Government Funding for Early Years Education
Government funding for early years education plays a vital role in supporting families by making high-quality childcare more accessible and affordable. The aim is to ensure all children have the opportunity to benefit from early learning experiences that support their development, school readiness, and overall well-being.
We are proud to offer funded places in line with government schemes, helping parents manage the cost of childcare while giving children the best start in life.
Additional Charges Explained
The government-funded early education entitlement is a scheme provided by the Department for Education and implemented by local authorities across the country. It allows parents to access funded hours at registered nurseries and early years settings, ensuring that children receive basic provision under the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). While this funding covers the core elements of early years education, it is designed to meet only the basic requirements for childcare and education. The funding ensures that every child receives access to the essentials, such as:
- A safe and secure environment
- Age-appropriate educational resources (e.g., puzzles, crayons, paper)
- The minimum staff-to-child ratios required by the EYFS framework
- Basic play and learning activities that support early childhood development
What Additional Charges Cover
To give you a clearer understanding of what these charges cover, here is a list of the services and experiences that are enhancing the provision provided for your child, but there are so many more:
Meals and Snacks
- Nutritious, balanced meals, including a three-course lunch prepared by our in-house cook
- Morning, afternoon and evening snacks tailored to individual dietary needs.
- Regular menu reviews to align with children’s developmental and nutritional requirements
Special Events and Trips
- Off-site excursions to educational and recreational venues (Parks, libraries, museums, gardens, bus trips etc)
- Special themed days (e.g., World Book Day, cultural celebrations)
Celebrations and Milestones
- Birthday recognition with special birthday melons or other treats
- Graduation ceremonies and leaver parties
- Christmas dinner and Santa’s visit
- Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations
Additional Resources and Equipment
- High-visibility jackets and safety equipment for trips
- Spare wellington boots, puddle suits, nappies, and wipes
- Enhanced educational materials (e.g., sensory play equipment, specific musical instruments)
Parent and Family Engagement
- ‘Stay and Play’ sessions to allow parents to engage with their child’s learning
- Parent workshops and information sessions
- Focus weeks where parents can observe and participate in their child’s activities
Additional Activities and Experiences
- Daily yoga and mindfulness sessions
- Baking and cooking activities
- Gardening and vegetable patch maintenance (teaching children about food and sustainability)
- Animal care and nature-based learning experiences
How Additional Charges are Applied
To keep things clear and fair for all families, we provide a detailed breakdown of the additional charges.
This includes:
- Daily charges – For meals, snacks, and day-to-day enhanced provision
- Weekly event charges – For trips, parties, and celebrations
- Weekly Activity charges – For specific enrichment activities, such as yoga or baking
Opt-Out Option
We understand that some families may wish to access their funded hours only, without the additional services. Therefore, we have introduced an Opt-Out Policy that allows parents to decline additional services while still accessing their funded hours. Love 2 Learn Nursery offer a limited number of funded only places, please contact us if you would like to join our waiting list.
Our Commitment to Transparency
We are committed to being transparent about our charges and ensuring that families understand exactly what they are paying for. A full breakdown of additional charges is available for all parents and invoices are broken down for transparency. Our team is always available to answer any questions you may have. Our additional charges are an investment in your child’s early years’ experience. They allow us to provide a setting that is not only safe and compliant but also exciting, enriching, and nurturing. We believe that the experiences your child will gain from our enhanced provision will create lasting memories and a strong foundation for future learning.
Additional Charges for children in receipt of funded early education
FEEE Hours - £0.00 per hour
Additional Hours - £9.60 per hour
Breakfast - 0.75p per day
Morning Snack - 0.25p per day
Three Course Lunch - £12.50 per day – £0.00 for Children who attend 3 Full sessions or more
Afternoon Snack - 0.25p per day
Tea - £2.65 per day
Evening Snack - £0.25 per day
Consumables - £5.00 per week
Special events, Celebrations, Trips - £10.00 per week
IT Package - £2.50 per week
Love 2 Learn Nursery follows an ‘Opt Out’ policy regarding funded-only spaces. Please note that we have limited availability for funded-only sessions, which are offered outside of our prime session hours. Additionally, we offer Term-Time Only places, but these are also limited in availability. For families interested in Term-Time Only options, prices are available upon request.
