This fees policy forms part of the contract between the parent/carer and Buttercups Nursery School.
Buttercups Nursery School operates a service, which is fair and competitively priced. We aim to offer a high quality, safe and stimulating environment that provides a service that is good value for money. Fees are payable monthly in advance.
Opening times and hours for the setting are:
• 11 hours a day and 5 days a week
• Term time or 43 weeks of the year (parents choice)
Fees
• We are open between 7am – 6pm
• 9 month old, 2, 3 and 4 year old funding can be accessed between 8am – 5pm.
• Breakfast, hot dinner and light tea are chargeable.
• Drop-off times: 7am, 7.30am, 8:00am, 9:00am and 1:00pm
• Collection times: 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm, 5.30pm and 6pm
• Half-hourly drop-offs/collections will no longer be offered, except for children already booked on these.
• The shortest session is 4 hours, and we ask that each child attends a minimum of 2 sessions per week.
• Children attending between 7:00–8:00am or 5:00–6pm are charged at a different rate for those sessions, as they fall outside the funded period.
Hourly Rate between 8am and 5pm
0-24 months £10.62 Matching government rate
2- 3 years £7.85
3-4 years £7.47 Government rate not viable
Breakfast 7am – 8am /late afternoon rate 5pm – 6pm
0-24 months £15.93
1hr session
2- 3 years £11.77
3-4 years £11.20
For 0–24 months and 2–3 year olds, our rates are in line with the government’s published funding rates, which they have stated represent the cost of providing care for these age groups.
For 3–4 year olds, we have set our own rate at a level we believe is fair and sustainable. Unfortunately, government funding for this age group does not come close to covering the true cost of care, and we must therefore charge above the government’s funded rate to maintain the quality of provision your children deserve.
Term Time Retainer:
From April 2024 all new families who joined Buttercups and choose to book in term time will see on their February, April, July & October invoices that they are being charged 20% of their weekly hours for each week they do not attend (we are open for 43 weeks, term time children attend for 38 week). This will be calculated by the booked hours including funded hours so if your child attends 30hrs and you choose not to send them through the holidays you will be charged 20% of 30 hours. If you would rather swap so that your child attends for 43 weeks of the year then please email in with a months notice.
Charges for additional extra’s
Meals
Breakfast is served between 7.00am – 8.00am at a cost of £2.25.
Morning Snack is served between 10am – 10.30am at a cost of £1 per day. This is provided to support the child’s nutritional needs. If paying consumables there is no charge for morning snack.
Lunch is at 12.00pm and costs £3.75 per day, which will be added to your invoice monthly. We encourage all children to have a hot lunch at Nursery, but we understand if you want your child to have a packed lunch. Lunch is included on the all day (7am-6pm) shift. The exclusion to lunch being included in the all day rate is if you are using any funded hours.
Tea is served at 4pm (3.30pm in Ladybirds & Bumblebees) at a cost of £3.25.
EYE funding;
Universal
All children are entitled to 15 hours a week term time from the term after they turn 3. Please see section below for other funding.
The annual entitlement is 570 hours.
The maximum hours per day that can be claimed with us is 9.
The maximum hours per week that can be claimed is 15 hours. We can claim 13 hours per week if attending on our 43 week calendar.
Parents whose children are entitled to 2,3 & 4 year old grant must fill out and sign the grant forms when given out and returned as soon as possible. Grant/Funding covers a set amount of hours per year. Extra hours above this must be paid for by the parents.
We will need the child’s legal documentation – birth certificate, passport (on registration a copy of which will be sent to the Entitlement Team). If you are in receipt of 2 year old Funding you will need to provide us with a copy of your acceptance letter. Without this, we will not be able to claim the grant hours for your child and you will need to pay the hourly rate.
Extended Hours/Working Families
We also accept the Working Families Funding (9months/2years/3years) which is means tested. You can apply for this here.
If you are eligible, 30 hours is available for 38 weeks of the year (just like the existing 15 hours scheme). We allow you to ‘stretch’ your 30 hours entitlement over 43 weeks and we can then claim up to 26 hours per week.
Once you have applied for childcare funding, if you are successful it will then be possible to claim it from the following terms. HMRC are very strict on the application being done before the end of the term before you want your child to start claiming, for example if you want your child to start with us from the Summer term, the funding code must have been generated by 31st March.
Please send us your codes as soon as you get them so that we can add you to our funding. We would ideally need your funding codes to be provided one month before the start of the term you will be claiming in, ie. We need codes for children who are starting within the summer term by 1st March, codes for children starting in the Autumn term by 1st August and codes for children starting in the Spring term by 1st December.
Term start dates are 1st September 1st January and 1st April.
You may get asked for further information as part of your application, so apply well ahead of the start date for each term.
