15 free hours @ nursery

shambles999 · 11 March at 6:13PM

My 3-year-old attends nursery 2 days per week. He started in November and the nursery sent me an invoice which I paid.

In the new year I realised that we (and indeed, anyone) are eligible for the 15 hours of government funded childcare (we're not eligible for the 30). I pointed this out and they said they'd stop charging that part. I asked for a refund of the money I paid before Christmas and they said that because he'd started mid-term that we'd missed the cut-off for government funding. I was under the impression that the funding cut-off only applied to the 30 hours, not the 15, which is supposed to be universal.

FWIW they also charge £20 per day top-up to the government funding (plus £4 more for snacks and other incidentals). I know they're not supposed to do that, but my son has SEN issues and they give him 1 to 1 attention, so in his case I think we get a good deal, and it would be churlish to whine about it.

shambles999 · 11 March at 6:14PM

I forgot the question part, I'm wanting to check if what they said about the pre-Christmas charge for the 15 hours is correct or not, i.e. am I due a refund?

cr1mson · 11 March at 7:50PM

When did he turn 3? My understanding the funding for the 15 hours is available the term after they turn 3 so assuming birthday is in November would only be eligible from 1st January.