FEES & FUNDING POLICY & INFORMATION

Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 8.45am —2.45pm Term time only.

Session times:

Our fees are currently: (updated September 2025)

Fees are payable half termly in advance. A receipt will be supplied upon request.

We cannot make any reduction for sessions reserved and not used. In the case of your child being absent for a long period of time due to serious illness and/or hospitalisation an allowance can be made (see policy).

Cheques are not accepted by the Pre-school. Please speak to Elaine if you require the bank details to transfer monies directly into the pre-school account.

We may be able to make special arrangements with parents who may be on income support, benefits, single parents etc if they are unable to pay a half term in advance. However, where an arrangement is broken, the parent/carer will be expected to pay the half terms fees in full to secure their child’s place.

Free Early Learning and Childcare Funding (3/4 Year olds)

Mudeford Pre-school offers funded early education for all 3 and 4 years olds. This is universal funding given to every child from the term following their third birthday up until they reach compulsory school age. The funding provides your child with 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year. Fees will be charged for all hours above 15 OR if optional additional charged services are requested.

Your child is able to attend more than one setting but the carer must pay for any sessions attended that take them over their 15 funded hours per week. You will be asked to sign a declaration stating the number of sessions your child attends at all Pre-schools/Nurseries at the beginning of each term.

Additional Funding

Starting from April 2024, existing childcare support will be expanded in phases. By September 2025, most working families with children under the age of 5 will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support.

The changes are being introduced gradually to make sure that providers can meet the needs of more families. This means that:

From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours childcare support.

From September 2024, 15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 3-year-olds.

From September 2025, eligible working parents with a child from 9 months old up to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week. 

Like the existing offer, depending on your provider, these hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year or up to 52 weeks if you use fewer than your total hours per week.

For further details on all the changes to childcare funding see https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/upcoming-changes-to-childcare-support/

Additional Optional Payments

Termly Agreement

Every term an agreement will be sent home to be signed and returned. This allows the parent/guardian to opt in or opt out of any of the additional optional payments. These additional payments are detailed above and are optional. If you choose to opt out of the additional payments, then alternative arrangements will be made ensuring they follow our other policies. Your child will still be able to access the free funding entitlement but may not be able to access all activities provided by the preschool. They will, however, be able to access all activities that are necessary for the effective delivery of the EYFS.

There will also be an option on the agreement to book the early drop off of 8:30am. This is a half termly charge of £30 and will be added to the invoice.

Lunch Charge

Lunches are provided by Pre-school. The price of this is £4 a day. If the preschool receives Deprivation funding for your child, the all day charge will be substituted at the above rate for up to 2 days per week.

If you choose to opt out of the lunch charge then alternative arrangements will be made for your child. This will include you needing to provide a suitable lunch for your child. All details regarding the stipulations on providing food for your child is detailed in the Food policy which can be obtained through Elaine.

Food Charge

The food charge payment covers the cost of the preschool providing a fresh fruit snack everyday, as well as any additional food consumed by the children. This can include celebration food such as Pancakes on Pancake Day or food for the children to try during Chinese New Year.

If you choose to opt out of the food charge, then you will need to provide a fresh fruit snack for your child, details of which can be found in the food policy. It would also mean that the child would be unable to partake in celebration food events.

Non-Food Consumables Charge

This charge covers the cost of the following:

Activities and items used for celebration events such as Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas etc

activities such as posting Santa Letters at Christmas

activities such as making cards for Easter, Mother’s Day etc

Home corner resources for events such as Chinese New Year

Tuft Tray resources for events such as Red Nose Day

Specialist Tuition Activities for example, music sessions, football sessions, forest ranger etc

Book Bags

Water Bottles

If you choose to opt out of the non-food consumables charge, then your child will be unable to partake in any activities that are provided by this charge.

Claiming funding in the case of failure to commence

In line with the BCP Provider Agreement in the case of failure to commence (or a ‘no-show’) and where a signed Parent/Carer Declaration form has already been completed, we will require that parent/carers give four calendar weeks’ notice. Funding for the four weeks will be claimed from BCP which will affect any funding claim made at another setting during this period.

Notice Period

Half a term notice in writing is required if you wish to change your child’s hours or cancel your place at Pre-school.