Policy Statement
This fees policy forms part of the contract with the parents/carer and The Redstart Primary School (RPS), Redstart Road, Chard, Somerset, TA20 1SD.
This policy has been formed following the guidance of the Somerset Code of Practice for delivery of Early Years Entitlement for eligible two, three and four year olds.
The Redstart Nursery operates a service which is fair and competitively priced. We aim to offer high quality, safe and stimulating environments that provides parents with good value for money.
Each school website sets out information about opening times and hours, fee prices and ages of children they will accept for nursery and other childcare provision.
Fees and charges are reviewed each year as part of the budget setting process. Fees and charges are updated annually, and are published on the school’s website, giving parents three months’ notice of any changes.
Equalities Impact Assessment
An Equalities Impact Assessment has been carried out. The assessment concluded that there was no adverse impact identified for any groups of people with protected characteristics / or / there was potential adverse impact identified for some groups of people with protected characteristics and mitigations are in place to reduce that impact.
Roles and Responsibilities
Academy Council:
The Academy Council are responsible for approving this policy and for monitoring its implementation and effectiveness.
Principal:
The Principal is responsible for the implementation and oversight of this policy.
Operations Manager:
The Operations Manager is responsible for managing the school process for billing and payment of nursery fees.
Finance Administrator:
The Finance Administrator is responsible for preparing the termly nursery bills.
Nursery Teacher/Deputy Nursery Manager:
The Nursery Teacher/Deputy Nursery Manager is responsible for providing timely and accurate information on nursery attendance to the Finance Administrator and the Operations Manager.
Nursery Provision
The Redstart Nursery is registered as an early years provider with Somerset County Council and operates within the terms of the Somerset Local Provider Agreement. Full details can be found on the Somerset County Council website by searching for “early years entitlement”.
Nursery is only open during term time. Nursery is not open on Bank Holidays or school INSET days (dates published on the school website).
Once confirmed, changes to hours attended should only take place at the beginning of each half term, preferably with four weeks’ notice. Whilst the nursery teacher will make every effort to accommodate parent’s preferences, staff to child ratio requirements may limit flexibility.
The Redstart Nursery requires 4 weeks’ notice, in writing, to cancel a place. Fees will still be payable during the cancellation period, regardless of whether the child attends the sessions. If 4 weeks’ notice is not given, fees will still be charged in lieu of notice, and EYE hours still claimed. This may affect the ability to claim EYE hours at another provider.
Early Years Universal Entitlement for three and four year olds
All 3 and 4 year old children are eligible for funded nursery provision (the Early Years Entitlement) for a maximum of 570 hours each year, equivalent to 15 hours a week for 38 weeks. This will start the funding period after a child’s third birthday.
The maximum funded entitlement is 15 hours a week, with no more than 10 hours in a single day. Normally the minimum number of hours of provision in a day will be 3. The school will set out clearly on the nursery section of their website if their policy differs from this.
The Redstart Primary School has nursery provision for three and four year olds and will claim funding for the funded entitlement from Somerset County Council and will require the following:
Parents can decide to access the funded entitlement in up to three different settings, provided the total does not exceed 15 hours a week or 570 over the full year.
30 Hours Extended Entitlement
Working parents will need to meet the criteria to be eligible for the extended entitlement of up to 30 hours a week funded childcare.
Parents must apply for the extended entitlement hours, and other support with childcare costs, through the government’s Childcare Choices website. If successful, the nursery will need to see the following:
The nursery will need to verify the code with the local authority and, in order to confirm a place, the nursery will also need a completed and signed Parent’s Declaration Form.
Paying for Extra Hours
Each half term, the hours to be attended are totalled and fees are payable for additional hours, over and above the funded entitlement. This could include provision for new starters in advance of the start of the term in which the child is eligible for the funded entitlement or where 15 hours have been attended across the full year (39 weeks), exceeding the funded entitlement by the equivalent of one week.
The invoice will set out clearly the hours provided and the free entitlement claimed. Payment is required in advance.
Where a child accesses provision at more than one setting, The Redstart Nursery will liaise with the other setting(s) and the funded entitlement will be allocated in proportion to hours at each setting.
Funded entitlement hours will continue to be claimed for a short period of absence. If the absence is likely to be prolonged or recurring, parents should contact the nursery to discuss fee payment and funded entitlement.
If the nursery closes due to an emergency situation, such as snow, flooding, extreme weather or heating failure, all fees will still be payable (and funded entitlement hours will be claimed). Fees will be charged for additional hours agreed, regardless of whether the child attends.
A late Collection charge will be levied, equivalent to an additional hour plus 25%. This will be added to the next invoice. The school may be able to accommodate a late collection within an existing session, in which case only the fee for the session will be charged.
The current nursery fees at The Redstart Nursery are set out at appendix 1.
Paying for extra services and activities
Charges for additional services will never be a condition of access to the funding entitlement.
The Redstart Nursery does not charge for deposits, registration fees, booking fees, administration charges or retainers.
Charges for additional services are payable in advance and will either be included in the termly invoice or uploaded to Bromcom as a standalone payment item.
Breakfast and after school clubs
Details about booking and fees for Breakfast Club will be clearly set out on the online booking and payment system.
Payment for Breakfast Club should be made in advance, at the time of booking.
Paying for Childcare
Payments for early years and childcare provision can be made in one of the following ways:
• Online payment
• Childcare Vouchers
• Tax-free childcare or tax credits – full details are available on the Government’s Childcare Choices website
• Cash or cheque paid to the school office (exceptional circumstances only)
An invoice from The Redstart Nursery provision will set out the date by which payment is due. A reminder letter will be sent or phone call made, with payment expected within one week. If payment is still not made (within 14 days of the due date on the invoice), a meeting will be arranged to discuss debt recovery and agree a payment plan, with the agreement recorded in writing and signed by the school and the parent.
If an agreed payment plan is not adhered to, The Redstart Nursery reserves the right to suspend access to childcare provision until payment is received. Fees will continue to accrue during this period and remain due.
If payment is not made within a month of suspension, the place will no longer be held, the contract terminated and the debt will be chased through legal channels.
Appendix one
The current nursery fees at The Redstart Nursery (from April 2026 to April 2027) are:
£7.00 per hour for 3 and 4 year olds
The previous fees (from April 2025 to April 2026) were:
£5.90 per hour for 3 and 4 year olds
