Paying for Preschool.... do they all charge a whole term in advance?

[ClareVoiant]

eek, ds has just started 2 mornings a week, but doesn't get a free place til Jan, I've just got a bill for the whole term! 4 months worth at £9 a session.

for some reason I thought I might get billed monthly. its a lot of money to find (must be paid in 2 weeks time). Is this the norm for pre-schools?

At ours you pay a week in advance. 4 months in one go sounds like a lot.

I used to pay monthly so it worked out at about £100 a month iirc

can you arrange something similar with them?

ours is every half term but it says in bold at the bottom who to contact if you have any problems paying

We bill every half term, but will (reluctantly, due to extra admin) accept payment weekly in advance.

tell me... its ds's birthday the day its due, and money already a bit tight cos we had a summer holiday (self employed)this year. i really hadn't budgeted for such a large amount in one go.

Ours does it by half term.

even every half term would be much more doable, especially as its only a few weeks to half term.

so it seems that half term is the norm?

Is it a preschool with a volunteer management committee? We try to reduce the amount of admin we do, but would certainly allow payment in more installments if asked (nicely ). We really just want hte money.

the two I used billed termly in advance

yes tfm i believe it is. i can understand the need to reduce admin, but a whole term in one go. i think i'll ask if i can pay half terms. its only 2 payments as he's free next term. i cant be the only parent who pays though. or maybe i am?

ok, I have found the part in the handbook about fee's. its a bit amiguous. it says...
'Please pay your bill on receipt of within 2 weeks of the half term in which it was issued'
it doesn't say that it would billed half termly, but that's how I've read it.

yes - all up front.

I would read that as half termly as well, though it's ambiguous I agree.

Ours is half termly. Usually that's how the local authorities do the funding too so it fits in with them.

ok, have emailed them to ask. will see what they say. Thanks all.

Our pre-school has got into lots of financial difficulties by billing at the end of term.
This time we are going to bill upfront as too many famillies were taking the piss and allowing debts to mount up , even when we offered them an easier way to pay.

Ripeberry, I don't mind paying in advance, its the fact that its a whole term that I'm finding difficult.

Ours is weekly in advance ...i've never appreciated that until now ...

we have just been hit with a bill for fees too and like oyu expected it to be weekly or monthly but we have been billed termly! Luckily Dh is covering this terms and then its free in Jan!