Nursery World - Rising too high

With reference to the funding for three- and four-year-olds, my nursery was informed from day one that we were unable to charge top-up fees for the core 2.5-hour session. Not only is the funding not enough to cover the costs, but what has insulted me is that the funding has been increased by only 2.5 per cent for the forthcoming year. Heating oil has increased by more than 2.5 per cent and, most importantly, the Government has increased the minimum wage by more than 2.5 per cent.

Heating oil has increased by more than 2.5 per cent and, most importantly, the Government has increased the minimum wage by more than 2.5 per cent.

I try to keep my qualified staff above the minimum wage, but this is increasingly difficult when it is rising so greatly each year. With my two trainee staff members turning 22 and therefore being paid at a higher rate, which I feel they should not receive until they are fully qualified, this extra cost limits my financial ability to reward more qualified staff with a wage I feel they deserve.

The Government is dictating how much income the nursery can generate at an unrealistic rate. It is also dictating how much I pay my staff at a far greater annual increase than the funding.

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