There are different funding offers available to children aged from 9 months up to 4 years.
Funding is paid for 38 weeks of the year (term time). At Little Learners we offer our funding ‘stretched’ across 51 weeks of the year, a total of 11 hours per week. Please see our fee info for further information. We have a few limited term time only options at our West Croydon Branch.
In order for the nursery to claim this funding you will need to provide a copy of your child’s birth certificate, proof of address and complete a declaration stating where you are claiming the free entitlement.
Working parents may be able to get free childcare for a child aged 9 months to 4 years old.
If your child is:
- 9 months to 2 years old, you can get 15 hours per week of free childcare
- 3 to 4 years old, you can get 30 hours per week of free childcare
All children aged 3 and 4 are also entitled to 15 hours of free early education or childcare per week.
You may be able to get free childcare if you have a 2 year old and get certain benefits. Please see Disadvantaged 2 Year Old Funding section for more information.
9 Month Old Funding
From September 2024 eligible parents of children aged 9 months can access 15 hours of childcare funding per week.
From September 2025, eligible working parents of children aged 9 months and above will be able to access 30 hours of childcare funding per week.
2 Year Old - Disadvantaged 2 Year Old Funding
2 year olds are entitled to 15 hours free early education and childcare if all or some of
the following criteria are met:
- You receive Income Support, Income based Jobseekers Allowance, Income related Employment and Support Allowance, support under part lV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, State Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit, providing you are not entitled to Working Tax Credits and have an annual income as assessed by HMRC that does not exceed £16,190.
- You receive Working Tax Credits and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190.
- The child is entitled to Disability Living Allowance.
- The child is looked after by the local authority.
- The child is no longer looked after by the local authority as a result of an adoption order, a special guardianship order or a residence order.
2 Year Old - Working Family 2 Year Funding
Eligible parents of 2 year olds can access 15 hours of funding per week. This is called working family 2 year funding.
3 & 4 Year Old Funding
All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to free early education and childcare from the term after he/she reaches 3 years of age.
When will my child receive funding?You can claim your place the term after your child turns the relevant age. This gives local authorities and childcare providers enough time to prepare.- A child born on or between 1 April and 31 August will become eligible for a place from 1 September.- A child born on or between 1 September and 31 December will become eligible for a place from 1 January.- A child born on or between 1 January and 31 March will become eligible for a place from 1 April.9 month old, 2 year old, 3&4 year old (30 hours) ,How do I get my code for working parents?Apply for free childcare if you’re working – 9 month old, 2 year old, 3&4 year old (30 hours)Visit: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-childcare-if-youre-working It’s important to remember that if you are accessing working funding or 30 hours, codes need to be renewed every three months. To do this, you’ll need to log into your childcare account to check when your reconfirmation dates are, so that you can renew your code on time. If you don’t renew it on time, you will need to reapply.Once you receive your funding code, please email this to funding@little-learners.net Disadvantaged 2 year old funding:
To check eligibility for 2 year old Early Years Funding (15 hours)
Visit: https://croydon.cloud.servelec-synergy.com/synergy/ Upon completing the information on the online form, you will be issued with a 6 character code that you will need to give to nursery. Nursery will then double check your eligibility and confirm the outcome. Please email your code to funding@little-learners.net 9 months old, 2 year old and Early Years funded children whom attend all year (funding amount already deducted):You will receive 11 hours per week funding based on our daily rate, there will be an additional charge of £9.50 or £4.75 on half day sessions on your funded day for meals, extra curricular activities and sundries.
8.00am until 6.00pm
Full week £1250.50 per month or £294.25 per week
4 full days a week £940.25 per month or £221.25 per week
3 full days a week £630.00 per month or £148.25 per week
2 full days a week £319.75 per month or £75.25 per week
1 full day a week £40.25 per month or £9.50 per week
Please note that part time sessions are not available for under 22 month olds at our WestCroydon branch and we have limited availability at our South Croydon branch, so early booking is advised.
8.00am until 1.30pm
5 mornings a week £575.75 per month or £135.50 per week
4 mornings a week £397.25 per month or £93.50 per week
3 mornings a week £218.75 per month or £51.50 per week
7:30am until 1:00pm
2 mornings a week £40.25 per month or £9.50 per week
1.30pm until 6.00pm
5 afternoons a week £524.75 per month or £123.50 per week
4 afternoons a week £363.25 per month or £85.50 per week
3 afternoons a week £201.75 per month or £47.50 per week
1:00pm until 6:30pm
2 afternoons a week £40.25 per month or £9.50 per week
Please note that we do not offer any single half day slots for any funded sessions, the minimum attendance is two half day sessions per week for funded sessions.
For disadvantaged 2 years old funding and early years funding 15 hours, 3 years old funding only, please discuss alternative options and availability direct with the admissions team.
30 hours funding for 3 and 4 year olds
We offer 30 hours in the following ways:
Option 1:
3 days attendance all year around (you will receive 22 hours free and pay for 8 hours of our daily rate, not our hourly rate. You will be required to pay £9.50 per day for 2 days towards meals, extra curricular activities and sundries. So at our current daily rate including additional costs would be £77.50 per week).
