How We Calculate Your Fees

Here at Rise & Shine we want to make things as simple and easy to understand as possible, especially when it comes to those all-important fees and finances. We understand that as a parent/carer you want peace of mind when it comes to paying your nursery fees.

For this reason, we have put together this guide where we will hopefully answer some frequently asked questions about fees.

Please note that all calculations are based on a 51 week year as we are closed between Christmas and New Year which you are not charged for.

‘All Year Round’ Fees are calculated according to a monthly average, to create a fixed monthly fee that you can budget for:

Weekly fee multiplied by  51  divided by 12 = Fixed Monthly Fee

Under 2 years of age

IMPORTANT Please note that half days for under two's are not available for regular bookings as it is too disruptive for such small children, however ad hoc half days are possible subject to availability at the managers discretion.

Over 2 years of age

(fees are payable in advance on or before the 28th of each calendar month).

Discounts

Full time week discount          10% automatically taken off monthly bill.

Sibling discount                      10% discounted from eldest childs monthly bill.

Other Fees

Registration Fee         £100.00 (non refundable)

Deposit                       £200.00 part time attendance, refundable on leaving.

                                   £300.00 full time attendance, refundable on leaving.

Late Payment Fee       £25.00 first day and £10.00 each day after.

Late Collection Fees    Please ask Nursery Manager for current late fees for

                                   any child not collected by 18.30pm

Payment Dates

When you register your child you will be asked to set up a monthly standing order. This means that you make timely and regular payments from your bank account on the 28th of each calendar month in advance giving you peace of mind that fees are taken care of automatically. All fees are due monthly in advance prior to the start of the month.

Q. What happens if my child starts nursery, changes their sessions or leaves nursery part-way through the month?

The fee for that particular month will be calculated based on actual sessions booked in the month, then a new monthly average would resume the following month. This is the case even if the number of sessions per week is the same e.g. a child changing from Full Days Mondays,Tuesdays and Wednesdays to Full Days Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays. 

Ad hoc sessions will be added to your next monthly bill.

Q. What if my child is ill or on holiday and therefore doesn’t attend nursery for some of the month?

Fees are based on the reservation of a place for your child, not on actual attendance. Therefore, all fees are payable even if your child does not attend nursery for all their booked sessions.

Q. What happens on Bank Holidays/over Christmas when the nursery is closed?

The nursery is closed on the working days between Christmas Day and New Years Day and all public bank holidays. Your fees are calculated  to exlude a charge for the week between Christmas and New Year, this is why the calculation of your monthly fee shows 51 weeks rather than 52.

No additional deductions shall be made to monthly fees for general public and bank holidays as this has already been factored into the session fees we charge.

Q. What happens if I want to pay via a third party ie Childcare Vouchers?

We are able to accept payment through third party providers. If you wish to pay a contribution to your invoice via this method please  let us know. You will need our Ofsted Registration number to set up your account with the third party company. Please ask the manager to provide you with this.
Please ensure that if you are paying a contribution by this method you fully understand the cut off date they need to receive your contribution by in order to process to clear our account on or before the 28th of the month in order to avoid late payment charges.

Q. Can I benefit from Tax-Free Childcare, how does it work?

Parents are able to set up an online account where they can bank payments for childcare.  For each £8 you pay in, the Government will add an additional  £2 up to a maximum of £2,000 per year per child. Families of disabled children receive help with their childcare costs to a maximum of £4,000 per year.

Tax-Free Childcare is being rolled out gradually and will eventually cover all families with children under 12 if they meet the required work and income criteria. Self-employed can also benefit from this scheme. There is an upper-income limit per parent of £100,000 to qualify, and a minimum weekly income level per parent equivalent to 16 hours worked at the National Living Wage. Note- Tax-Free Childcare is replacing childcare vouchers – you cannot have both!

We strongly advise parents to ensure we have received payments by the 28th of the month by taking account of the lead times needed for the third party to process the payment on their behalf. Late payments will be subject to late payment fees.

Q. My child is now 3 years old – how do I access the Free Early Years Entitlement Funding?

Please see below regarding funding for three year olds. When your child is eligible (from the start of the term after their third birthday), our nursery will pass you a copy. The funded hours will be deducted from your fees automatically every month.

