Another one about Consumables charges

[StevieNic]

Our child attends the primary school nursery two days a week, as its term-time only we’ve kept her in the private nursery two days a week all-year round an we use 22 hours funded childcare for that bill.

The school charge us for lunch and 50p a day for fruit. The nursery charge us for breakfast and lunch and then separately a £7-a-day consumables charge.

We provide nappies, wipes, sun cream and they don’t go on trips so this would only be for stuff like art supplies. There’s no way the activities they do costs that much in materials is there? We are struggling just to afford the food shop and put petrol in the car lately so I find it a bit annoying. Has anyone refused to pay? I fear it would harm our relationship with the nursery.

They are a business making profit, not a charitable enterprise.

is there a cheaper alternative in your area? I guess not - so suck it up for another year until your child goes to school or move them
to a childminder. I don’t think the nursery will care if you complain tbh

The nursery can charge for anything over and above the EYFS(Early years foundation stage) that they offer. Although you should be able to opt out of the consumables fee your child will no longer be able to receive pr access what that fee covers. So if baking was part of the fee your child wouldn't partake in that activity. I've seen it where parents who opt out of the fee their child doesn't access forest school. Recently at a particular nursery children didn't get to partake in the Christmas party held at the nursery. As others have said nurseries have to do this otherwise they are not sustainable. To the opening poster. I'm sure you don't go to Easy Jet demanding that they let you off the surcharge to take on hold luggage do you. Nurseries are the same. If you don't want to pay the consumables fee then you will get a more basic offer where you will have to supply all consumables and your child won't access all of their facilities. Or you move your child to a more affordable setting.

Can you move your child to the school nursery for the whole week?

We pay £27.50 a day for consumables. I wouldn't complain at £7.

They are a business that needs to make profits to keep going, and their overheads will be high. Two local nurseries to me closed last year as they just couldn't make ends meet with the increase in rent and energy bills let alone increases in minimum wage/NI.

Is £7 considered high? It's £28 per day at my daughter's nursery

@NoArmaniNoPunani i think it depends what that includes, we pay for food and snacks separately, send in nappies wipes and cream, and they don’t do trips- so this cost is just for art and messy play supplies