15 hours fundinf private nurseries

[slightlyconfused85]

I'm starting to research my options for return to work after my second mat leave. My elder Dd will be eligable for free fundinf and I'm considering a private nursery for her and ds who will be 8 months.
If they charge say 40 pounds per day for her, and she goes three days a week how do they deduct the funding? Just interested to know while I try to estimate costs of different options. Thanks

There isn't a standard practice. She is entitled to the equivalent of 15 hours funded at whatever their hourly rate is for 39 weeks a year. This may be deducted for each relevant week, in which case your bill would vary, or the total spread over 52 weeks so your charges are consistent each month.

Thank you. I have looked at a nursery today for example who say for her age category it is 40 per day which is a 10 hour day. It then cites the hourly rate at £5.40. Times 10 this is obviously not equal to £40 a day so would they likely deduct 15 times £5.40 or £4?

You'd have to ask but suspect they'd only deduct £4 per hour ie. £12 per day. Is the £5.40 charged for booking less than a full day?

It depends on what the council pays them
They should be able to tell you
Not all private nurseries offer the free early years hours

They can't just deduct what council reimburses as that is often lower than the hourly rate. The hours are funded at their chargeable rate.

You need to ask them but they will probably allocate a certain number of hours/sessions per day as the "free" time. Also the 15 hours is term time only

Our nursery spreads it out across the whole year not just term time, so it works out at 11 hours per week and those free 11 hours are taken in set sessions

According to the terms of their funding agreement with the council, you shld be able to access 15 hours completely free of charge. However, in reality many settings find ways of charging top ups because the amount paid by the council is less than their usual fees. Many councils just turn a blind eye to it.

Nurseries are fee to administer the 15 hours howeve they want e.g. They could say that the funded hours are only available for 3 hours every day, from 8 - 11am, or every afternoon from 3 - 6pm.

In my nursery i could offer you one full day free all year round
Or 15 hours term time only
Our funded nursery sessions term time only are any combination of 9-12, 12-3 or 9-3
Best bet is to ask the nursery

We would deduct the hours then charge the hourly rate for the rest. So if you use 15 hours over 2 days (10 hour day) we would charge in their case 5 x £5.40, and full fees in holiday time (14 weeks). The hourly rate is most likely higher to make up for the shortfall in funding. Most nurseries have to be creative in the way they invoice to make up for the lack of funding (our council actually had a sample invoice to show you how to make up the loss!!)

I would suspect £40 per day for people paying for a day and for people with funded hours - 15 free hours then all other hours at £5.40/hr. You need to ask them.