APPLICATION FEE

 

Woodpeckers Pre-School has a £20.00 non-refundable application fee which is payable when parents/carers request sessions for their child.  This fee is non-applicable for children who are funded either by KCC Free for 2 Funding or Early Years Funding for 3 and 4 Year Olds when their child joins Woodpeckers Pre-School.

 

FEES

 

Our current fees are £6.40 per hour per child.

 

There is a charge of £10.00 per 15 minutes for late pick up after 4pm. Late pick up fees are exempt of KCC Free for 2 and Early Years Funding for 3 and 4 Year Olds.

 

FREE FOR 2 FUNDING

 

Some families may qualify for free early years education for their 2 year old children.  This scheme is known as Free for Two (FF2) and offers families 15 free hours per week for their 2 year old child.

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If you believe your child is eligible for Free for 2 Year Old Funding, or you would like more information, please apply online here.

 

Once confirmation of entitlement is received, please let us know. Free for 2 Funding is only eligible once confirmation of entitlement is received and you are eligible for all fees until this time.

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Before FF2 funding can be applied for from Kent County Council (KCC), parents/carers are asked to read our Privacy Notice and complete a Parental Declaration Form.  Parent/carers are also requested to provide evidence of their child’s date of birth and legal names.  This maybe either an original passport or birth certificate.   

 

FF2 funding is a rolling programme for 2 year olds and children can admitted at any time throughout the term – children do not have to start at the beginning of each term to receive 

FF2 funding.  Please note, FF2 eligibility remains in place until three year old Universal Entitlement funding starts, once a child starts at Woodpeckers under FF2 funding, even if families circumstances change.

 

Additional hours (over 15 free hours) may be purchased for children.  If a planned closure occurs within the setting, your child will be offered additional hours to ensure they receive their 570 free hours per year.

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WORKING PARENT ENTITLEMENT FOR 2 YEAR OLDS

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If you are an eligible working parent, you can apply for 30 hours of childcare for your 2 year old in line with the Department of Education’s table below.

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Families can apply for working entitlement 2 year old funding online at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

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​Once eligibility has been confirmed, parents/carers will be given a code to give to the pre-school and will be asked to complete a Declaration Form.  It is the parents/carers responsibility to reapply each term for a new code.  Parents/carers are reminded that they are personally liable for fees for additional hours over 30 hours working entitlement 2 year old funding if they have not received a code from the Government or their eligibility changes over the year.

 

FREE EARLY YEARS FUNDING FOR 3 AND 4 YEAR OLDS

 

Each child is eligible for 15 hours Free Early Years Funding for 3 and 4 Year Olds in line with the Department of Education’s table below.  Parents/Carers may purchase additional hours for children. In the event of a planned closure, children will be offered alternative sessions to ensure they are offered their full 570 hours free hours per year.

 

 

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Some families are also eligible for 30 hours 3 and 4 Year Old Funding. Families can apply for 30-hour funding online here. Once eligibility has been confirmed, parents/carers will be given a code to give to the Woodpeckers. It is the parents'/carers' responsibility to reapply each term for a new code. 

 

Parents/carers are reminded that they are personally liable for fees for additional hours over 15 universal 3 and 4 Year Old funding if they have not received a code from the Government or their eligibility changes over the year.

 

Woodpeckers retains the right to limit the number of 30-hour 3 and 4 Year Old spaces available each year.

 

PAYMENT OF FEES

 

Invoices confirming children’s sessions and fees are issued to parents/carers at the beginning of each term to ensure parents are aware of the sessions their children will be attending and the fees which are due.

 

Fees must be paid in full by cheque, cash, bank transfer or company voucher scheme within 14 days of the invoice date. Late fees will incur a £5.00 charge per week.

 

Woodpeckers will not take responsibility for loss of fees through transactions when fees are paid via company voucher schemes or bank transfers; parents remain liable for the payment of fees until payment reaches Woodpeckers' bank account.

 

Fees cannot be carried forward to the next term. If fees are not settled before the end of each term, your child will not be able to return to Woodpeckers until they are up-to-date or a payment plan has been agreed. If your child is KCC funded (either Free for 2 or Free Entitlement Funding), you may be asked to reduce sessions to funded hours only until the fees are paid to ensure no further debt occurs.

 

Please note refunds will not be given if the setting has to close due to bad weather and/or unpredictable circumstances. In the event of a planned closure (such as ‘Stay and Play' Lunches and End of Term Parties), children will be offered an alternative session to ensure they receive their full 570 free hours per year.

 

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES IN PAYING, PLEASE TALK TO US. WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP!

 

If fees remain unpaid, the parent/carer will be contacted in person by telephone or letter and asked to remedy the situation.

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Fees are still payable if a child is absent due to illness or holiday.