Fees can be a difficult subject for any nursery. Price them too high and you risk being considered too expensive; set them too low, and you might be considered to be of 'poorer quality' by prospective parents.
However, getting them right is not only essential to attracting parents to your setting but also to the long-term sustainability of your business. Some nurseries set their fees in line with local market rates and what they believe parents can afford to pay, but this is not an accurate or viable way to calculate charges.
Private, voluntary and independent nurseries rely on parents' fees as the main source of income. It is therefore essential that this income covers outgoings. Many costs, including wages, rents and mortgage interest rates, business rates and utilities, have shot up. However, fees have not kept pace with these increases and as a result, many nurseries face an uncertain future with their long-term sustainability a major concern.
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