Kids Planet Funding

[Hodgonj]

Hi there, keen to hear views/opinion on Kids Planet nursery funding. Our son is eligible for 30 funded hours from September but some literature provided by Kids Planet states we will only receive 15hrs per week free and have to pay for the remaining 16.5hrs.

This is confusing as 30hrs stretched over the whole year should give us almost 22 funded hours per week. Where have the other 7 gone?!

Maybe they only offer 15 hours?

They do offer 30

Now though?

The 30 hours for 9 month - 2 yrs doesn't start until September so their literature probably relates to current funding which is 15 hours.

Otherwise just ask them?

My daughter goes to a Kids Planet Nursery in the North East and is eligible for 30 hours. We stretch it but they only take up to 10 hours per day so we pay for one hour a day (she only goes two days and they're open 7am to 6pm, not that my daughter is there that long) plus disposables/materials etc. They do go on trips so I don't mind paying for the extras.

10 hours is the maximum allowed by the DfE.

@FrannyScraps ah, i didn't know that. I was just writing it as it shows on my Funding Loop agreement. I was just trying to be detailed to show what we pay. I don't mind paying any of it, from what we were paying before she qualified for 30 hours funding it's a breeze now 😊
Plus, we really like the staff there.

Oh I know, I just thought I'd say in case you thought it was a policy made up by the nursery. I'm also aware people read these forums and the information can help others too.

Kids planet as an Employer have some ace benefits for staff

Like 8 days fertility paid leave days for example

I wouldn’t recommend Kids Planet Nursery based on my experience after their takeover. There were ongoing issues with billing and government funding that caused a huge amount of stress.
I repeatedly asked for stretched funded hours, which were never applied, yet I continued to be charged on top of funded hours. After months of questioning, I discovered my daughter had been registered as attending extra time that I never agreed to. I also received large unexpected invoices, including a bill after she left which included late payment which only changed after I involved the council.
My daughter is now at a local, non-franchise nursery where her funded hours are stretched properly with no issues or large monthly bills, which really highlights the difference.
The staff themselves were lovely and amazing with my daughter, but the management and billing practices felt unclear and very money-focused. The council is now investigating.