Option 2:
5 mornings attendance all year around (you will receive 22 hours free and pay for one morning at £39.50 and £4.75 per day for 4 days towards meals, extra curricular activities and sundries. So at our current rate including additional costs would be £61 per week).
Option 3:
5 afternoons attendance all year around (you will receive 22 hours free and pay for one afternoon at £35.50 and £4.75 per day for 4 days towards meals, extra curricular activities and sundries. So at our current rate including additional costs would be £57 per week).
Fees including 30 hours - Option 1 (8:00AM to 6:00PM)
Full week £949.75 per month or £223.50 per week
4 full days a week £639.50 per month or £150.50 per week
3 full days a week £329.25 per month or £77.50 per week
Fees including 30 hours - Option 2 (7:30AM to 1:00PM) , subject to availability
5 Mornings a week £259.25 per month or £61.00 per week
Fees including 30 hours - Option 3 (1:00PM to 6:30PM) , subject to availability
5 Afternoons a week £242.25 per month or £57.00 per week
Other Sessions Available
2.5 hour block session
Our 2.5 hour block is available for £25.00 but it can only be used between the following times: 7.30am until 10.00am, 8.00am until 10.30am, 10.30am until 1.00pm, 1.00pm until 3.30pm, 3.30pm until 6.00pm, 4.00pm until 6.30pm (subject to availability).
Hourly rate
You can book sessions at your convenience at an hourly rate of £15.00 (subject to availability).
Early drop off and late collection sessions
Early sessions between 7.30am and 8.00am are charged at £4.50 per session.
Late sessions between 6.00pm and 6.30pm are charged at £4.50 per session.
Early and late sessions must be booked at least a day in advance. Once booked you cannot change them.
Registration Fee
A registration fee of £75.00 is required and is NOT refundable. This covers our administration, a clothes bag and a legionnaire hat for your child. (Please note that we do not allow carrier bags on the children’s pegs. The clothes bag is big enough to keep spare clothes in.)
Deposit
Should your child not be starting within a period of two weeks you will be required to pay their first month's fees now in order to secure the space. If you decide to cancel your child's place before the agreed start date you will be required to pay one month's fees as a notice period along with a cancellation fee if we have held the space open for you.
Fee Payment
Fees must be paid in advance by standing order either on the first day of the week or month in question. Please ensure fees are paid by the due date, as you will be only invoiced if we do not receive payment on time. Late payment of fees will incur a surcharge of £20.00 if not received on the due date and a £10 fee for each invoice raised, thereafter an additional £10.00 per day will be added until payment is received in full. We may withdraw your child’s place from nursery until payment is received. Any outstanding fees, additional charges and notice in lieu not received within a period of two weeks will automatically be forwarded onto a debt collection agency whom will add their own fees and any court or other fees incurred whilst reclaiming the money to the amount outstanding.
Fee Errors
As human error does occur, if an error with your fees is raised you will be expected to pay any outstanding amounts due. Little Learners will support parents by offering a payment plan to clear any arrears if required, requests for payment plans must be made in writing.
Parents/Carers are responsible for ensuring they are paying the correct fees, copies of our nursery fees are available on our website and Parent/Carer notice board. Any fee discrepancies should be raised with us as soon as possible.
Absenteeism
If your child is absent from the Nursery due to family holidays, sickness or any other reason FULL PAYMENT IS REQUIRED AND NO REFUNDS CAN BE GIVEN. We cannot swap sessions or days. Fees are due in advance and for the duration of any holidays. We are open 51 weeks of the year, so full fees are payable throughout school holidays.
Statutory Holidays and Matters Out Of Our Control
Payment will be required in full for two staff training days per annum, Bank holidays and statutory holidays. The nursery will be closed from 12.30pm on Christmas Eve. You are not charged for one week between Christmas and New year as monthly fees are calculated on 51 weeks, if you are a weekly payer then please do not pay for this week. Payment is required in full should we be prevented to open the nursery due to extreme weather conditions, acts of god or other matters which are totally out of our control.
Notice of Leaving or Reduction in Sessions
One calendar month’s notice in writing or one month’s fees in lieu is required should you decide to leave the nursery for any reason. You will be required to do the same should you decide to reduce the number of days/sessions your child attends.
Annual Fee Review
In July there is an annual review of fees and you will be notified of any changes, which will take effect from the beginning of September.
Privacy Notice
Here at the nursery we take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information to manage your account and provide tailored care for your child. We may have to share information about your child with Ofsted or other agencies and other professionals who have a right to see them. We are required to work in partnership with other childcare settings your child may attend and any other professionals or agencies which might be involved with your child. Whilst we will try and let you know in advance that we are going to share information directly with other professionals, there might be some instance (such as safeguarding concerns or an emergency) when this is not possible.
On completion of a signed enrolment form, you agree to accept and abide with the terms and conditions outlined in the prospectus. This forms the nursery/parent agreement.