Mumsnet Talk

My daughter will start a state nursery at 3 years old (attached to her school). Now... I was under the impression that extra hours were at a DISCOUNTED rate, but I seem to get conflicting advice about this everywhere, and from everyone I talk to! There is no straight answer to be found!

I would REALLY appreciate someone explaining to me how it works...

The nursery told me it was £3.20 per hour over the free allocated hours we all get, but 2 mums who have children going there say they only pay £1.75 per hour... One of them is self employed and the other works. They can offer no explanation to why they pay this amount - they just said the bills reduced suddenly!

Thanks girls!

if it's a state nursery they are obliged to let you take up either 12 or 15 hours free (depending on your area - here it's 15)

3.20 an hour may be the hourly rate, which the mums were paying until their child qualified for the 15 hours.Now their child qualifies, they have seen their bill drop by 15 x 3.20, so are now seeing their 'weekly' bill as 1.75 per hour. (because they are still counting the hours that are now free?)

Are you sure the other parents aren't dividing invoice amount by total hours to equal a lower hourly rate?

So they might be looking at it as £1.75 per hour for say 20 hours when in fact it is £3.20 per hour with 12.5 hours free?

Ewe said it better

you get 15 hours of funded hours for 38 weeks a year from the term after they turn 3. the hours are in blocks of 3 hours. you can use a maximum of 9 hours in one day, depending on what you provider will accept. DS's nursery will only allow us to use 6 hours in one day (one am and one pm). we then pay their stated hourly rate on top of that.

For DS's playschool sessions are 3 hours long in line with terms so we don't pay for that.

I don't fully understand your question as you aren't very clear...
but I think the reduction might be due to the nursery education grant which kicks in at the start of the school term AFTER their third birthday. Ie not on their third birthday but in some cases (for may babies like my ds2) 6 months later when the september school term starts. Ds1 is a late december baby, our nursery fees for him reduced the first week back in January.

So if your daughter only just turned 3 then she is probably on the full rate till the next school term starts in January.

I think...

If I have understood you correctly....

Thanks ladies. No, they aren't counting their free hours... they insist they are only paying £1.75 per hour for extra hours....

Does it sound too good to be true, or is there something I'm missing..?

I just read your op again and now I am inclined to think that Ewe is right.

Sorry I wasn't clear Flibbertyjibbet... What is the nursery education grant..?

I'm not sure how to be clearer in my question:

I know she gets free allocation (about 15 hours)

BUT

I need to put her in nursery full time,

So

all hours ABOVE the free amount - Is this charged at full rate, OR

Is there a scheme to allow discounted fees for the extra hours?

Is that any clearer..?

nursery education grant is the 15 free hours.

Don't think there is any other scheme to discount fees. I suspect the other mums may have got it a bit mixed up.

There is an issue with Funded Early Education (nursery vouchers/FEE) but I don't know if it is causing your situation:

I charge £4 a hour
If a child comes 10 hours - I charge £40
If they are entitled to FEE then I will be paid £3.38 for 2.5 hrs - so £8.45
I would like to ask the parents to pay £40-£8.45 so £31.65 but I can't I have to charge them 7.5hrs @ £4 so £30 because I'm not allowed to cross subsidise the funded sessions

So they are getting 10 hrs of childcare @ £3 an hour

Don't think that is what is happening here - but I posted in case

How long are the sessions?