Pricing / Funding

Fees

Fees from September 2022 are £19.80 for a 3 hour morning or afternoon session. Fees are payable for children who are not yet entitled to free entitlement, and for additional hours over the 15 hours per week.  Fees are paid in advance on a termly basis.

Fees from September 2023 will be £21.75 per session.

You will be expected to pay fees even if your child is ill or if you go on holiday, as our running costs are the same whether your child attends or not. However, should you run into financial difficulties, please speak in confidence to anyone in the Manager team.

Should you decide to leave Pre-School or reduce the number of sessions attended one terms notice, in writing, is required. Should this notice not be given then you may forfeit your deposit.

The Pre-School reserves the right to amend session fees with one terms notice, in writing. Fees are reviewed on an annual basis before April for September, but may be reviewed mid year should the Pre-School face unexpected circumstances. 

Snack Fund

Pre-School offer and provide a healthy snack for all children for every session they attend and we do ask for an annual voluntary contribution for the snacks. (Government funding is not intended to cover the costs of the snacks we provide). 

The cost of the snack is £1 per week and is payable in two instalments, in terms 1 (September) and 4 (February).

Support with Childcare costs including 15 hour free entitlement

There are a number of options for families to receive help with childcare costs. Many of the options are dependent on eligibility but we also offer the free entitlement of 15 hours which is available to ALL children aged 3 and 4.

The following KCC webpage is very helpful for explaining the FREE childcare options: Click Here

Childcare Choices

The government have launched a website www.childcarechoices.gov.uk which explains and compares all the childcare offers and funding that are available and enables parents to check what works best for their family. Options looked at on their website are:

• 15 hours of free childcare for 2 year olds (FF2) Penenden Heath Pre-School is registered for this scheme which is for looked-after children and parents who receive certain benefits. If your child is not yet entitled to the 3 years old funding (see below)  and you think you may be eligible for this funding check on the childcare choices website whether you are eligible and you can apply for the funding here. If you need help completing this application, please email our administrator.

• 15 hours of free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds This is universal for all children,  funding starts the term following your child’s third birthday so children become eligible to claim their free entitlement of up to 15 hours per week according to the below:

Eligibility for the 15 hours free entitlement begins in the term (September, January or April) following a child's third birthday. For example, a child turning 3 on 12th December will be eligible for their free entitlement in the following January. 

• 30 hours of free childcare for 3 & 4 year olds  This extended offer of an additional 15 hours of free childcare is only available to working parents that meet the eligibility criteria. Briefly, each parent (or sole parent in a lone parent families) must earn on average a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours at the National Living Wage and less than £100k per year. Please look on the childcare choices website for the full details of the eligibility criteria and to apply for this funding. Through our Pre-School you can access up to 18 hours (6 sessions). The full 30 hours of funding can be shared between 2 childcare settings.

Changes to a child’s funded hours can only be made at the beginning of terms 1, 3 and 5. Free entitlement can be used at up to a maximum of 2 childcare providers, ensuring that in total a maximum of 15 hours per week is claimed.  Free entitlement will automatically be claimed on behalf of each eligible child for the sessions they attend at Penenden Heath Pre-School providing the necessary documents are completed and returned to Pre-School by parent/carers.

• Tax free childcare For children aged 0-11 years old (or 16 if disabled) – similar eligibility criteria applies as for the 30 hours of funding above and this funding must be applied for, go to the childcare choices website.

• Tax credits for childcare

• Universal credit for childcare

• Childcare vouchers This scheme is now closed to new entrants. We accept childcare vouchers in payment for fees, we are currently registered with the following Companies:

  • care-4, account no 96846262

  • Computershare, account no 8247913

  • Edenred, account no P20556201

  • Fideliti, account no PEN027C

  • Kiddivouchers

  • Salary exchange

  • Sodexo, account no 812615

Please contact our Administrator if your Company uses a childcare voucher system that is not listed here. From 4th October 2018 the childcare voucher scheme is no longer accepting new applicants. Instead parents can sign up to the tax-free childcare scheme.

• Support whilst you study

Early Years Pupil Premium

This funding is used to support the children’s development, learning and care whilst at Pre-School. It is for 3 and 4 year olds with similar eligibility criteria as for FF2.  Please click here to read FAQ's about EYPP. EYPP funding is paid directly to the setting – there is no monetary value for parents – we would then use the funding to improve the early years education that we provide for your child. If you think you are eligible, please let our Business Managers know by email so that they can apply on your behalf.