Fees and Funding
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Funding
· Parents and guardians should check their eligibility for funding through the https://beststartinlife.gov.uk website the term before they wish to use the funding. Where applying for the Working entitlement funding (30 hours funding) Parent’s should be advised that the 30 hours only refers to term time settings (which Penmoor nursery is). Where their child shares funding with another setting that claims Stretched funding (i.e. all year round) then each week the entitlement will calculate as less than 30 hours- usually approx. 22 hours per week. Therefore, parents would need to pay anything above and beyond the funding used (please see below).
· Working Entitlement codes will begin 50 or 51 and will contain 11 digits. This will need to be provided by the parents to the setting when following the procedure as outlined on https://beststartinlife.gov.uk. The setting will ask for supplementary information such as National Insurance numbers of the parent, Dates of birth of parents and the child. In order to claim the funding and run an Early Years Pupil Premium check.
· Two-Year-old Funding codes (which is different to the Working entitlement funding) qualifies children for 15 hours and the code would begin with TYF-
· Where a child qualifies for Disability Living allowance at home Parent’s should notify the setting so that they can apply for DAF funding which is an extra entitlement that the nursery can receive in order to give children the best start and equal opportunities. This can be explained in more detail by the setting manager where applicable.
· Funding can be used at any hours of the day and follows the same patterns as our privately funded children. Ie claimed on the half hour before 9am and after 1pm.
· Where children share funding, we will make contact with the other setting so as to arrange how the funding will be divided which will be asked how the parents wish to use this as part of the termly information forms sent out and completed by the parents.
· Funding is used in the same manner as private funding, it is therefore all encompassing, includes all snack and core provision and is not subject to any additional charges.
· Funding codes must be renewed every 3 months to stay eligible. It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure that this code is renewed and will be prompted to do so via email via the GOV UK service.
· The setting will share information with the Local Authority including the codes, Dates of birth, National Insurance numbers and names etc as part of their Headcount task which means we can claim the funding.
· Charging will be based on hours booked for the term not on what is actually attended, and 4 weeks’ notice must be given when wishing to terminate the use of funding or should the child leave the setting.
· Invoices for any hours that are being used over and above the entitlement will be invoiced half termly via email with 28 days min to pay the invoice.
· Adhoc hours can be requested at any time and funding where available can be used to cover these or invoices will be issued at the point of delivery where these extras are being privately funded and the invoice for the half term has already been issued.
Private funding
· Charging will be based on hours booked for the term not on what is actually attended, and 4 weeks’ notice must be given when wishing to terminate the contract or should the child leave the setting.
· Hours will be charged at £5.50 for under 3’s and £5.17 for over 3’s. This fee is all encompassing and there will be no additional charges on top of the hourly rate.
· Hourly charges are subject to annual review or sooner if required but a minimum of 1 months’ notice will be given where increases to charges are made.
· Invoices will be issued once per half term and will include a half term of charges. These will be issued via email and will have a minimum of 28 days before payment required.
· Parents may wish to check their eligibility for Tax free childcare where they will be able to pay via the Government Gateway account to receive a discount on their childcare fees. This will need to be set up and organised by the parent and eligibility and instructions can be found on https://beststartinlife.gov.uk.
· Where payment is not received without explanation or alternative arrangements such as payment plans organised and agreed with the setting then legal action will be taken.
· Adhoc hours can be requested at any time and invoices will be issued at the point of delivery where these extras are being privately funded and the invoice for the half term has already been issued.
Penmoor attempts to make fees, funding and other charging as open and transparent as possible. This should help all families prepare for their childcare costs in advance. We aim to make charging a simple and clear process as possible. Penmoor Nursery recognises that at times people can suffer with financial difficulty and so we aim to be as human in these situations as possible, parents and caregivers should reach out to us as soon as possible so that we can find a mutually convenient solution.
