Funding
You may be eligible to funding for all or part of your child’s nursery costs.
Visit Childcare Choices to check for funding eligibility – Childcare Choices serves as a comprehensive portal for parents to access childcare information and determine their eligibility for Government-funded childcare initiatives. It provides information on how to apply for funding.
Alternatively, visit one of Swindon Borough Council’s Early Years and Childcare drop-in sessions – click here for further information
Funding may be available to families, upon application on Childcare Choices as follows:
2 year old funding on economic grounds – potentially 15 hours funding per week is available to families currently receiving certain benefits and/or have a low family income.
2 year old funding for working families – potentially 15 hours funding per week is available to working families with weekly earnings within a specific threshold where both parents work a minimum number of hours.
3/4 year old universal funding – all children are automatically entitled up to 15 hours per week funding from the term following their 3rd birthday. Families are not required to apply for this funding.
3/4 year old funding for working families – potentially an additional 15 hours funding per week to add to the free universal funded hours is available to working families with weekly earnings within a specific threshold where both parents work a minimum number of hours.
Tax Free Childcare – subject to specific criteria the Government could assist with nursery funding where they make a contribution towards fees
You must apply for any funding (except universal) the term prior to when you want funding to start. You will be advised if you are eligible, and you will be provided with a unique reference number. Provide this code when you complete our Nursery Application Form, and ensure that you have provided your Parent/Guardian National Insurance details and dates of birth. Send the form to the school office along with your child’s birth certificate, so that we can validate your claim to Government funding with Swindon Borough Council (SBC).
Upon offering you a nursery place, you will be requested to complete an SBC form regarding funding, entitled ‘Parental Declaration Form for Early Education and Childcare Entitlements’ and ’Swindon Borough Council Early Years and Childcare Privacy Notice’. This permits us to claim the funding on your behalf.
NOTE: You do not have to use your full entitlement ie if you have eligibility to 15 hours but you only want your child to attend 2 of our sessions (a total of 6 hours), that is fine, though 2 sessions are the minimum you can claim. You can also split your funding across multiple childcare providers, however, you must inform all providers that you are sharing the funding as you can only claim your maximum entitlement eg 15 hours, per week in total. For example, if you were to use 6 hours at Liden Academy, you could use the remaining 9 hours of funding with another registered childcare provider, either a setting or childminder.
Fees
Where funding may not be applicable for all or part of your child’s nursery place, standard nursery session fees will apply at a charge of £5 per hour (£15 per session).
Fees include all snacks but do not include lunch, nappies or wipes.
Late collection of nursery children from their class in excess of 10 minutes will incur a £5 additional charge. This will be invoiced and payment will be required by BACs transfer.
Payment
For families not in receipt of funding as mentioned above, or where there is a requirement for more Nursery hours than those being Government funded, there will be a charge of £5 per hour (£15 per session). Nursey Fees will be invoiced termly at the beginning of each term or as close to the first week of attendance as possible. Invoices will identify sessions where fees are due. These will be calculated across the full term and then divided into equal amounts per month. Families will be given the opportunity to pay these fees either in monthly instalments or in full. Payments are usually required mid-month, and will be confirmed within the invoice.
Late payment of invoices in excess of 5 working days will incur a £10 administration fee per week that payment is late. We will not accept late payments to accommodate receipt of earnings i.e. paydays, therefore please arrange for any salary deductions to be made in the previous month to which fees are due. We may consider exceptional circumstances by application in writing to the school office at least 2 weeks in advance of the payment date. Any agreement will be acknowledged in writing, in advance. Recurring, unauthorised late payments and/or excessive late payments may affect provision of your child’s Nursery place.
There are no reductions for any absences including authorised/unauthorised holidays, medical appointments, hospitalization.
Our preferred payment method is via BACs, the Government Childcare Grant Payment Scheme (CGPS).