FEES

The standard funded entitlement is based on up to 38 weeks of funded provision per year.

At Stepping Stones Nursery, parents will be advised of the funded weeks available to their child and the pattern in which those hours can be accessed.

Where a parent wishes to use childcare outside their child’s funded entitlement, those additional hours will be charged at our normal private childcare rate.

The funded early education and childcare entitlement is provided free of charge to parents.

Stepping Stones Nursery does not charge a top-up fee for funded hours.

A top-up fee is the difference between the nursery’s normal private fee and the amount of government funding received by the nursery. We do not charge parents this difference.

We also do not make payment for optional extras a condition of accessing a funded place.

The funded entitlement does not include additional private hours, meals, consumables or optional activities. These may be offered separately and are explained below.

Government funding is intended to provide funded early education and childcare. It does not cover certain additional costs such as meals, snacks, nappies, sun cream, additional private hours or optional activities.

Where Stepping Stones Nursery offers chargeable extras, these are optional and are not a condition of accessing a funded place.

Parents will be told the cost of any chargeable extras before agreeing to them.

Any chargeable extras agreed by a parent will be recorded on the relevant Parental Declaration.

Stepping Stones Nursery provides Breakfast / Morning snack / Lunch/ Tea.

MEAL AND SNACK CHARGE

• Breakfast £2.85 per day
• Morning snack £0.70 per day
• Lunch £3.50 per day
• Tea £2.85 per day

Meal and snack charges are optional in connection with funded hours.

Parents who do not wish to purchase meals or snacks from the nursery may discuss the available alternative arrangements with us.

Where appropriate, parents may provide suitable food for their child in accordance with our food, allergy and health and safety requirements.

Please speak to the nursery if you do not wish to purchase meals or snacks so that we can agree the appropriate alternative arrangement.

Consumables may include items such as:

• nappies;
• wipes;
• sun cream;
• other personal care items.

Consumables charge

The Nursery does not currently have any chargeable consumables as Parents are required to supply these

Any consumables charge is voluntary.

Parents who do not wish or are unable to pay for consumables will not be refused a funded place because of this.

Parents may, where appropriate, provide their own suitable consumables for their child.

Parents who require an alternative arrangement should speak to the nursery so that this can be agreed.

Parents may request additional childcare hours outside their child’s funded entitlement.

Additional hours are private childcare and are charged at our normal nursery rate.

Current private childcare rate

• Under 3s £8.40 per hour
• Over 3s £8.00 per hour

Additional private hours are optional and are not a condition of accessing a funded place.

Parents will be informed of the cost of additional hours before agreeing to them.

For example, where a child’s funded entitlement covers part of a session, parents may choose to purchase additional hours where available.

From time to time, Stepping Stones Nursery may offer optional activities, events, celebrations or specialist activities.

Where an activity carries an additional charge, parents will be informed of:

• what the activity is;
• the cost;
• whether participation is optional; and
• what alternative arrangement is available for children whose parents do not wish to pay.

Optional activities will not be used to restrict a child’s access to their funded entitlement.

Parents accessing funded hours will not be charged for costs that are already covered by the funded entitlement.

This includes, for example:

• a top-up fee;
• the difference between our normal private fee and the government funding received;
• general nursery running costs;
• staff costs;
• rent or premises costs;
• utilities;
• insurance;
• cleaning costs;
• materials and resources necessary to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage;
• toys and equipment necessary for the provision of the funded early education;
• mandatory enrichment or sustainability charges;
• additional charges simply for accessing funded hours.

The government guidance confirms that funded hours must be accessible free of charge and that mandatory charges cannot be attached to a funded place.

Places at Stepping Stones Nursery are subject to availability.

We welcome applications for both funded and privately funded places.

Our admissions process is designed to ensure that children and families are offered places according to our available spaces, age groups, staffing and legal requirements.

APPLYING FOR A PLACE

Parents should contact the nursery to:

1. enquire about availability;
2. discuss their child’s age and funding eligibility;
3. discuss the sessions available;
4. provide their child’s eligibility information where applicable;
5. complete the required registration and admission documentation; and
6. agree the child’s attendance pattern.

A funded place is subject to the child meeting the relevant eligibility requirements and the nursery receiving the required information and documentation.

A place cannot be confirmed until the nursery has confirmed availability and the required admission arrangements have been completed.

Before a child starts their funded entitlement, parents will be asked to complete the appropriate Parental Declaration.

The declaration will confirm:

• the child’s funded entitlement;
• the number of funded hours being taken;
• the pattern of funded hours;
• the weeks in which the funded hours are being used;
• any additional private hours purchased; and
• any optional chargeable extras that the parent has chosen to purchase.

Parents should read the declaration carefully and discuss anything they are unsure about with the nursery before signing.

Parents are not required to agree to optional chargeable extras in order to access their child’s funded entitlement.

Where a parent has both funded and privately paid childcare, charges will be clearly identified.

Where applicable, invoices will distinguish between:

• funded entitlement hours;
• additional private paid hours;
• food and meal charges;
• non-food consumables; and
• optional activities.

This ensures parents can clearly see which childcare has been provided through their funded entitlement and which services or hours they have chosen to purchase privately.

Our funded places are planned around staffing, room capacity and availability.

Parents should speak to the nursery as soon as possible if they need to change their child’s attendance pattern.

Our normal notice period for changes to sessions is 6 weeks, subject to the terms of the child’s nursery agreement.

Changes to funded sessions cannot always be accommodated immediately because funded places are subject to availability and staffing requirements.

We will always discuss requested changes with parents and explain the options available.

Government and local authority funding arrangements can change.

Stepping Stones Nursery will follow the current requirements of the Department for Education and Kent County Council in relation to funded early education and childcare.

Parents are responsible for ensuring that any eligibility codes or information required for their child’s funded entitlement are provided to the nursery within the relevant timescales.

Where a child’s eligibility changes, we will discuss the implications with the parent.

Parents can obtain further information about funded childcare and eligibility from:

Kent County Council / Kent Children and Families Information Service (KCFIS) Help with childcare costs – Kent County Council

Parents can also speak directly to the Stepping Stones Nursery team about:

• eligibility;
• funded hours;
• session availability;
• additional hours;
• meals;
• consumables;
• optional activities;
• admissions; or
• any other aspect of our funded childcare offer.