Your child may be entitled to 15 or 30 hours of government-funded early education per week. We want to be completely transparent about what that funding covers — and what it doesn't — so there are no surprises.
The government pays an hourly rate to us as the provider. This is intended to cover the core costs of a high-quality early education place. It does not cover everything involved in running a full day of childcare.
The DfE has confirmed that funding is not intended to cover:
🟢 We do not charge mandatory top-up fees.
To maintain the high quality of our provision and offer a rich experience for all children, we ask for a voluntary contribution from parents. This is always optional — it is never a condition of keeping a funded place.
We do not charge a registration fee or a deposit to secure a place.
Invoices are issued every half term and must be paid before the end of that half term.
Your invoice will clearly separate funded hours, any privately paid hours, and any optional charges. Failure to pay private fees will not affect your child's free entitlement place.