All parents in receipt of DLA for their child are entitled to our reduced rates for :
placement fee
enrolment fee
And your child will receive a FREE set of waterproofs (subject to availability).
Evidence to claim this discount, a copy of your DLA letter, should be emailed to us before your child's start date.
The setting will receive additional funding to support your child in the setting should you nominate us as your primary setting on your NEF funding claim.
Feb 25
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You may also get EYPP if your child is currently being looked after by a local authority in England or Wales or if your child has left care in England or Wales through:
adoption
special guardianship order
a child arrangements order
Support to offset your fees
There are a number of ways you can offset the cost of childcare for your child so its worth going to Childcare Choices to find out what funding you might be able to claim. Below you will find other ways to help pay for any fees for your child’s education with us, many work in combination with available funding.
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You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).
If you get Tax-Free Childcare, you’ll set up an online childcare account for your child. For every £8 you pay into this account, the government will pay in £2 to use to pay your provider meaning you can offset 20% of your fees.
You can get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 30 hours free childcare if you’re eligible for both.
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If you already claim tax credits, you can add an extra amount of Working Tax Credit to help cover the cost of childcare.
If you have a child and you’re already claiming Working Tax Credit, you can also claim Child Tax Credit.
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You may be able to claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs if you’re eligible for Universal Credit.
You (and your partner if you live with them) will usually need to either:
· be working - it does not matter how many hours you or your partner work
· have a job offer
The most you can get back each month is:
· £646 for one child
· £1108 for 2 or more children
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There are various schemes to help support learners depending on your age, your mode of study and the ages of your children.
Mar 25