Nursery World - Underfunding: Chain restricts funded-only 15-hour places

A nursery chain which has defended a ‘general extras’ charge as necessary to subsidise government-funded places has published a new policy to help get around the problem.

Tops Day Nurseries, which operates 18 nurseries across Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset, had risked falling foul of government guidelines that say that nurseries cannot attach any conditions to the free entitlement.

The Department for Education has said it wants councils to intervene to deprive settings of the funding, which allows parents to claim 15 ‘free’ hours a week for three- and four-year-olds, if this happens.

Managing director Cheryl Hadland argues that the charges – which apply to various ‘extras’ such as yoga and snack food - are not attached to the free places and says she has ‘no choice but to charge more’ because of decreased or stagnant funding rates from councils for free entitlement.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included