Can’t afford the additional charges at nursery for my 3 year old

I have to say I am completely confused by the system now having read all this and am very glad I don't have a 3 year old any more 😁
I hope you get this sorted @Lilacbluewaters 🙂
I'm off now.....bye everyone.

Well I'm surprised and maybe feeling naive as my just turned 4 year old is in a school nursery, wears uniform, advertised as a nursery/eyfs curriculum on the school website.
However there are no teachers. Just a "room lead"
He's in 15 hours so he does two 9-3 days. So technically only really using 12 hours out of the 15
And I have to pay £2.25 ph

Here's what it says on parentpay
"The £2.25 consumables charge on a funded £ hour AM or PM session Or The £15 charge for a non-funded session Payments can still be paid through childcare vouchers or the government tax free childcare choices option, contact "

@Threeandahalf is the wrap around care run by the school/nursery? In most schools I know the wrap around care is from an outside provider - so not actually part of the school (but usually on site). So I would expect to have to pay for that.

@Saltandvin I know private nurseries follow the same EYFS curriculum but surely the curriculum is based on attending for just 15 hours.
If a child is at a private nursery for a whole day (ie 8 - 5) they must spend time doing non EYFS activities?
So it can't be completely the same....can it ??

Yes the wrap around is 7.30-8.45 and 3.30-5.30.

7:30-5:30 at a school nursery? Is that the ‘school day’, ie learning time in reception to year 6, or does that include some form of wrap around care?

@Threeandahalf I did say I have totally confused myself and I really don't know any more 🙂
The free hours from 9 months is only for working parents - so not all children will get it.

I'm a primary teacher and have children in a private nursery. They are following exactly the same EYFS as children in a school nursery. The pre-school room doesn't have a nap time just like they wouldn't in a school nursery, but a child could have a lie down and little nap of they were particularly tired, again just like in F1 or F2 at school. There are children who just go for mornings or afternoons and only started age 3, in preparation for school, just like you get in a school nursery.

I also know many people who absolutely do use school nurseries for childcare; it mostly just depends on what the local provision is in your area.

I don't know why you keep asserting things as fact when they aren't.
My son goes to a private nursery 7.30-5 , 3 days a week
He also attends a school nursery 7.30-5.30, 2 days a week. He wears a school uniform and it is an extra class on the school. There is a baby room, and a 2-4 room. The deputy head of the school is the manager of the school nursery.

Also 2 year olds do get free childcare. They get 15 hours free if they're 9 months or older in England, if parents work.

Op personally I think £80 per month is normal but they should have been more transparent.

To clarify, is the pre school run by the primary school? Just some schools round us have an on site nursery, but it’s a private provider that pay to use a room/grounds/kitchen etc. That will definitely be a different kettle of fish to a pre school run by the LA as part of a wider school.

Can you ask for a full breakdown of the bill?
Then state you will only pay the charge for snack as you should not be paying for consumables that your child does not use.

Most nurseries ask you to pay for sundries - the consumables like play doh, paint, soap and paper towels, plus a mid morning snack. Ours is £1 a day I think, which I'm happy to pay as it is otherwise free childcare. £80 for a month seems excessive. Are you sure the place was fully funded and it doesn't include a top up amount to cover the difference like a lot of private nurseries charge? Does he stay there for lunchtime and receive a meal that you have to pay for? Our previous nursery attached to a school charged £2.50 for lunches as those aren't funded like they are from reception.

Our LA state primary school charges zero for pre school. We had to provide a snack and a packed lunch but all material was included. Barring SEN, you can only send your child if they are toilet trained, so nappies and wipes were also not needed (they only take from term after turning 3).

It seems really off charging to access the school app! Do they charge the parents of kids in the rest of the school to use it?

How are your hours split? 5 mornings or 2.5 days?

Sadly they probably can add these charges on. But it’s really rubbish for you.

Cross posted

@Lilacbluewaters I would contact your local MP.
If you are just sending him 15 hours and it a LA school you shouldn't be paying anything.

To add though, if your DS doesn't require nappies or wipes I would be questioning why you have to pay towards them

Just out of interest - was this not discussed before you enrolled your child? Or did you miss the T&Cs? Because they can't just put on extra charges you didn't know about / agree to.

If your in receipt of UC you can declare the £80 costs and you will get 85% of the £80 paid with your next months UC

If you are in receipt of UC they will cover 85% of fees/invoices. You just need to upload a copy of the invoice and they pay the next payment period.

I'm not quite sure about a couple of the points raised on this thread...

Three hours per day is mentioned a lot, but ours are 8:45-3:15 so "full" school days but the only charge is for lunch or supervision at lunch if taking a packed lunch.

I have no advice but just want to explain that the funding nurseries get doesn’t come close to covering the cost of a child so they have to charge to make up the shortfall. Some nurseries charge more than others - various reasons for this - some local authorities pay different amounts of funding could be one. Lots of nurseries have shut down becuse of the funding and the fact it’s marketed as ‘free hours’. They are trying to change the wording so extra charges aren’t a surprise.

I will say that you should have been made aware of the extra charges when you started though!!

Yes same hours - short private day or normal school day.

They do offer daily activities yes. But the kids decide if they want to do them or just free play with the more permanent activity options.

@Lilacbluewaters Just saw your post about UC, I think you'll be able to claim the majority of the cost back then.

How many hours does he do

most 3/4yr do the free 15hrs and that’s ir

unless of course need childcare as parents working

never heard of a pre school charging for nappies and wipes - even more so if your child is pt

i would def query the invoice

only thing I paid was the 30m when did whole day 6hrs inbetween lunch and am /pn session which I think was £5 a day then

dd only did one full day

mon pm 1230/330
tue pm 1230/330
wed day off
thur all day 9-330 with 30m lunch £5
fri am 9/12

which was her 15 hrs when 3