Funded and fee-paying information:

The Government provides universal funding for ALL three and four-year-old children starting from the term following their third birthday until they start Reception. These children qualify for 15 hours of funded nursery provision per week during term time.  Parents DO NOT need to make an application for this entitlement but will complete a funding form to confirm their attendance in our nursery.

The date you can claim will depend on when your child’s birthday is: 

Child’s Birthday	When you can claim
1 January to 31 March	The beginning of term on or after 1 April (Summer Term)
1 April to 31 August	The beginning of term on or after 1 September (Autumn Term)
1 September to 31 December	The beginning of term on or after 1 January (Spring Term)

30 hours funded provision for 3 and 4 year olds and Tax Free childcare:

These are two separate Government schemes to help parents with the cost of childcare and both can be applied for in one online application through the childcare service. Parents can use Tax Free Childcare alongside 15 and 30 free hours but not at the same time as childcare vouchers universal credit or tax credits.  However, you can receive 30 hours funded childcare alongside these schemes.  If you are eligible for the tax free childcare scheme please get in touch with the school office so that your eligibility code can be validated.

You can usually get 30 hours funded childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are in work for 16 hours a week and earning at least £120 a week but no more than £100,000 each a year.  You must make the application the term before you wish to start receiving funding and you can apply up to 16 weeks before your child turns three.  Hours can start at the beginning of the next term following a YES confirmation from HMRC.  If you are eligible for these extra hours, you will receive an 11 digit reference code which you must pass onto us at Gorsemoor, along with your National Insurance number. The school office will also need to see your child’s birth certificate before your child can start. You will need to reconfirm your eligibility for the 30 hour funded provision every three months. If you fail to do so, you will be invoiced for the additional hours accessed.

Please visit https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk for further details of eligibility and how to apply.  You can also ring the childcare service helpline on 0300 123 4097. Parents MUST make their own application and if eligible complete a Parental Declaration Form available from school.  Please also let us know on this form if your child is eligible for Early Years’ Pupil Premium.  Children will be eligible if their parents receive benefits used to access eligibility for free school meals.  If you complete the EYPP section, with parent NI number and date of birth, school can make the application for you.  This money is paid directly to school to help support your child.

Recent updates to Early Years funding guidance place a strong emphasis on ensuring that funded childcare is offered to parents without any mandatory charges. In response, we are making adjustments to how we provide our 30 hours of funded provision.

Our priority is to ensure that all families can access their funded entitlement in a way that best meets their needs, while continuing to deliver the high-quality early years education we are known for.

To support parents, we now offer two session types:

• Option 1: 8:45am – 3:25pm (this includes a small lunch club charge) This option exceeds the 30 funded hours, offering a full day of provision. A small lunch club charge will apply to cover the additional 45 minutes of care each day, which supports staffing and operational costs during this extended time. This will be invoiced termly and payments can be made through ParentPay or Tax Free Childcare accounts. A school-hours session, which includes a lunchtime period and therefore carries a lunch charge.

 

• Option 2: 8:45am – 2:45pm (fully funded) This session is entirely covered by the 30-hour funding, with no additional weekly charges to parents. (Please note: children attending this session will miss part of our afternoon curriculum, including enrichment activities that support wider learning, and our daily reading for pleasure sessions, which are valuable for building a lifelong love of reading.)
   

We are committed to transparency and fairness, and we hope that offering both options gives families the flexibility to choose what works best for them.

On admission to nursery, parents are provided with a link to an online form where they can select their preferred option.

Please note that half a term’s notice is required for any changes to session choices. This is necessary to meet invoicing requirements and local authority funding deadlines.

Non-Funded Places

For children who are not entitled to funded nursery hours, our daily fees are as follows:

3-4 year olds (the term after their 3rd birthday)

£18.00 per session Morning session 8:45-11:45am Afternoon session 12:25-3:25pm

£4 for lunch club (sandwiches from home) 11:45am-12:30pm

Invoices are issued for the full term and are clearly itemised on a weekly basis. To support families, each invoice includes two payment dates, one for the first half of the term and a final date for the second half. Parents may choose to pay the invoice in full or make weekly instalments using ParentPay or their Tax-Free Childcare account.

We also accept most childcare vouchers. In order to pay using childcare vouchers, you must contact the school office.

If your child is off Nursery due to sickness or a holiday, your weekly nursery fees must still be paid.

If you choose to cancel your child's place for whatever reason, you must give at least 4 weeks notice.