Funding & Fees

GOVERNMENT FUNDING AT THE CHILDREN’S GARDEN - APRIL 2025


Here at TCG, we use a method which makes it easy for parents to access funded hours, but that is also sustainable for us so we can maintain quality and future investment.


3 & 4 Year Old Funding:

All children become eligible for the Universal 3 & 4 y/o Government Funding (15 hours term-time) the term after their 3rd birthday. The birthday cut-off dates are March 31st, August 31st and December 31st.

The Extended Government Funding (30 hours) has strict criteria - essentially if you BOTH earn between 16 hours per week at NMW and £100,000pa. This is the same criteria for the Tax Free Childcare (TFC) account (see below for further details).


We use the Stretched Offer as we are open all year round - the same number of funded hours but spread out over the whole year - rather than term-time only.

This means that the 30 (Extended) and 15 (Universal) hours when stretched become 22 and 11 hours per week respectively.


9 Months+ & 2 year-old funding for children of working families:

It is 15 hours per week term-time so 11 hours per week for TCG as we are open all year.

The criteria is THE SAME as for the extended 3 & 4 year old funding. You must BOTH earn between 16 hours per week at NMW and £100,000pa. It is NOT universal.

If you already have a TFC account with HMRC hen you should be able to register for your eligibility code through this.

If you do not yet have a TFC account then you need to register for one at childcarechoices.gov.uk

See below for your choices of using the funded hours with us.


Additional charges:

We provide the core Govt-funded hours at no cost. However, the Govt funding rate does NOT cover our costs and explicitly excludes the following.

  • Food, kitchen & cook costs
  • Consumables & materials
  • Famly App
  • Our iPads for photos & videos
  • Full time artist (the amazing Becky G)


In order to be able to offer the high-quality and diverse ethos which we do, in this special environment, we have additional charges for funded sessions. Please see below.



IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE 3&4 YRS EXTENDED 22 FUNDED HOURS:

We have a number of options available for those in receipt of 30 hours (22 hours per week all year):


OPTION A:

If you wish to use only your funded hours, then 20 of these hours can be taken on a Monday and a Friday in full-day 10-hour blocks. So for 2 full funded days you would only pay our daily additional charge (£27). This is obviously subject to availability. The additional 2 funded hours per week are available in a 5th session (or as part of a full day) where this funding creates a discounted day rate of £70.50.



OPTION B:

If you wish to be flexible with your funded hours and use your hours on full days on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, then you can with the payment of our additional charge of £29.50 for the entire day. Again, the additional 2 funded hours per week are available in a 5th session at the rate above.


IF YOU ONLY RECEIVE THE 3 & 4 YEAR OLD UNIVERSAL 11 FUNDED HOURS:

The terms are exactly the same as above - except for just one fully-funded 10 hour day. *Note at least 2 full days is a requirement once a child is in the Montessori Room.

On a Monday or a Friday you would just pay the additional charge (£27).

If you wish to be more flexible with your funded hours and use your hours on full days on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, then you can with the daily additional charge of £29.50.

The additional 1 funded hour is available as part of a full day at a discounted rate of £72.50


The minimum requirement for attendance is 2 full days once in the Montessori Room.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO REGISTER WITH THE GOVT IF YOU ARE ONLY ACCESSING THE UNIVERSALLY-AVAILABLE 15 HOURS (11 WHEN STRETCHED).


IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE 2 YEAR OLD 11 FUNDED HOURS:

Full day options: On a Monday or a Friday you would just pay the additional charge (£19.50).

A Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, then the daily additional charge is £22.50.

The additional 11th hour creates a slight discount on your second full day.

IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE 9 MONTH+ 11 FUNDED HOURS:

This is split across two full days with 5.5 funded hours at no cost and the remaining 4.5 hours per day at £34 Mon/Fri and £38 Tues-Thurs


If you think your child is eligible for the disadvantaged two year old funding offer please contact our office.



What happens next?

  • Do register early if you think you are eligible (see below) for the extended 3 & 4 year old OR the 9M+ and 2YO funded hours AND let us know
  • In the term before a child becomes eligible, we contact, via Famly, parents of all children who are in receipt of Govt Funding for the forthcoming term to explain how your child’s current sessions would work with the funding and what your monthly bill will be
  • If you wish to change these sessions then you will need to request this in writing via Famly or email. Current booked sessions are given priority and any changes are subject to availability.
  • You will be asked to sign a Parent Declaration Form confirming how many funded hours you wish to access. (Please note, we are stretching the funding over 51 weeks, not the 48 weeks mentioned in the form).
  • The 52nd week is charged at our standard rate and spread across the whole year
  • All funded hours are provided at zero cost. If you have any questions about our additional charges please contact the office or Stamford Accounts on Famly


Pricing from April 2025

Standard Prices for 0-2:

Full Day Mon & Fri: £82

Full Day Tues - Thurs: £85

Standard Prices for 3-5:

Full Day Mon & Fri: £79

Full Day Tues - Thurs: £82


Half days (subject to availability) £48

Forest School: £64 per month

PJ Club: £8


Full-Time children will receive a 10% discount on these fees


30 Hour 3 & 4 Year Old AND 15 hour 9M+ & 2 Year Old Eligibility

Parents apply via a HMRC online portal called Childcare Choices at childcarechoices.gov.uk

So you will need to create a Government Gateway account if you don’t have one

HMRC Childcare Choices provides you with an ID code to determine your eligibility

You give TCG this ID code plus your NI number and child’s DOB and your written consent for us to check these.

We verify this code with Lincs CC

Parent must reconfirm eligibility every 3 months when prompted by text and/or email

There is a short grace period if you become ineligible.

It is important that you apply the term before your child turns 3 (or 2) - if you do not have your code in time for the first eligible term you will need to wait for the following term!!

Any problems with setting up then please ring Childcare Service Customer Interaction Centre on 0300 123 4097

For more information go to childcarechoices.gov.uk


DISADVANTAGED FUNDING:

If your child will be in receipt of Early Years Pupil Premium then there are significantly reduced costs for these children. Please contact Laura in the office for details.



Tax-free Childcare

Parents can also apply for Tax-free Childcare, which operates a bit like a voucher scheme. For every £8 a parent pays in the Govt contributes £2. The limit per annum is £2,000.

The criteria are broadly similar to the 30 hours (for working parents).

It is not available to parents in receipt of Tax Credits, Universal Credit or current Childcare Vouchers.

For more information go to childcarechoices.gov.uk