Pre-school top up fee

[Remmy123]

Hi there

My daughter's pre school has recently introduced a top up fee, the sessions have changed from 9-3pm to 8-6pm and 1-6pm.

Each session they are charging a top up fee of 20.00.

So if I send her 8-6pm I pay 40.00

This nursery is in a converted house (the family live there) it is fab but I am basically having to pay a huge invoice (approx 650 a month for 4 full days, with 30 hours funded hours) all year round.

This is a lot more than I expected so wiil lok to move her, unfortunately.

Are they allowed to charge such high top up fees?

Thanks

[WingingWonder]

Yes they are and most must because the free hours don’t nearly cover it...
The free hours are 9-3 so any hours out if threes can be charged atv hat ever rate they choose
For those ‘free’ hours they can top up

[Remmy123]

Thanks- I only need her to be at nursery from 9-3 - so I am now paying 40 a day when I won't need/use the hours 😬

They also have a little sports company come in for one hour, I've also been invoiced for that - it's not broken down what the top up fee covers

[Tumbleweed101]

I think that is possibly classed as an unreasonable top up fee if you’re only accessing the funded hours and not hours outside these. If you only did 8-1 (for example) would that then be using your funding? Just wondering if it’s because you span two sessions?

Might be worth chatting to the nursery though if this change means you’ll leave.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

So you’re also paying across 51weeks of the year, not just term time?

[user1493413286]

Do you normally pay full fee for the hours that aren’t covered in the school holidays?

[Whatthebloodyell]

Some of the busier nurseries near me do this, but there are plenty that are much more
Flexible with sessions and only charge for the hours that you actually use. How old is your child. If you only need 9-3 you could
Use a nursery attached to a school and not pay any top ups. Some school nurseries accept children from 2 years old.

[Remmy123]

Thanks all - I need nursery all year round.

I basically have to put her in either 8-1 (20.00 top up) or 1-6 (20 top up) - if she did 4 mornings that's 320 a month .. I then have to pay a childminder to have her until 3.. so this 30 funding doesn't end up benefitting me at all!!

Am I within my rights to ask for a break down of what this top up covers?

As mentioned it's in someone's house.

Thanks

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

I mean in someone’s house is irrelevant as lots of nurseries are- ours included.
What did you pay before the 30hrs?
We pay on top of our hours because we use the nursery all year round too- but I see the deduction from when we got no funding. I also was always aware that an hr isn’t a true hr, so it will be food/ drink and the additional days outside of term tome adding the cost. Tbh if it’s an issue I would move her to a school nursery and pay a childminder for the holidays.

[Fedup21]

I wonder if finding somewhere that offers 9-3 all year round will be difficult. Mine always did 9-12 term time only.

[Fedup21]

School nurseries (the ones attached to schools-often in the more deprived areas) only seem to offer morning or afternoons here.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

There’s a preschool near us in London/Kent border that is 9-3, they don’t provide lunch so you send a packed lunch, only term time.

[Tumbleweed101]

We do 9-3 but stretch funding throughout the year means you get less than 30hrs funded each week as the funding is term time only so only 38 weeks. Think it works out around 22hr funded per week stretched and any other hours are fee based.

[Apple40]

Our local authorities say you have to show break down of additional fees, but sadly yes they can charge what they want as in most places the funded money does not cover costs ( I lose a £1 an hour for every funded hour I offer) for this reason I only off funded hours term time only and charge £1 per funded hour you use with me. This then covers arts, craft, resources, playgroups etc which are not covered by the funded hours.

[SMaCM]

They can do this, but if it doesn't suit you, then you probably need to find somewhere else.