How much do you pay for your preschool and for what hours?

[TinyDiamond]

I am just really curious as I have a little dd and I'm sure the time will go really quickly

The term after your DD turns 3, she will qualify for 15 hours free pre-school education - you will only need to pay if you use more than 15 hours.

mine went when they got their free hours and I paid £2 a week towards their snack

Ours is £12.50 per session (3 hours). If you qualify for 3-yr funding, they do still ask you to make up the difference (£2.27 per session I think).

they arent supposed to ask for a top up - it is supposed to be free

Have heard of them going before they are 3... That's how the conversation I was having started in the library near me another mum asked me if I'd chosen one yet and I freaked Out thinking I'd seriously missed something! If you start before the free hours do you just pay as you go?

our local ones didnt take children before the age of 3 unless they had a referral for family issues. You may need to look at a private nursery if you want to go before the nursery funding starts

I just got the impression from the way she was talking that a lot of people send their dc from 2 round here. I had never even thought about it before. It could just be my area maybe. She said the waiting lists are long

Oh and does everyone automatically get the free funding or is it means tested?

Our preschool take children from 2. It is £11.50 per session (3 hours) until the term after their 3rd birthday after which it is free (up to 5 3hour sessions per week).
They aren't allowed to charge top up fees for these 15 hours although they can charge for any additional hours over the 15.

ACK I suggest you challenge your pre-school on the top up charges as this I'd not allowed. Alternatively contact your LEA for clarification.

Tiny, it may be worth looking at the options and putting tour ed's name on the waiting list, even if you don't want her to start until she is 3, (in some areas places are in short supply)

Funding from the term after they are 3 is for all and not means tested

Thanks Loony. They do make it clear that it's not compulsory to pay it but the pre school cannot cover its costs without it & they also encourage parents to fundraise as even the top up doesn't mean costs are covered (I'm heavily involved with it so know this is true). People can decide not to top up with no recourse but most do top up.

Regarding age, ours starts you in the academic year before you start school nursery so most are 2 when they start & then turn 3 as the year progresses. If its a particularly young year, then there will be a lot of 2 year olds who receive no funding.

My preschool takes children from 2, £8 for a 3 hour session. Funded places from 3years, pay for extra sessions if you want at the same price, very flexible. Snacks are provided, we send a packed lunch. It's a committee run preschool. I think it's great, really good value and very stable staffing.

The setting I work in takes children from 2 years, we charge £8.75 for 2.5 hours and run 7 sessions a week. In september it is going up to £9, children are funded from the term after their 3rd birthday.

We do have a waiting list but will offer all the children on it a place in September.

The pre-school I have chosen takes children from 2.5 contingent on being dry. It is £25 per 3hr session if you do 5 monings a week. £30 per 3hr session if you do 3 or 4 mornings (3 being the minimum allowed).

at the range of prices for a 3 hour session.

I'm considering sending DS when he is 2 for one 3 hour session per week. I'm worried that he won't settle in only going once per week though, although it would be a PITA did him to go more often (PM nap, + childminder). Does anyone have any advice about this?

Our local pre-school is great by all accounts, and costs £12.50 for a 3 hour session.

DS started from just turned 2 but he had mostly dropped his naps then, well I made him drop them because they got too late and messed up bedtime.

He went 9-3, 3 days a week and now goes 4 days a week with a gap day in the middle where I have some 1:1 time with him at another playgroup thing and we just hang out. I would try at least 2 sessions a week, I think once a week may not be enough for them to settle but it depends a lot on the child.

"The pre-school I have chosen takes children from 2.5 contingent on being dry." Isn't this illegal? You cannot discriminate against children even at school on grounds of continence. DD is 3.2 still not toilet trained - possibly because she's slow at toilet training, possibly because I haven't worked hard at it, and possibly due to her physical disability. If continence were a criterion for pre-school education, she'd miss out.

We pay £7.50 per 3-hour session, snacks included. Children can go from 2y 9m and are funded the term after their 3rd birthday.

I think most pre-schools will take kids in pull-ups.

I don't know the exact ins and outs of it but I think before the age of 5 pre-schools can stipulate that children have to be dry. However, once a child reaches statutory school age they MUST be offered and educational placement so schools cannot say no to a 5yo who isn't toilet trained.

Ours is a community pre-school, staffed by professionals but managed by a committee of volunteers.

They charge £9 for a 2.5 hour session or £2.50 for lunchtime session (plus the free funding for children over 3 as mentioned by others). They take children from 2.5 years, they prefer them to be dry but don't insist on it.

They provide drinks but not food: you're asked to send a snack for each full session attended (these are pooled and shared among all the kids, which I think is really nice - there's an allergies list to make sure no-one eats anything they shouldn't) and packed lunch if needed.

Parents are encouraged to get involved and if poss attend a session or two each term as a 'helper' - they can help in whatever way they like: reading stories, doing activities, preparing the snack plates, tidying/sorting out the toys, doing odd jobs in the (lovely) garden or just being around and playing with the children. When DD1 was at the school and I was on mat leave with DD2, I wasn't capable of doing much more than sitting around drinking tea and that was fine too!

It's a lovely pre-school. :)

My DS is funded now but his pre school costs £3.50 per hour so £10.50. / 3 hour session. £22.50 for the full day 9-3.

I started him the term before he reached 2.5.

Where are you OP? If you are in London and talking about private pre-school it can be >£2k per term.

Galina / ebdteacher, pre schools are are not allowed to discriminate against children who are not toilet trained. We take them from 2.5 and it is certainly the case that we have to take children in pull ups. I am surprised that pre schools would do this even if legal - many children are not dry till 3.5, even 4. It is hard for the staff to manage sometimes, but they usually get dry throughout the year and this year we didn't have any. You can't discriminate against children on any basis.

Jeazze Louise - I feel well blessed to have found a 8:30 to 3:30 nursery for my kid in west london - for £82 a week. We have to provide lunch for them ourselves everyday, but they do provide snacks, water and milk.

More comments if you want to read on - the staff are great - the kids that I see there are happy - they do loads of arts and crafts and even have 2 computers for the kids to use - they are loving and yet structured in the day - the center is very open and bright with a great outdoor play area as well - my son has been going there since Jan (since he got his 15 hours a week) and often asks on weekend and during term breaks- 'is today a nursery day - I want to go to nursery'....I am sooo grateful I found this place - its been a real blessing for me as he is an only child and needed the socialization and structure for the coming years of school.

I'm in SE London and they charge £175 a week for 9-4 and that includes lunch, snacks etc. For London it's very cheap.

Are the preschools free for 15 hours if you are not a citizen? My husband plans to do a sabbatical and our twins will be 3 by the time we arrive. I've contacted an agency to see how we go about putting them in preschools and if we have to register before we would arrive or how it all works. Just curious. I hope we find a great place for them; they so far seem to love school.