15 hours Funding

[Karisf]

Hello,

Hoping someone can advise, my 2 year old has just been granted 15 hours free funding. We have just signed him up to nursery for 2 school days a week 9:15-15:15 (so 12 hours) however we have just received our invoice for April and even though taking into account he's not in for 2 weeks for the Easter Holidays the bill is £90. It isn't broken down it only states that there may be additional charges for food activities etc. I'm confused as to why it's so much - can anyone advise if this is usual as I wasn't expecting it to be so high just for things like that.

Thanks

Is he signed up for term time only?

It does sound a lot for one month, especially when not going in the Easter holidays but as each nursery works things out differently your best bet is to ask for a breakdown and confirmation of how the hours are calculated at that setting.

You need to ask for a breakdown. In theory they are not allowed to charge top up fees for the funded hours. Some nurseries declare lunchtime outwith their funded hours and will charge you the for childcare and lunch for that hour. Some will charge you for nappies etc.

Fwiw when my dd did 12 hours a week at preschool (aged 4) it was completely free except for an annual charge of £20 to cover their morning snack.

Yes it is term time only 42 weeks so I understand we only get 38 weeks covered and so I was expecting around £30 a month plus expenses but I'm confused as to the £60 just for I guess lunch for a couple of weeks

Seems very expensive; ask for a breakdown and if it’s lunches maybe you could ask to take in a packed lunch box?

Where I work the fees are worked out so parents pay the same every month and recalculated in September
Just ring them and ask how yours is worked out

I'm shocked! 2 year olds funding is provided to children from families on low incomes, looked after or adopted children, and forces children. The majority of them are low income families.

I think it's absolutely immoral for nurseries to charge any kind of additional charge in 2 year olds funded places.

I have been a nursery teacher for 10 years. And helped to open 2 other nurseries and I've never heard of this before.

Is the full day funded? They can specify which hours are funded hours and may not cover lunch breaks/food

Mt 2 went from age 3 but did 5 mornings and then there was another set of children that went 5 afternoons.

Some nurseries only fund five hours per day and then you would pay for extra hours.

They will have charged you for 2 x snacks and lunch so £10 a day (ish, they will have calculated it over the year) is probably about right, if a bit on the expensive side.

The breakdown for food etc is on my contract for funded hours - check your contract and see what you’ve agreed to!

The pre school attached to the primary DS may attend only allows 3 hours funded per day. You can take your 15 hours as 3 hrs per day x 5 days so you don't pay (8.45-11.45 or 12.15-3.15) but if you want a full day you have to pay for 3hrs + lunch.

This is why he probably won't be going there eventhough I'd like him to. We are eligible for 30hrs which I was hoping to split with nursery he currently attends but I can't make the logistics work. The funded hours are v confusing as each setting works it out slightly differently.