Costs and Fees

Preschool Fees

Muddy Puddles Pre-School charges by the session, each session is 3 hours.

The three-hour session fee is £17.25. You can pay each time your child attends or for several sessions in advance.

Government Funding

Children are eligible for a funded place as follows:

Some 2 year olds are eligible for 15 hours of government funded child care.

All 3-4 years olds in England are entitled to 15 hours free early education/childcare for 38 weeks of the year from the term after their third birthday. 

Some families of 3-4 year olds may also be eligible for 30 hours free early education/childcare per week over 38 weeks of the year if they meet the relevent criterea. Alternatively, parents can pay for their child’s pre-school sessions subject to availability and contract.

All funded places are subject to avaliablility please speak to staff for more information. 
For more information about eligibility please see website www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs.
 

If my child is too sick to come to pre-school, do I still have to pay for the sessions?

If your child is ill, or does not attend pre-school for any other reason, you still have to pay for the sessions he/she has missed. If, however your child will be absent for any length of time, please discuss this with the manager.

Please call, text or email us if your child is ill or unable to attend. If your child misses sessions and you don’t let us know why they are absent, we may offer their place to another child. If your child has a government-funded place but does not attend, and you don’t tell us why, you may lose the funding and have to pay for the sessions yourself.

As a WSCC (West Sussex County Council) registered pre-school we are able to apply for Government funding-this is available for children aged 3 and 4 from the term after they turn three. A new funding period starts at the beginning of September, January and April each year. Your child will be eligible in the funding period AFTER their third birthday. So if your child’s third birthday is in mid-August, his/her funding will start in September. If, however, his/her birthday is in October, he/she won’t be eligible for funding until January. This means your child can have up to 15 hours (five sessions) in the pre-school and you don’t have to pay! This is subject to sessions being available. Don’t worry about claiming funding yourself – we will tell you when your funded sessions will start and you will be asked to sign a parent declaration claim form.

Please note that your child must attend regularly, especially in the week that the head count is carried out, in order to qualify for funding.