Places, Fees and Funding
25 Aug 2022
Places from September 2024 will be offered the following basis:
- All sessions start at 9.00am
- Going home times are
- 12.00 noon (3 hour session); or
- 1.00 pm (4 hour session); or
- 2.00 pm (5 hour session).
- Parents are able to combine their eligible hours across sessions
- Funded children should apply for the maximum hours to which they are entitled.
- The minimum bookable session is 3 hours, starting at 9.00am. Parents will be subject to top-up fees if their funded hours do not fully cover the hours of the sessions they have booked.
- Parents are able to book and buy additional hours in advance.
- Children attending beyond 12.00 noon bring in a packed lunch from home.
15 Hours Funded Places - 3 and 4 Year Olds
The Pre-School offers places funded through the universal early education entitlement for children aged 3 and 4. Children aged 3 and 4 year are entitled to 15 hours funded early education per week, 38 weeks per year (term time).
In Waltham Forest, early years funding is paid to the Pre-School from the term after their 3rd birthday as follows:
| Child’s birthday |
When grant is payable |
| 1 January to 31 March |
The beginning of term on or after 1 April |
| 1 April to 31 August |
The beginning of term on or after 1 September |
| 1 September to 31 December |
The beginning of term on or after 1 January |
Current 15 Hours Funding for 2 Year Olds
Eligibilty for the 2 year old funding is dependent on family circumstances. You can check your eligibility through the Local Authority's 2 Year Old Eligibility Checker - Free Early Education for two year olds | London Borough of Waltham Forest - or contact us for help.
15 and 30 Hours Funded Places for Working Families - 2 Year Olds
The Government plan a phased introduction of the extended entitlement to funded childcare for working families. Eligible 2 year olds are entitled to 15 hours of funding from April 2024 extending to 30 funded hours from September 2025.
30 Hours Funded Places for Working Families - 3 Year Olds
Some working parents are eligible for 30 hours free early education. The Pre-School provides 25 hours per week and parents can choose to use the remaining 5 hours entitlement with another registered childcare provider. If you require more information about splitting the early years funding, please contact us. You can check your eligibility for 30 hours funding via the government link: Get 30 hours free childcare: step by step - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Tax Free Childcare and Other Funding
The Pre-School is registered for Tax Free Childcare. To find out more and whether you can claim, please follow the link:Tax-Free Childcare - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Pre-School is also registered with a number of workplace nursery voucher schemes. If you would like to use your workplace scheme to fund all or some of our child's Pre-School sessions, please let us know.
Fee Paying Places
| Per hour |
£9.50 |
| Three-hour session (9.00am - 12.00 noon) |
£28.50 |
| Four-hour session (9.00am – 1.00 pm) |
£38.00 |
| Full session (9.00am – 2.00 pm) |
£47.50 |
Fees are invoiced half termly in advance. Fees are payable within 14 calendar days of the date of the invoice. Fees are payable if your child is absent from Pre-School. Non-payment of fees will result in the withdrawal of your child's place.
Notice Period
All places (fee paying and funded) are subject to a two week notice period (10 working days/14 calendar days, excluding school holidays). Fees are payable for this period. Other funded places cannot be taken up until this period has expired.