‘Early Education Entitlement’ is funded education for all 3 and 4 year olds (and some 2 year olds who meet certain criteria), paid for by the government.
Starting from the term after their third birthday, all children are entitled to 15 hours at nursery per week, 38 weeks of the year, and some children are eligible for the Extended Entitlement of 30 hours, again over 38 weeks of the year, under the following criteria:

• Both parents must be working – or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family

• Each parent earns, on average, a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours at National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage

• Each parent must have an annual income of less than £100,000

Here at Rise & Shine we provide funded childcare as part of our sessional care combined with flexible funding arrangements.

There is a minimum attendance level of 2 days a week for 15 hours funding and if you are eligible for 30 hours funding there is a minimum attendance of 3 days a week. If you start with 2 days a week and become eligible for 30 hours funding you will need to increase attendance to 3 days from the same term you receive the additional funding. 

When making use of the 15 & 30 Funded Hours program, we ask you to agree to pay a Consumables Charge, this is to ensure our Early Educators are well qualified and earn a fair hourly rate for the time they spend looking after your children.This Consumables Charge also covers consumables such as food, snacks, drinks, nappies, wipes, arts and crafts activities, weekly and ad hoc educational visitors and other toiletries. These consumables are not covered by the local authority funded rate, which is usually significantly lower than an Early Educator would charge families with all of the above consumables included. Unfortunately, we do not have the space or facilities on site to allow packed lunches to be stored safely.

Our Consumables Charge is £0.00 for every hour of local authority funding you are entitled to with 2 years and under and £1.43 per funded hour for 3 years onwards. This will be shown on your invoice for reference.

The Consumables Charge is usually the difference between the hourly rate that an Early Educator would normally charge families and the rate that the local authority pay to Early Educators for these hours.

Please be aware that we are committed to providing every child in attendance with balanced, nutritional food and special dietry requirements where needed at approprtiate breaks in the day. We do not have the facilities on site to allow parents/carers to provide packed lunches.

Please note we do not charge by the hour, our rates are for sessions inclusive of the funded hours that are provided to you free. As the free funded hours are not classed as a subsidy the Local Authority requires us to show only the number of free hours on your invoice and we are unable to apply a monetary value to them.

IMPORTANT- YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE FUNDED HOURS CLAIMED.

Funding Periods

Funding then continues at Rise & Shine  until your child starts Reception Class at school, in the year they turn 5.

How Do The Funded Hours Appear On My Bills?

As your child attends all year round, funding is spread evenly throughout the year, giving you an  equal amount to pay each month. The yearly entitlement paid for by the government is:
• 15 hours x 38 weeks (term time) = 570 total hours per year. This stretched over the whole year (divided by 51 weeks) = 11 hours per week, to be deducted from each monthly bill at the hourly rate.
OR
• 30 hours x 38 weeks = 1140 total hours per year. This stretched over the whole year (divided by 51 weeks) = 22 hours per week, to be deducted from each monthly bill at the hourly rate.
The sessions/hours over and above your funding  will continue to be worked out as a monthly average to spread the costs evenly over the year; Weekly Fee x 51 / 12 = Monthly Fee inclusive of funded hours.
 

What Do I Have To Do To Access The Early Years Funding Entitlement?

Everyone is entitled to 15 hours a week termly funding the term after they turn three. For 30 hours funding, the term before your child turns three, you should check the Government website to confirm your eligibility.

Around the beginning of each term, you will be asked to sign a Parent Declaration Form, setting out the agreed hours and pattern of access to the funding. Your entitlement may be split with another one or two providers if you wish – if you decide to access your funded hours at more than one provider you will be asked to sign a parent declaration at all settings. Signing the parent declaration commits parents and the nursery to a termly contract.

Due to the rules set down by the Local Authority, it is not possible to change the pattern of your funded hours or change to a different provider during that term, except at half terms or under exceptional circumstances and with the agreement of the Local Authority

What Happens If My Child Already Attends Rise & Shine?

If your child already attends Rise & Shine, once you are eligible for funding we will assume you want to continue your pattern of attendance unless you tell us otherwise, and we will automatically convert some of your childcare hours to funded hours. You will be asked to sign a Parental Declaration Form each term.