OUR PRICES & INFORMATION

Admission and Settling In

• Places are offered on a first come first serve basis.
• Priority may be given to referred places and for siblings.
• Settling-in days will take place over 5 days. Days 4 (half day) and 5 (full day) will be charged at our standard daily rates.

 

Nursery Places, Sessions and Booking

• A signed and fully completed application form must be received by the nursery and a non-refundable registration fee of £50.00 paid before a place can be offered.
• Full and part time sessions must fit into the session times detailed on the application form.
• 2 weeks’ notice must be given if you would like to change a session. All sessions are based on availability.
• We do not swap ad hoc sessions for regular sessions, they can only be booked in addition to your usual days. We do not makeup sessions missed due to illness or holidays.

 

FEEE – Free Early Education Entitlement

• 15 hours free education and childcare for children over 2 years old for families on certain benefits, and also children with an EHC, who get DLA, or children who are looked after by the LA (and some children who have previously been looked after). Funding is available the term after the child turns 2 years.
• 15 hours free education and childcare for children over 9 months and 2 year olds, where parents are working at least 16 hours a week and earning less than £100,000 a year. Funding is available the term after the child turns 9 months.
• 15 hours free childcare for all children 3 to 4 year olds. This funding is available the term after the child turns 3.
• 30 hours free childcare for 3 to 4 year olds of parents working at least 16 hours a week and earning less than £100,000 a year. This funding is available the term after the child turns 3.
• The Nursery offers five FEEE over 38 weeks per year. (LBWF School Term time only) (Academic year minus 5 inset days)
• We offer various models of delivery where children are able to take up their free entitlement as part of continuous provision;
• Those taking up their free 2-year FEEE (up to 570 hrs per annum only).  As part of a contract for additional hours.
•  Those taking up their free 3 & 4-year-old Universal FEEE only (of up to 570 hours per annum only). As part of a contract for additional hours.
•  Those taking up their free 3 & 4 years FEEE Nursery entitlement for working parents only – (up to 1140 hours per annum only) As part of a contract for additional hours.
• Funded children can pay for lunch and snacks if they would like to do so for £6 per day. They also have an option of bringing their own packed lunch e.i, sandwich, yoghurt; we do not accept cooked foods or foods that contain nuts due to allergies.

 

TERMINATION/CANCELLATION/CHANGE

• A minimum of one months’ notice must be given when leaving the nursery. If you leave at a time other than September, then you will be liable for fees accrued during months that have no holidays, which are normally paid back during months with holidays in them. This is because your fees are annualised, and you are paying the same amount each month, and not paying for the exact days taken in each month.
• Parents still remain liable for fees throughout the notice period. If a parent/ carer withdraws their child during this notice period, the fees shall remain payable.
• We reserve the right to terminate a Nursery place with immediate effect if any fees are not paid by the due date, or if a parent/ carer or child displays abusive, threatening or otherwise inappropriate behaviour.
• In all other circumstances, we will give one month notice in writing, should we wish to terminate a Nursery place for any reason.
• If a start date is postponed by the parent / carer for any reason, we reserve the right to charge from the original start date stated on the application form
• For children over the age of 2,3,4 a minimum of 2 months’ notice must be given to change your number of days, either increasing or decreasing. An increase is dependent on the additional day(s) being available.
• For children under the age of 2, if you wish to decrease the number of days your child attends we require 3 months’ notice unless there is another family wanting the day(s) you do not want. This is in place to ensure families are accepting a place for the number of days that they want.

 

DEPOSITS

• Once you accept a nursery place, we charge an administration fee of £50 which is payable within 3 working days to secure the place. This is non-refundable. We also require an additional refundable deposit – this will be returned when you leave Alpha Steps Nursery as long as you are not in arrears or breach of contract. Refundable deposits are as follows:
  • £150 for a 3 day place
  • £200 for a 4 day place
  • £250 for a 5 day place
• If you accept a place at Alpha Steps Nursery and then choose not to take it up, we will refund this deposit if you give us at least 1 months’ notice in writing, acknowledged by us, of your intention not to take the place. If it is less than 1 months’ notice we will retain the deposit.
• If you are accessing a fully funded place we do not take a deposit.

 

FEES AND INVOICES

• Fees at Alpha Steps Nursery are payable monthly in advance. Monthly fees are annualised, which means the weekly fees are multiplied by 50 weeks per year and divided by 12 months per year to calculate your monthly charge/invoice amount. Therefore, you will pay the same each month, regardless of how many days of childcare you receive in any one given month
• Fees are payable monthly in advance by bank transfer
• We do not accept cash Payments.
• Invoices are sent out on the 1^stof the month and must be paid within 15 days.
• Fees are reconciled on the next working day after the 15^th, and again on the first day of the next month. This is when your account is updated. Payments are therefore not registered on the same day that you make them, and will not show up in your account until the 16^th,or the first day of the month, whichever is soonest after the payment is made.
• If fees are not received by mid-day on the 16^thof the month, 10% will be automatically added to your outstanding bill, unless by prior arrangement.
• For a breakdown of our fees, including hourly rates, please see the attached Alpha Steps Nursery Fees tables.
• Fees include all meals, drinks, snacks, nappies and wipes etc.
• Fees will increase every year in April at least in line with inflation or National Minimum Wage rise.
• In the event of an increase in fees, in April or at any other time, we will give a minimum of 1 months’ notice.
• Our hourly rate for children aged 3+ is lower than that for under-3s. The rate changes on the 1st of the month after a child’s third birthday
• Additional sessions (half day or full day) can be booked if available. An admin fee of £2 is added for every ad hoc session booked.
• We offer a sibling’s discount of 5% if you take up a full-time place.
• Please note that regardless of adverse weather conditions fees will remain payable.
• All places are inclusive of all meals, drinks, snacks, nappies and wipes. Parents using 38-week (term time only) funding will be required to pay £6 per day for meals or bring a packed lunch.
• None stretched funded
• Late collection fees are £1 per minute and start at 5.50pm.
• References for standing orders must be your child’s full name to save any confusion.

 

TAX CREDIT/TAX VOUCHERS/TAX FREE

• If you are eligible, you can use the following government schemes to help with the cost of childcare at Alpha Steps Nursery
  • Tax Free Childcare – Please provide the nursery with your tax free reference code.
  • Universal Credit
  • Tax Credits
  • Help while you study