Fees and Payment Info
Little Lambs Nursery is open from 8.00am to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, offering full-day sessions only designed to give children a consistent, nurturing and calm experience. Each day includes all meals, snacks, drinks, core learning opportunities, outdoor play, and access to our farm-based environment.
The nursery operates a full-year model and remains open throughout the school holidays. We close for bank holidays, three annual staff training days, and a two-week Christmas break, ensuring our team can provide the highest standard of care and maintain a safe and well-
prepared environment. Daily rates are reviewed annually, with parents notified in advance of any changes.
Registration Fee & Settling-In
Until further notice, families wishing to enrol their child for a January to April 2026 start can register and apply for FREE! During this period, and until further notice, we are pleased to confirm that places are currently guaranteed for children starting during January and April.
Once a place is confirmed, settling-in sessions are planned individually to support a smooth transition, helping children to build confidence and familiarity with the setting at their own pace.
Government Funding and Fees
Little Lambs Nursery offers the government’s Early Years Entitlement for eligible children, including the 15 and 30 hours of funding. As these hours are designed for term-time only, and Little Lambs Nursery is open throughout the year (not just term-time) the funded hours are stretched across 51 weeks of the year, providing families with a consistent weekly allocation of funded childcare.
When stretched across the year, the 15-hours equates to an average of 11 funded hours per week and the 30-hour entitlement equates to an average of 22 funded hours per week. Our nursery operates on a full-day model, with a minimum attendance requirement of two days per week.
Government-funded childcare covers the cost of early education and care only. It does not include additional services such as meals, snacks, consumables, enrichment activities, or visits to Farrington's PlayBarn - a which fall outside the funded entitlement.
These additional services are charged to parents at £10 per funded day and contributes towards the provision of meals, snacks, consumables, offsite visits such as to Farrington's PlayBarn or the local park, and enrichment experiences that support children throughout the day.
The purchase of these additional services is voluntary and is not a condition of accessing funded childcare. Families may choose how their funded hours are used and whether they wish to take up any additional services, with further details outlined in the section below.
The table below illustrates how funded hours are applied and how any additional private and funded hours are charged:
WEEKLY SESSIONS
NO FUNDING
15 HOURS FUNDED
30 HOURS FUNDED
2 FULL DAYS
£170
£86.50
£20
3 FULL DAYS
£255
£171.50
£88
4 FULL DAYS
£340
£256.50
£173
5 FULL DAYS
£425
£341.50
£258
Consumables, Meals & Additional Charges
The additional services package is charged at £10 per funded day. This is made up of £7 for meals and snacks and £3 for consumables and offsite visits / enrichment activities.
Meals and snacks are freshly prepared by an external catering provider and arrive ready to serve at the appropriate temperature. As the nursery does not have cooking facilities, parents who choose not to purchase nursery meals may provide their own food, which will need to be either consumed cold or which can be reheated only by using the microwave available on site.
The consumables and enrichment element contributes towards items such as nappies, wipes, cream, craft and learning resources, and participation in off-site experiences, including visits to Farrington's PlayBarn and the local park. Parents who do not wish to purchase this element may supply their own consumables and may choose for their child not to take part in off-site trips with their peers.
Children attending privately funded sessions have all meals, snacks, consumables, and enrichment fully included within their daily fee.
Funding Administration
All families accessing funded childcare are required to complete and sign a registration form and consent form. These forms provide Little Lambs Nursery with the necessary information and authorisation to claim funded hours on a parent’s behalf and to share relevant information with the local authority early years team for the purposes of administering government funding.
Parents are required to inform us at the point of registration if they are using some or all of their funded childcare entitlement with another provider. Little Lambs Nursery will undertake eligibility and funding checks with the local authority early years team before any enrolment can take place.
Funded hours are allocated to specific attendance days and cannot be transferred or swapped between days without a minimum of six weeks’ notice.
Payments, Invoicing & Methods
Invoices are issued monthly and in advance, and payment is due by the first day of each month. Payments received after the fifth day of the month will incur a 10% late payment charge, unless a delay is agreed in exceptional circumstances.
Families may pay via:
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Bank Transfer
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Childcare Vouchers
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Tax-Free Childcare
Fees remain payable during periods of absence, including sickness or holidays, because staffing and operational costs continue regardless of attendance. Payment can be made by bank transfer, childcare vouchers, or Tax-Free Childcare, and families are welcome to use a combination of accepted methods.
Session Changes, Absences, Sickness & Refunds
Children who are absent due to illness, holidays, or personal circumstances continue to pay their usual fees, as the nursery must maintain staffing and operational budgets to ensure consistent provision. Refunds or credits are only offered where a child is admitted into hospital on a booked nursery day, in which case fees for that day will be removed.
Sessions cannot be exchanged or swapped for alternative days, and additional absences cannot be rescheduled.
Families may request to increase or decrease their child’s sessions, subject to availability. All changes, including withdrawing from the nursery, require six weeks’ written notice. This notice period applies equally to privately funded and government-funded places, ensuring that staffing ratios and operational planning remain stable for all children.
Families may request additional sessions when needed. These are offered on an ad-hoc basis, depending on availability and staffing levels. Additional sessions are charged at the standard daily rate and added to the following month’s invoice. Ad-hoc bookings are non-refundable if the child does not attend.
Closures
The nursery closes on:
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For all UK bank holidays
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For three staff training days per year (not chargeable)
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For a two-week Christmas break
Parents are not charged for training days or the Christmas closure, but bank holidays remain chargeable as part of the standard yearly model.
In the rare event of an emergency closure - such as severe weather, loss of utilities, or safety concerns - fees may be adjusted in accordance with our Emergency & Contingency Planning Policy. Parents will be informed as early as possible should such a closure be required.
Financial Support for Families
Families may be eligible for financial support through government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit, Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP), or the Disability Access Fund (DAF). These schemes are designed to help with childcare costs, enhance provision, or support children with additional needs.
Information about each scheme is available through the UK Government’s Childcare Choices website, and the nursery team is available to assist families in understanding how to access support where eligible.
Contact Us
We understand that childcare finances can be complex, and we are always happy to help. Parents with questions about fees, funding, payments, or availability can contact the nursery office directly for support. Clear communication and transparency are central to our approach, and we aim to make every family feel confident and well-informed.