Starfish Daycare Fees during the Corona-crisis
The UK Government is continuing to fund nursery provision for children from the term after their third birthday as well as the additional 15 hours of care (so called, 30-hour provision). They are also funding 2-year-provision (15 hours for eligible children). These continuing funding streams will help, but, our setting relies upon parental contributions for the majority of its costs. Due to our setting being based at a school, we do not qualify, through the government scheme, for business-rate-relief. It would seem that this is the trigger for accessing other business continuity grants and wage support, so we are expecting not to qualify for these either. We are currently hoping to maintain staff but obviously this will add to our deficit. In light of this we have come up with the following plan relating to fees:
- Where children of critical workers to the Covid-19 response continue to access the setting, regardless of whether their hours during the crisis are more or less than usual, we will take receipt of the normal fees that they pay.
- Where children of critical workers are no longer accessing the setting, we will not expect payment in line with our contracts. However, where possible we would ask that families who are continuing to receive their usual wage, contribute to the setting in some form so that when this is over there will still be a setting to which children can return.
- For children of other workers, no longer able to access the setting, we will not expect payment in line with our contracts. However, where possible we would ask that families who are continuing to receive their usual wage, contribute to the setting in some form so that when this is over there will still be a setting to which children can return. Obviously where families are currently not receiving a wage or are receiving less than their usual wage through one of the government or company schemes we do not expect contributions.
- Where children accessing the setting require breakfast, tea-time or wrap-around care we will continue to collect fees are usual. We will also be able to offer lunches at the usual cost in forthcoming weeks. (We will let those accessing the setting know when this becomes available.)
We will record all payments and contributions made during this period and if further schemes become available to support settings like ours, we will reimburse payments.
It is very difficult, after struggling for 14 years to make a go of a unique provision both in Hartlepool and in the region, and most especially when we have watched similar settings close because the difficulties proved too great, to contemplate the loss of our provision due to children not being able to come because of this crisis.
Thank you all for your continuing support and most especially for the good wishes and grateful thanks we have received for maintaining this facility for workers critical to the Covid-19 response. All of our staff are committed to doing what they can at this time to help our national response.
Normal Times and prices for Early Years
We offer sessional daycare from birth and flexible funded nursery places for 2, 3 and 4 year olds on a first come first served basis.
Some 2 years olds are eligible for 15 hours of Funded Nursery Entitlement. Contact Kim Rowntree at the Hub on 01429 284284 if you think you may be eligible.
All 3 years olds are entitled to 15 hours of Funded Nursery Education from the term after their 3rd birthday. Children of working parents/carers are entitled to apply for an additional 15 hours of funded childcare for 3 and 4 year olds. If you think that you are eligible, you should apply at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk. See below for criteria.
In addition parents can ‘top-up’ funded provision.
Fees should be paid in advance. We accept cash, cheque, work place vouchers and government vouchers as well as student finance.
Session Times
- Morning 7.45am – 12.45pm
- Afternoon 12.45pm – 5.45pm
- Full Day 7.45am – 5.45pm
Early Years Fees 0-2 years (Puddle Room / Rock Pool Room)
- Morning – £30.00
- Afternoon – £28.250
- Full Day – £54.50
- Full Week – £240.00
Early Years Fees 2-3 years (Bay Room)
- Morning – £30.00
- Afternoon – £28.25
- Full Day – £54.50
- Full Week – £240.00
Early Years 3+ years (Sea Room)
- Morning – £31.00
- Afternoon – £29.00
- Full day – £54.50
- Hourly rate – £6.00
Holiday Club 3-11 years
- Morning – £18.00
- Afternoon – £18.00
- Full Day – £26.25
Term Time Retainer
- £35 per week
Breakfast Care for school aged children – £6.50 per day or £30.00 for the full calendar week
Golden hour (after 8.30 am and until 3.30 pm ) – £4.75 per day or £22.00 for the full calendar week
After School Club 5-11 years until 3.30pm: £5.00
After School Club 5-11 years until5.45pm: £13.00
(All prices are correct at the time of publication and some fees are subject to a late booking charge.)
The criteria for the additional 15 hours of funded childcare for working parents/carers of 3 and 4 year olds are presently;
Age of child
As with the existing 15 hours entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds, children become eligible for the additional 15 hours at the start of the school term after their third birthday.
Definition of working parents:
- Both parents must be in work, as defined below, and for single parent families, the sole parent must be in work.
- For the purposes of this scheme, ‘in work’ is defined as being in employment (including self-employed) and earning more than the equivalent of the minimum wage for working 16 hours a week. As an example, the current minimum wage is £7.20 per hour for over 25s, so the minimum weekly income to be eligible would be £7.20 x 16 = £115.20.
- Each parent must also earn less than £100,000 per year.
- One parent must be ‘in work’ if the other receives disability benefit or benefits related to caring responsibilities (parental, maternity, paternity leave, adoption leave, or statutory sick pay)
Please note that this is a government initiative and St John Vianney School do not have any control over the qualifying criteria.