10.13 Payment of Fees

Policy statement

We aim to provide high quality care, staffing, equipment and resources within our setting. We are a non-profit organisation and therefore we rely on fees owing to us to be paid on time. This policy outlines the requirements that you need to adhere to in order for the Pre-School to run successfully; and to enable us to fulfil your childcare needs. In a situation where fees are not paid on time, we have outlined below the procedures that we will follow.

Procedures

All children are eligible to 15 hours of government funding in the term after their third birthday. Any additional hours over and above 15 hours that are attended are payable. Westwood Farm Community Pre-School will provide you with the relevant 15 hour funding forms once your child becomes eligible. Please note that you shall be required to complete a funding declaration and make us aware if your funding is to be split between two settings. No two settings can claim for the same hours.

In the instance of children starting Pre-School before being eligible for this funding, any sessions attended will be payable.

The following funding is also available; however, parents/carers will need to apply for this as this is not something we can do for you.

2 year old funding

30 hour funding

Tax free childcare

You can find the full details for all of the funding options listed above, the individual criteria for each and how to apply at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk. If you are entitled to 2 year old funding or 30 hour funding it is your responsibility to supply Westwood Farm Community Pre-School with your funding code before your child’s start date. It is also your responsibility to re-validate your code as required. This will be a direct communication from HMRC. Should you not supply Westwood Farm Community Pre-School with your funding code by the deadlines given, or re-validate your code in time, fees will be payable.

Payment of Fees

Termly fees are payable in advance. The table below illustrates when invoices will be issued and when payments are due. We ask that payments are made as promptly as possible. Our preferred method of payment is via bank transfer (details below), however payments can also be made by cheque (made payable to Westwood Farm Community Pre-School).

Sort code: 30 96 96

Account number: 02522230

We do accept payment by childcare vouchers, however the Government are no longer accepting new applications.

Term

Invoice issued

1st payment due (50%)

2nd payment due (50%)

January (Spring term)

1st week of December

31st December

31st January

April (Summer term)

1st week of March

31st March

30th April

September (Autumn term)

1st week of July

31st July

30th September

*A non-refundable registration fee of £15 is payable on receipt of your registration form. We are unable to place your child/ren on our waiting list without this.

If you have accepted a space for the following term, yet after the first payment is due, you will receive an invoice within two weeks of you accepting the space. Your fees will then be due as indicated on your invoice. Please note that 50% of fees will still be due before the term starts. The 2nd payment date will remain the same.

If you experience any problem in paying your invoice, please speak to the Administrator (Nicki Layfield) as soon as possible; who will be able to discuss your options with you. She can be contacted on 0118 9429865 or 0759 1750224.

If invoices are not paid by the dates outlined above, and we have not received any communication; the following course of action will be taken:

You will receive an e-mail reminding you that payment is now due and an informal letter will come home with your child, along with another copy of your invoice.

If within a week we have still not received payment or communication from you, you will receive a formal letter requesting payment to be made immediately.
One week after the date of the formal letter, if we have still not received any payment or communication from you, the matter will be referred to our Committee. An administration fee of £10 will be added to your invoice, and an additional charge of £10 per week will be incurred until payment has been made. We reserve the right to reassess your child’s place at our setting.

If the issue cannot be resolved within the 3 steps outlined above, legal proceedings will be taken.