Once you have got your code from HMRC, it is then your responsibility to reconfirm your eligibility code – some codes are for 6 weeks, some are for 6 months. HMRC will send you reminders to renew your code.
If your code expires before the start of the next term and you have not reconfirmed, we will no longer be able to claim the extended hours and you will need to pay for those hours. Once you have renewed your code you will be able to go back onto the extended funding from the beginning of the next term.
If you do not give permission to share your child’s details and National Insurance Number, Buttercups will not be able to accept the additional funded hours.
You, and any partner, must each expect to earn (on average) the equivalent of working 16 hours a week at your national minimum wage.
In order to apply you will need to log on to Free Childcare for Working Parents: Apply for free childcare – GOV.UK
The following information is needed: –
• Child’s legal documentation – birth certificate, passport (at registration, copy needs to be sent to the Entitlements Team)
• EYE parent declaration form – completed when termly and signed by parent/carer
• Eligibility code from registered parent
• Registering parents National Insurance Number with signed consent to share with EYE team.
Grace Period
The grace period enables parents to retain their childcare place for a short period (90 days) if they become ineligible for 30 hours. If the grace period expires and you have not met the eligibility criteria again, you will only be able to access the universal entitlement.
Parents will be charged for any additional hours which cannot be claimed for if a parent falls out of the grace period. Notice is also required to change children’s hours.
Date Parent receives ineligible decision on reconfirmation: LA audit date: Grace Period End date:
1st January – 10th February 11th February 31st March
11th February – 31st March 1st April 31st August
1st April – 26th May 27th May 31st August
27th May – 31st August 1st September 31st December
1st September – 21st October 22nd October 31st December
22nd October – 31st December 2nd January 31st December
Claiming the funding
Applying for working families funding is down to the parent/carer and needs to be done in the term before your child turns 9 months. For further info and how and when to apply please visit the childcare choices website where there is a handy calculator.
Please see the table below for the best time to apply. Once you receive your eligibility code, please email the nursery and we will send you a consent form for completion. Please note until this is done, we can’t access the funding so you will not see the deduction on your invoice. You will then be responsible for renewing your code every few weeks/months depending on when you are emailed by HMRC.
Consumables Contribution
We charge an optional consumables contribution monthly.
A consumables contribution is a voluntary payment parents are asked to make to help cover the cost of everyday items and everything that we feel we deliver that is above the basic provision we are required to provide that isn’t covered by the government funding. We add this to maintain quality and resources without raising fees too much, ensuring that we can provide a wider range of activities and materials for children.
You should have been given a leaflet explaining this on your showaround but if you haven’t please ask a member of the office team for one.
We will need you to opt in or out of paying the consumables fee for your child each term. Every April, September and January we will re-enrol your child into the voluntary consumables contributions.
Consumables
CONSUMABLES CHARGES
If your child claims for ….
0-13 hrs a week 14-26 hours a week 0 -15 hours a week 16-30 hours a week
You can expect to pay…
£25.52 a month £51.05 a month £25.90 a month £51.81 a month
In consumables fees
Attending for 43 weeks (AY)
Attending for 38 weeks (TT)
We have calculated a monthly fee based on how many hours funding are claimed for your child.
Kit list:
Items must remain on site or be replenished as required.
• Wet weather ALL IN ONE including wellies
• Provide woolly hat and gloves
• Suncream and Sun hat
• Clean change of clothes in a ruck sack
• Water bottle
• Cot sheet and blanket if required for sleep time to be taken home daily
• Flannels and a suitable bag to store them when used to send home.
• Prepared daily snack to include fruit and a savoury item.
• Wet wipes
• Purchase a book for a Christmas gift / Easter Egg
In addition to the above kit list, if you wish for your child to participate in any of the below, there will be additional charges as listed below;
• £30 per academic year for your child to attend the pre-school programme including parents bespoke evening (Grasshopper/Dragonfly children only)
• Parents evening 2 twice yearly £20 per academic year.
• Parent workshops £15 per workshop per parent.
• Visits from outside events are charged at £7.50 per child
• Tickets to events – Mother’s Day treat, Father’s Day treat, Graduation party, Christmas party all will be charged at £15 per person per event.
• First aid courses for parents/carers (currently offered for free) will be chargeable at £15 per person.
• Morning snack £1 per child, per day
• Tapestry £30 per child per academic year
• Wet wipes £1.50 per pack if not provided
Other Entitlements which may be available
• Tax Free Childcare – www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Absences
Fees are payable every day regardless if a child is absent or if the nursery has to close due to unforseen circumstances PLEASE see our Emergency closure policy for full details. Fees are not payable for Bank holidays, in house training days.
If a child is away for one month and the Nursery has not heard from you they will try to contact you and then send a letter asking why you have not attended nursery, and advising you that your place will be given to another child.
On Joining
A one off non refundable administration fee: £75 this includes a Nursery Polo Shirt and an embroidered Rucksack and a bottle.
