'Voluntary Contribution?'

[SearchingforGrandparents]

Hi I have recently been approved for 15 hours funding for my 2yr old to start Nursery. So I approached a lovely private Nursery/Pre-Prep School that surprisingly stated on a local website that they accepted funded children. So I thought why not? I'm no snob but if a really nice place accepts the funding then I may as well check it out at least? If nothing else, just out of curiosity/comparison. So I contacted them and all seemed great..... Then just as I'd booked at date & time to come and look around, the lady mentioned there was a "Voluntary Contribution of £900 per term as we don't feel that the funding covers the costs of the level & quality of service that we offer"

Fair enough if there was a slight cost, but £900 a TERM?!?!?

I guess my questions here are - Exactly how 'voluntary' do you think this is? Has anyone else come across a scenario like this when looking for funded places within Nurseries. Did you have the option to send them there without paying it? If so, did they treat your child differently because of this?

Is it worth the risk? Or should I just be more realistic and send her to somewhere else?

Please don't be harsh or call me snobby! I genuinely am the most down to earth person. It was just one of only 3 funded child-accepting Nurseries in the area and the only one that returned my call! (Plus I thought the little uniform is cute!)

Thanks! X

I'm going to have to pay extra to my dd's nursery for the shortfall from govt funding - but she is full time! £900 seems a lot to top up for 15 hours - is the £900 pro rata'd at all? How much will they want when it's 30 hours funded in September!

But just ask openly about how voluntary that contribution really is. They're used to parents discussing money, and you'll know exactly where you'll stand. Most schools offer accommodations if your child is what they're after.

Accommodation? As in boarding school? Erm no! Def not

No - accommodations as in compromise

Why not just go for a standard community preschool that offers the hours free?

So basically you want an amazing private education on the freebie 2 year old funding?! Get a grip and readjust your expectations

Accommodations as in they will accommodate your circumstances. I don't know of anywhere that boards 2yo.

If the nurseries can't afford to lose money then why accept funded kids!

I wouldn't pay it, the government provide the dosh, I wouldn't & couldn't afford to make up the shortfall!

"If the nurseries can't afford to lose money then why accept funded kids!"

I think nurseries have tried to accept it as it reduces the costs for the parents but with 30 hours coming in I think fewer and fewer nurseries will offer funded places. A cynic could say that that this has been the government's plan all along.

Because most children do more than 15 hours so the nurseries make the money back on the rest of the time. When it's 30 hours many nurseries are screwed as that's all the hours many children do.

And when the minimum wage goes up, many nurseries are screwed. Most things involving nurseries recently end up with many nurseries being screwed.

But don't worry. Nurseries will scrimp and reduce their outgoings to cope leading to a big reduction in quality in order to stay open. If you don't get sneaky top ups it a race to the bottom for nurseries.

I have heard talk of two tier business models discussed where a basic care is given to children attending as funded only and an enhanced care option with extras for those who pay a service fee on top. Either run as separate rooms in the same nursery or with the enhanced care children taken in small groups for the extra activities and resources.

I can't see it being a model anyone would particularly like but it seems like one of few options for settings to stay afloat and also offer funded sessions where the funding rates are too low to meet costs.

They are not allowed to charge a top up, hence the wording, but, if people don't pay the 'extra's they can't balance the books - is what I say when people ask about 'top ups' or being charged for food or whatever.
However £900 a term is extortionate

15hrs x 12 weeks is 180 hours.
They are effectively demanding £5 top up for every hour a child attends! In other words, not offering anything free at all, whilst happily taking public money.
That really does need to be reported to the Local Authority as it is blatantly flouting the rules.

I don't think it's blatantly flouting the rules as it's a voluntary contribution. Nobody is forcing the op to pay it, nobody is forcing the op to choose this setting. The LA have a legal obligation to ensure there are enough funded places, if settings in the area cannot provide places on the funding rate then that is the LA's problem and the op should go back to them and ask them to find her a completely free funded place. In my opinion £900 a term for private education is still very good, you'd pay far more than that where I live 😊

I saw a fantastic comparison to the government offering a free tank of fuel to every working parent. It was written as an open letter telling fuel companies they would be paid a reduced fee for their product and not the market rate. They couldn't charge top ups and would be paid when and how the government decided, not in cash at the point of delivery. It was of course optional to join this scheme but fuel providers should realise that if they didn't then working parents would go elsewhere for their free fuel.

I wonder how many fuel companies would join this amazing scheme and how many would just pull a face at the government.

Interestingly less than half of settings will be providing the 30 hours and many are closing before September.

It's time Parents stopped seeing settings as the bad guys for trying to make a living. No one sees any other business as charlatans for making profit. It's the government who are promising you things and not delivering.

Ours doesn't ask for top ups but it Does have many working parents who use wraparound care a lot and even though I don't work I pay extra for d's to go to lunch club two days a week so he does two full days a week

Snap8, that's a good comparison.

But education should not be about making a profit.

However, I don't believe the govt is paying enough to cover costs. Personally, I would be happy to pay a top up, and consider the funding a discount off regular fees.

There are quite a few (high quality) preschool-type set ups near me who only run during term time and have sessions that allow parents to only use their 15 hours and not pay extra - leave the private nursery spaces for those who need them and are willing and able to pay the difference.

Shouldn't be about making profit???!
Why the hell not? I'm a SE CM why would I do this job if I didn't make a profit? So I work for free only charging what it costs me to look after your little darlings. I need to make a profit to feed and clothe my own children.

Because education is a basic right and shouldn't be only for those who can afford it.

I don't know where that leaves child minders, but I consider profit as after all costs, including wages.

I'm self employed , I don't have wages.

I don't think you know what you're taking about. And you're angry at the wrong people. As I said it's the government that is under delivering not providers who, as private businesses are, and indeed must under HMRC and benefit rules must make a profit. LA run schools and nurseries might only be allowed to charge at cost price but people's private businesses are allowed to run at a teeny tiny profit. Do you have the same opinion about independent schools? No profit allowed as education is a basic right?!

This is a govt cock up - why did they not say each child gets say, £75 per week funding (based on £5 X 15 hours per week). So if the nursery you choose charges £5.50 per hour then you'll have to top up or use fewer hours. The nurseries shouldn't be losing money on this deal.

Well I went rather spectacularly bust last year when they cut the early years from £5.06 to £3.30 & specifically revent me from asking for a top up - if I did I would no longer be entitled to offer 'free' hours

So I closed; I think a lot of places will close very very soon esp when the 30 'free' hours arrive

Oh & we had been outstanding twice - amazingly qualified team, lovely location - closed as we couldn't make ends meet with a 40% reducion in income

Snap was that aimed at me?? I'm not angry at anyone??????

Back You have a very good point, I will call NYCC & report that right now! Thanks. I shall report back shortly on what they say... x

No it wasn't OP. It was just a general statement at those getting cross.

The pre school my dd went to actually charged less than the funding. So they wanted funded children rather than people paying!