Fees

At Early Days, we understand childcare can feel expensive and we try to keep our fees as family-friendly as possible. However, we also need to ensure we can continue to provide the premium service that Early Days is known for and has delivered for over 30 years, so our fee structure is also reflective of this.

• Fees include breakfast (breakfast club sessions only), 2 x snacks per day, two course hot lunch, tea (tea club sessions only), nappy consumables and activites/enhanced provision fee to supplement the programme we deliver which goes above and beyond the basic EYFS guidance

• We are closed on all Bank Holidays & Christmas week for which no fees are charged

• Fees are due for all other absences, including sickness and any holiday as well as nursery closures due to extreme weather

• Late pick ups will be charged at £6.00 per half hour late – this is levied to cover the additional costs of retaining staff on site to maintain ratios​​​​

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Our non-funded daily rates for a our core hours 8.45 am to 4.00 pm are detailed below. 

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Funding

All parents are advised to visit the Government website: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to check for eligibility for 9-23 month/ 2 year old/3-4 year old working parent entitlement, even if you do not think you qualify.  The Government website will give you more information on eligibility and when funding will commence given the date of birth of your child.  If you are eligible, you will receive an 11 digit code that must be passed on so we may claim funding on your behalf.  All children who are 3 years old will automatically receive 15 hours of funding in the term after they have turned three, irrespective of working parent eligibility.

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As we are a 51 week setting, we stretch the standard 15 or 30 hours (funding is usually spread over only 38 weeks of the year).  What that means is that we stretch your funding entitlement across all 51 weeks of the year which equates to up to 11 hours (for 15 hours funding) or up to 22 hours funding (for 30 hours a week funding).  This means funding is applied more consistently over the course of the year and invoicing remains mostly constant.  The 11 hours or 22 hours are applied at a rate of 5.5 hours of funding for up to four days and, where funding allows, additional breakfast and tea club sessions may also have funding applied to maximize funding entitlements. Please note that with rounding, this means that the maximum of funded hours available will not be exhausted.

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Government guidance for funding states that providers are able to make additional charges provided that these are not a condition of accessing the funded space.  Allowable charges are:

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• Consumables used by the child, such as nappies

• Meals and snacks consumed by the child

• Extra optional activities/other activities that are not directly or necessary for the effective delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework (we refer to this as ‘enhanced’ provision as it goes above and beyond the basic EYFS requirements);

• Additional, private paid hours according to a Provider’s usual terms and conditions

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More information on funding, how it work at Early Days, the rationale behind additional non-mandatory costs, explanation of our Opt In/Opt Agreement for any additional non-manadtory costs we may apply will be shared with prospective parents in our Welcome Pack which will be given when you visit our setting.  You will also be able to ask any additional questions you may have about funding and costs during this time.  

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In the interim, below is a sample breakdown of a funded cost for a child using 5.5 hours of funding and attending our setting between 8.45 am to 4.00 pm.​​​

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**       Early Days has always operated with a core session time of 8.45 am to 4.00 pm and our full programme is run within these hours. The additional 1.75 hours are not a requirement for

           taking up a funded place.

***    If required/whilst toilet training

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To give parents full flexibility, extra add on sessions can be added on to the start or end of any day of your choosing.  Different start times and end times on specific days can be accommodated.  For parents receiving 22 hours of funding, funding rates listed on the table below will only apply for children attending two or three days until the maximum entitlements of 22 hours of stretched funding is reached.  

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*  This funded price is available only for children on 2 or 3 days of funding with 22 hours of stretched funding so they can maximize their funding entitlement to 22 hours

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​Below is the funded cost breakdown of all non-mandatory charges in our funded add on session times listed above.

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