No administration fee is required for funded only places but if you are booking additional services e.g meals, extra services etc then a £25 deposit will be required.
Settling in Sessions
Each child will receive visits to help them to settle into nursery life. Our settling visits consist of;
• a half an hour visit where parents accompany the child here and spend time with the keyworker discussing their routine / requirements. Alternately, this can take place in the form of a home visit (this will be discussed on registration).
• Two one hour visits to nursery where the child stays on their own.
• Two, two hour visit where the child stays on their own.
• These visits are all free of charge.
•
Invoices
Our invoices run monthly. You will receive either an email or a hard copy of your invoice, which will show the total amount payable for that period. You will receive your invoice by 25th of each month, which is payable by 1st of every month.
Our invoicing year / financial year will always run from 1st September to 31st August.
The invoice is to be paid on or before the 1st of each month. We do ask that parents BACS the money to our accounts. We do not accept cheques.
Buttercups Nursery School, National Westminster Bank
Sort Code: 60 03 27 Account No. 79103081
Any extra hours that you book on top of your childs normal hours will be invoiced to you to also be paid before the 1st of the following month.
Changes to hours/leave
Four Weeks written (or emailed) notice is required of any intention to leave nursery or take holiday – This is excluding holidays. This is to be emailed or hand delivered to the Nursery Manager and we will confirm receipt of this in writing. If you remove your child from the setting without providing notice, Buttercups can claim four weeks EYE funding.
One months written (or emailed) notice to change a childs hours at nursery to the Nursery Manager and this will be confirmed in writing. This includes all extra services for example meals, swimming etc.
Holidays
We do give a 50% discount for the sessions and consumables that your child is away on holiday, provided that we receive one months notice either written or via email.
Late Collection Charges Between 7am-8am and 5pm-6pm
If you require an earlier start, you can book an earlier drop-off slot from 7:00am or 7:30am.
We are also seeing this issue at the end of the day with 5pm collections. Parents are repeatedly collecting late.
Moving forward, early drop-offs or late collections without a booked slot will incur a £15 fine.
Late Collection Charges between 8am-5pm
• If you are between 10 and 15 minutes late to collect your child there will be a £5.00 charge. It is then £1 per minute including the £5 late charge. If this is an agreed late collection with the office you will just be charged the standard hourly rate.
• A phone call to parents will be made if the child has not been collected by 15mins late and we have not heard from you. If no contact has been made within an hour then we will follow our safeguarding policy.
• Collection after closing time will attract a further £50 surcharge
Emergency Closures
If the nursery is forced to close for reasons beyond the nursery’s control or if it is, in our reasonable opinion, necessary or in the interests of the Child to do so, we may close the nursery even though our business interruption insurance will not cover us for the closure. In these circumstances, we will charge a retainer of 50% of your regular monthly fee to enable the nursery to hold your child’s place and cover unavoidable ongoing overheads during this time. For example, we may close because of severe weather conditions, outbreak of flu, swine flu, COVID-19, any epidemic or pandemic or other illnesses etc. [Also, if the owner of the premises closes the premises and denies us access.]
Emergency Childcare
• Emergency places for one off bookings, if available will require a £5 administration fee.
Late Payments/Non payment of Fees
• Late payment of fees, after the 1st of the month, will attract a £5.00 charge and after the 3rd of the month, a £12.50 charge for each week the fee remains outstanding.
• Bounced payments will attract a £35 administration fee.
• If payment is still not received the child’s place will be withdrawn until further payment is made. This will be put in writing with another deadline date.
• If payment is still not met by the deadline stated above, a debt collection agency will be contacted to collect any monies owed on the nursery’s behalf.
Voucher payments
We happily except childcare vouchers as a form of payment. Just ask us for more details. Vouchers take 5 days to process so please ensure you pay into your vouchers and get it sent to us by 25th of each month to ensure we receive it by the 1st.
Other Entitlements which may be available
• Working Tax credits you may be able to get help towards the cost of childcare. For further details Contact the Tax Credits helpline on 0845 300 3 900 or visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits
• Childcare Vouchers
• Pupil Premium – we will hand you a form for this.
Termination of the Contract
The reason why Buttercups Nursery School would terminate the contract of a child/parent/carer without notice is in the event of unsuitable behaviour from parents or non payment of fees following the non payment procedure, at all other times 1 months notice in writing will be given.
Review of Fees
Fees are reviewed termly to enable the setting to cover the running costs of the nursery and continue to provide quality care.
Parents/Carers will be informed in writing one month before any changes are made to the fees structure.
Copy of invoices
If you require us to reprint your invoices for Universal Credit purposes, we will charge £1 per page required for printed documents and £1 to email all documents. We do ask that you keep all your invoices for this purpose. If you require a letter to be written to Universal Credits on your behalf this will also incur a cost of £3.
