Nursery education funding
In March 2023, the Government announced plans to increase access to funded childcare hours to include younger children. You may be eligible for 570 hours per year funding for your child if you are working and earning at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national living or minimum wage, but less than £100,000 a year.
If you are a couple then this applies to each of you – if one of you doesn’t work, or one of you earns over £100,000 you won’t be eligible.
For more information about childcare funding please visit the Best Start in Life website.
Childcare funding
- Most families will be eligible for childcare funding. Visit the Best Start in Life website for more information on how to apply.
- If eligible you will also get 20% or up to £2000 from the government towards your childcare costs (tax-free childcare). Visit the Best Start in Life website for more information on this.
- Our fees are the parental contribution and take funding in to account.
Funding at Little Stars Day Nursery
- We spread the funding across the year giving you 12 equal monthly invoices.
- We have fully-funded spaces available with no consumable fees.
- Additional hours above your funding will incur a charge.
- We have a minimum attendance of 3 days a week for private-paying families.
- We accept tax-free childcare.
- We accept childcare vouchers.
Our fees
Using 30 hour funding
3 days – £760.35
4 days – £1149.50
5 days – £1402.01
Packages are made up of a consumable fee which is £335.35 plus an hourly rate of £14.50.
Without funding (excludes consumable fee)
3 days – £1455
4 days – £1995
5 days – £2405
Breakdown of consumable fee
£235.25 per month – lunch, tea and snacks
£48 per month – nappies, wipes, creams and sundries
£52 per month – enrichment experiences and activities including trips, seasonal crafts, specialist learning and much more. Please click here to see policy for full details.
Bills are sent out on the 1st of each month and are to be paid within 7 days of the date of the invoice.
Bills are split over 12 months unless your child attends the nursery during term-time only, in which case the bill will be split over 11 months with no bill in August.
Any ad-hoc hours are charged at £14.50 per hour and are subject to availability.
LATE FEE
We will charge £25 for every entered 15 minutes that you are late to collect your child. These fees are to be paid on receipt of invoice.
ADMINISTRATION FEES
There is administration fee of £70 for all private-paying families.
Early years funding – important information
How does it work?
The 30 hours of government funding is calculated over a school year, which spans the 38 weeks of term time. We are open for 50 weeks a tear, so the funded hours can be spread across the year, meaning they average 22.8 hours a week.
Your invoice reflects the early years funding that the nursery claims from the local authority, but not the savings available to you using tax-free childcare account.
When does my child become eligible?
Children become eligible for age-specific funding in the term following their relevant birthday, or month in the case of 9-month-olds.
To claim for the first time, you must return to work within the first month of each term.
Term start dates are 1st January, 1st April and 1st September each year.
Even if you aren’t currently eligible, everyone gets universal funding from the term after their child turns 3. This is 570 hours a year, equivalent to just over 11 hours a week.
How can I check if I am eligible?
To find out if you’re eligible visit the Best Start in Life eligibility checker.
What is tax-free childcare?
Tax-free childcare is a method of paying childcare costs, including your nursery invoice, which provides a significant saving each month (up to £2000 from the government each year). It can be used alongside the 30 hours of funding. The eligibility criteria are similar to that of 30 hours funding. Visit the Best Start in Life website for more information about tax-free childcare.
Little Stars Day Nursery 