Starting Nursery or Pre-School

15 & 30 hours Funded hours (Government entitlement) 

Eligible parent(s)/guardian(s) of children in England aged nine months to school age can receive up to 30 hours a week of funded childcare within term time.  Seedlings Nursery offer the funded entitlements stretched to 48 weeks, this ensures that fees remain static, and parents can budget for their childcare without the peaks and troughs in fees that the term time application of funding brings. 

Childcare support is being provided via two schemes from September 2025, for those children aged two and above.  

• Two-year-old children if the parent receives additional forms of government support; and 

• Universal 3 & 4 year-old, available for all parents 

• All government supported schemes are explained in detail and can be applied for via the Childcare Choices (15 and 30 hours childcare support | Childcare Choices) website. 

• Parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible for ensuring eligibility is maintained and reconfirmed via HMRC. 

We do not restrict the number of funded places and eligible families can choose between one of the following options, depending on availability; 

15 Hours Universal Funding

(570 hours per year (1st April – 31st March) - term time only (38 weeks) and stretched (48 weeks) 

Session	Time	Extra charge
5 Morning sessions	8.45am-11.45am	£3.00 per session
5 Afternoon sessions	12.30-3.30pm	£3.00 per session
2 Days	8.00am-3.30pm	£11.00 per day

If funding is stretched over 48 weeks and/or child attends additional sessions, parent(s)/guardian(s) will be charged for private nursery fees for the hours attended more than the funded entitlement.  

Please note there is a minimum attendance of 2 days or 3 AMs or PM sessions per week. 

Extended Funding - 30 Hours

(1140 hours per year (1st April – 31st March) – term time only (38 weeks) and stretched (48 weeks) 

Session	Time	Extra Charge
5 Days	8.45am-2.45pm	£9 per day
3 Extended Days	8.00am-6.00pm	£14 per extended day

If funding is stretched over 48 weeks and/or child attends additional sessions, parent(s)/guardian(s) will be charged for private nursery fees for the hours attended in excess of the funded entitlement. 

Please note there is a minimum attendance of 2 days (8.45am – 2.45pm) per week. 

Extra charges 

• For any child attending ‘free’ childcare hours funded by the UK Government, there is an extra charge which covers; drinks, snacks, and meals where applicable, additional staff training (beyond statutory), extra-curricular activities including forest school.   

The additional charges are as follows: 

• £3.00 per session for any AM (8.45 – 11.45am) or PM (12.30 – 3.30pm) 

• £9.00 per session for any full day (8.45am – 2.45pm) 

• £11.00 per session for any full day including breakfast (8.00am – 3.30pm) 

• £14.00 per session for any extended day (8am – 6pm) – this includes breakfast, hot lunch, snacks, high tea and drinks throughout the day. 

Please note that parents will need to provide nappies, nappy sacks, wipes, cream and suncream for funded and additional sessions.  In an emergency, these will be provided at a charge of £5.00 per day.

Private Pay Sessions

Session	Time	2 year olds	3-4 year olds
Early drop off	7.30-8.00am	£5.00	£5.00
Breakfast club  (including breakfast)	8.00am-8.45am	£7.25	£6.88
AM session  (including drinks and snacks)	8.45am-11.45am	£23.50	£22.00
Lunch club  (including hot meal)	11.45am-12.30pm	£8.25	£7.88
PM session  (including drinks and snacks)	12.30pm-3.30pm	£23.50	£22.00
Late session  (including high tea)	3.30pm-6.00pm	£24.00	£22.50
Full day (6 hours)  (including all drinks, snacks and hot lunch)	8.45am-2.45pm	£50.00	£47.00
Additional 45 mins	2.45pm-3.30pm	£5.25	£4.88
Extended day  (including all drinks, breakfast, snacks, hot lunch and high tea.)	8.00am -6.00pm	£78.00	£73.00

• Please note that parents will need to provide nappies, nappy sacks, wipes, cream and sun cream for both funded and additional sessions.  In an emergency, these will be provided at a charge of £5.00 per day. 

• The Extended day session (8.00am – 6.00pm) includes an approximate 10% discount.