Sessions, fees and funding

Morning, afternoon and all day sessions available

The nursery is open on weekdays from 7:30am to 6:00pm with the exception of English Bank Holidays and a period of closure between Christmas and New Year.

All fees are inclusive of meals and refreshments and a minimum attendance of two sessions per week is required. Fees are reviewed regularly and prices shown are from 1st April 2024.

Fees are payable in advance and a non-refundable deposit is required at registration which is then credited to your final invoice. By signing the registration form you are agreeing to abide by the nursery’s terms and conditions.

We offer a sibling discount of 5% when combined attendance is equal to 5 full days a week or more, and an early starts contract which are both subject to terms and conditions.

Referral reward

Refer a friend or colleague to the nursery and you could receive £100 credit as a thank you. Please see our terms and conditions for full details.

Holiday Discount

The nursery offers a 50% holiday discount each year for the equivalent of two weeks calculated pro rata. Written notice of 6 weeks is required for the discount to be applied and then the relevant amount is deducted from your monthly invoice.

Please note: Once a child is in receipt of government funding (2, 3 and 4 year old) or attends on a term time only contract, they are no longer eligible for the holiday discount.

Term Time

We are also able to offer term time attendance for parents. This option means there is no attendance and no fees charged for:

• 2 weeks at Easter
• Up to 6 weeks in the Summer
• 1 week at Christmas

Dates determined as per Dorset School term times and a minimum attendance of 3 full days a week or equivalent are required. Terms and conditions apply.

How Can I Get Help With My Childcare Costs?

15 hours childcare for 2-year-olds

From April 2024, eligible working parents of two-year-olds will gain access to 15 hours of childcare support from the term after their child turns two.

How many hours am I entitled to?

Eligible two-year-olds are entitled to 570 hours of funding per year. This can be taken term time only across 38 weeks a year, or stretched across the year, taking less hours but across more weeks. Up to 10 hours a day can be taken with us.

Am I eligible?

Eligible two-year-olds can start receiving their entitlement the term after their second birthday.

• Birthdays between 1 September and 31 December, funding starts in the spring term (January)
• Birthdays between 1 January and 31 March, funding starts in the summer term (April)
• Birthdays between 1 April and 31 August, funding starts in the autumn term (September)

There are a few factors that will determine your eligibility and for more information and entitlement assessments go to www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If you are eligible, the system will give you a code which is vital for setting to use to claim the funding for you.

2 year old funding for families in receipt of benefits

Depending on your personal circumstances, your child may be entitled to 2 year old funding.

For more information please have a look at www.dorsetforyou.com/twoyearolds to find out if you are eligible. If so you can apply online or call 01305 221066 for more information. Some parents may also be issued with a ‘Golden ticket’ directly from Dorset County Council, encouraging you to apply.

2 year old funded sessions only (from 1st of April 2024)

Funding for 3 and 4 year olds

All families with a 3 and 4 year old child are eligible for the universal funding offer of up to 15 hours a week term time or a total of 570 hours taken throughout the year. (A child becomes eligible for the funding the term after their 3^rd birthday).

Up to 10 hours a day can be taken with us.

3 and 4 year old funded sessions only (from 1st of April 2024)

Tax-free Childcare and 30 hours funding

Tax-free childcare and 30 hours childcare are two separate government schemes, to help parents with the cost of childcare.

To qualify for either scheme, parents must be working at least 16 hours per week at National Minimum Wage or Living Wage (for example over the next 3 months you expect to earn at least £1976 – the National Living Wage for people over 23 years of age) and not more than £100,000 per year.

Parents can use Tax-Free Childcare alongside the 15 and 30 hours funding but can’t use it at the same time as they receive childcare vouchers, universal credit or tax credits.

For further information go to 30 hours free childcare – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Tax-free childcare

Parents are able to open a new childcare account and for every £8 you pay into your account, the government will pay in an £2. You are entitled to receive up to £2,000 government support per child per year towards your childcare costs. Payments to the nursery are then made directly from this account.

30 hours funding

The extended entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds will support parents to get back into work, or work more hours. If you are eligible, you can get an additional 570 hours funding a year, so 1140 hours in total either taken as 30 hours per week term time or stretched across the whole year.

Tax credits and universal credits for childcare

Depending on personal circumstances some families will qualify to receive either tax credits or universal credit to help with the cost of childcare.

Childcare vouchers

If your employer offers childcare vouchers or arranges your childcare, you can get up to £933 a year in tax and National Insurance savings.

The amount you can get in childcare vouchers depends on how much you earn and when you joined the scheme. You pay for your childcare before tax and National Insurance deductions are made. You can’t use childcare vouchers at the same time as Tax-Free Childcare. Over time, Tax-Free Childcare will replace childcare vouchers and childcare arranged directly by your employer.

Flexibility

We endeavour to offer parents the greatest amount of flexibility in the way funding is accessed. We are able to offer 15 hours or 30 hours a week term time over 38 weeks or stretched across 51 weeks. We also offer flexible session times (subject to availability) allowing you to access childcare that meets your individual needs.

If your child attends for more than the funded time or uses the nurseries additional services, supplementary costs will be applied and are dependent on the sessions attended, (a copy of our additional service charges is available on request).

Regretfully, due to life threatening allergies within the nursery, we are unable to accept children’s food or drinks from home.