Times and Fees

Term times

Term times

Please contact us if you need our current term times.

Session Times

Playgroup is open Monday to Friday for 38 weeks, Term Time only, we offer a range of session times to meet the needs of families.  

Morning Session:    09:00 –12:00

Afternoon Session: 12:30 – 15:30

All Day sessions     09:00 – 12:00 + 12:30-15:30

For children who attend morning and afternoon sessions on the same day they can either attend the lunch club (chargeable see below) or be collected at the end of the morning session and return at the beginning of the afternoon session. 

(Children attending all day require a packed lunch and incur a lunch club charge to cover staffing costs as this time is not included in children’s Free Early Years Funded hours)

Children have the opportunity to extend their session to include the lunch club depending staff/child ratios and/or available space.

Fees

Session fees apply to children who start playgroup before they are entitled to free early education funding or would like additional hours over their free early education funded hours (See below)

£16.50 per 3 hour session. (Reviewed annually)

£3.00 Lunch club charge (this is charged for children who attend morning and afternoon sessions on the same day, to cover staff costs for the period between the morning and afternoon sessions, which is not included in the child’s funded hours)

Fees are payable on the day of each session or in advance to suit your needs either weekly, monthly or termly.

Please note if your child is absent due to sickness, holiday, appointments etc. payment for that session will still be required.

Other charges:

Late collection fee of £10.00 per additional 10 minutes.

Late/Non-payment of fee’s charge of £30.00 will apply, if fees remain outstanding at the end of the term, see Fee’s Collection Procedures

Notice Period and transfer of Free Early Education Funding:

For children attending non-funded sessions and or lunch club, 4 weeks notice is required to withdraw your child from the playgroup, notice must be given in writing.

Early Years Settings are not obliged to transfer Free Early Education Funding, this will be considered on an individual basis at the discretion of the manager and or the management committee. 

 

Free Early Education Funding:

Free Early Education Funded hours can be taken across the week in a combination of mornings and/or afternoons.

St Mary’s playgroup is registered for the following free early education funding schemes:

Free Early Education funding for 3 to 4 year olds, entitling them to 15 hours of free childcare per week, once they meet the criteria. (Children are eligible for funding usually from the January, April or September after their third birthday).

Free for 2 Funding is available for some 2 year olds, if parents/carers meet the criteria. (Please ask for details) Eligible families are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare per week. (Children are eligible for funding usually from the January, April or September after their second birthday, but can start anytime throughout the term that eligibility starts, if children are not using their full 15 hours entitlement, they can increase their funded hours at any point throughout the term).

30 Hour Early Years Funding is available for some 3- 4 year olds if parents meet the criteria. (Please ask for details) Eligible families are entitled to 30 hours of free childcare. (Children are eligible for funding usually from the January, April or September after their third birthday, All eligibility codes must be renewed before the start of January, April or September for funding to continue).

Tax-Free Childcare is available if parents meet the criteria. 

More information on help with childcare costs can be found at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

If you would like to discuss playgroup fees or funding options, please contact the playgroup manager Jennifer Smith.