USEFUL INFORMATION
Choosing a nursery for your child is a big decision! Before your child joins we will meet you and have a detailed nursery induction. The following information may be useful in relation to support with childcare fees and nursery funding options. If you have any questions at all though, please do get in touch!
Best Start in Life
The Best Start in Life website (formerly Childcare choices) is a great source of information about government schemes to help parents with the cost of childcare, e.g.
• Tax Free Childcare
• Funded places for 9 month, 2, 3 & 4 Year olds (subject to eligibility)
• Tax credits
• Universal credits
FUNDED PLACES
• Qualifying two year olds and every child from the term after their third birthday is entitled to up to 570 hours of funded care per annum
• In addition, working parents who meet the qualifying criteria are eligible for an additional 570 hours of funded care per annum from the term after your child turns 9 months
• These places are subject to Government and Local Authority terms and conditions – just ask our team about how to apply!
• Funded places can be accessed term time only for 38 weeks of the year for 15 or 30 hours per week (subject to eligibility and availability of sessions) or there is the option to stretch funded hours over 51 weeks of the year
Where children access funded places we ask parents to consider the following voluntary additional service to support their child’s nursery experience and ensure the financial sustainability of the setting (please speak to us directly if your child may be eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium).
Based on a 10 hour Business Day the voluntary service charges for a 3 year old would be as follows:
| Breakfast | £1.00 |
| Nutritionally balanced lunch & snacks | £3.00 |
| Tea & healthy snacks | £2.40 |
| Personal hygiene and care items provided (including Calpol, face wipes, tissues, sun cream, bibs, napkins, nappy creams) | £0.90 |
| Additional activities (enrichment activities - sensory play, nursery pets, Chef clubs, woodland activities, yoga, messy play and seasonal events) | £2.70 |
| TOTAL VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION (Business Day) | £10.00 |
TAX FREE CHILDCARE
Tax free childcare is for working families, including the self-employed, in the UK With children under 12 (or under 17 if disabled). For every £8 you pay in, the government will add an extra £2, up to £2,000 per child per year. This will then be paid directly to the nursery account to contribute towards your monthly bill. Eligible parents/carers can save up to £2,000 per child.
Childcare Vouchers
The Orange Tree Nursery also accepts payments by childcare vouchers.
NATIONAL DAY NURSERIES ASSOCIATION
We are a member of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) which is a national charity and membership association for children’s nurseries. NDNA’s vision is a society where all children and families receive the best-quality care and learning to enable them to reach their potential. Our mission is to empower nurseries to provide sustainable, excellent care and early learning for children.