Fee & Funding Information
At The Cradle Nursery, we are committed to providing clear, accessible information for parents and carers about funded childcare, fees, our childcare options, and how we work with families. If you have any questions about your child’s place, funding, or charges, please contact us and we will be happy to help.
Funded Childcare Entitlements
- Working parent funded childcare for eligible working families
- Universal 15 hours for all eligible 3 and 4 year olds
- 15 hours for eligible 2 year olds receiving additional support
Tax-Free Childcare or Tax Credit schemes
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility for funded childcare depends on your child’s age and your family circumstances.
If you live and work in England you may be entitled to 30 hours working parent funded childcare from the term after your child turns 9 months old, until they start school. All 3 and 4 year olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare. Families with children aged 2 years who are not working may also qualify for funded childcare if they receive any additional support.
For the working parent offer, eligibility starts a term after the child turns 9 months and if both parents are working and neither of the parent is earning more than £100,000. Eligibility is checked by HMRC through the HM government website Best Start in Life.
How to Apply and Reconfirm Eligibility
If you are applying for the working parent funded childcare offer, you will need to apply through the government childcare service. If your application is approved, you will receive an 11-digit childcare code, which must be given to the nursery before your funded place can be confirmed.
Parents only need to apply once for the working parent offer, but eligibility must be reconfirmed regularly through their childcare account to ensure funding continues without interruption. If you do not reconfirm on time, your funded place may be affected.
If your child is 2 years old and you believe you may qualify through the additional support route, you should contact your local council or Family Information Service for guidance before applying for further funded childcare.
Parents/carers will also be asked to complete and sign the nursery’s parental declaration form before funded hours can be claimed.
Charging Policy
We are committed to keeping our fees clear, transparent and easy for families to understand.
Where a child is eligible for funded childcare, their funded hours are allocated in line with their booking pattern. All charges are clearly explained in advance and will relate to your child’s individual booking arrangement and any additional services selected.
Where charges apply, they relate only to services or attendance that fall outside the funded entitlement, or to optional extras chosen by parents/carers. Depending on your child’s booking pattern, this may include additional childcare hours, meal provision, sports sessions, enhanced activity charges, or other optional services offered by the nursery. Funded only places can be accessed without selecting any additional services, subject to availability.
We offer a range of flexible childcare options designed to support different family needs, working patterns and funded childcare arrangements. Our childcare options may include full-day places, half-day places, term-time attendance, full-time attendance and stretched funding arrangements across the year. Places are available subject to availability.
When discussing a place for your child, we will work with you to identify the most suitable attendance pattern based on your childcare requirements, your child’s eligibility for funding, and the sessions currently available. We want families to be able to make informed choices, so we will always explain the attendance options, how funding can be used, and any optional services that may apply alongside your chosen booking pattern.
If you are unsure which option is right for your child, please contact us and we will be happy to guide you through the sessions, funding arrangements and fee structure in more detail.
How We Use Your Data
Where required, we may share relevant information with Leicestershire County Council and other authorised bodies for the purposes of funding administration, audit, safeguarding, or where we are required to do so by law.
Further information about how we collect, store, use, and protect personal data is available
Further Information for Parents
Further guidance on childcare funding and support is available through the links below:
Still confused and have something to ask?
