Little Gems Fees Policy
From April 2025
Little Gems Pre-School is aiming to provide good quality, affordable and based on Christian values education for the local community; as such we rely heavily on the prompt payment of fees to cover our day-to-day operational costs.
Early Education Funding (EEF)
Little Gems Pre-School offer 15 and 30 hours of FREE Early Education to eligible children aged one, two, three and four years of age. Children become entitled to 570 hours of Early Education Funding (EEF) over no fewer than 38 weeks of the year the term following their second or third birthday in accordance with the table below.
This equates to 15 or 30 hours per week/5 or 10 pre-school sessions.
Eligibility for Free Places
Eligible children who are aged 2 or 3 between:
| Period | Free Place Starts From |
|---|---|
| 1st April and 31st August | 1st September following either their 1st, 2nd or 3rd birthday |
| 1st September and 31st December | 1st January following either their 1st, 2nd or 3rd birthday |
| 1st January and 31st March | 1st April following either their 1st, 2nd or 3rd birthday |
Their entitlement continues until either the end of the term in which they become five years old or until they start school.
-
2 year old EEF – To find out if you are eligible for funding please visit:
2 Year Old Offer
Please note Little Gems Pre-School offers limited funded places for 2 years old. -
Working parents entitlement funding – To find out if you are eligible please visit:
Apply for free childcare if you're working -
3 & 4 year old EEF funding – All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to funding as detailed above.
-
30 hours funding – To find out if you are eligible for funding please visit:
3 & 4 Year Old Offer
We offer limited places to children eligible to 30 hours funding and 2-year-old funded. If you wish to apply for a funded 30-hour place at our Pre-School, please note that you may be put on the waiting list.
Fees are charged for children attending sessions which are not covered by Early Education Funding such as breakfast club, non-funded 2 years old children, extra sessions not covered by EEF, registration fee, extracurricular activities and consumables.
Types of Fees
1. Registration Fee
- Children attending Little Gems – A one off non-refundable fee of £80 is required upon registering your child at Pre-School.
- The fee is agreed by the Pre-School Management and advance notice of not less than one half-term period is given for any increase.
2. Session Fees
A fee is chargeable per session for all children that are not eligible for funding or for children who have exceeded their funding entitlement.
- A fee of £7.50 per hour for 3, 4-year-olds and £8.75 per hour for 2-year-olds will apply.
- Breakfast Club: The breakfast club that runs from 8:30am till 9am costs £7.
3. Consumable Charges
- As of September 2020, we have introduced consumable charges of £1.20 per hour. The consumable charges apply to all funded 1, 2- and 3-year-old children.
- Consumables cover meals, wipes, nappy sacks, Forest School in our Lindford setting, special events such as Christmas, Easter, extra-curricular activities such as Boogie Beats in the Aldershot setting.
- The Pre-School Management agrees the fees and advance notice of not less than one half-term period is given for any increase.
4. School Uniform
- School uniform is optional but it can be ordered from Edgar Jerome ltd.
Address: 7 Wellington St, Aldershot, GU11 1DX.
Alternatively, the order can be placed via Magda. - The polo costs £7.95 and the jumper/cardigans cost £10.95.
Session Fees for 2025
2-year-olds non funded
(Applicable until the term following a child's 3rd birthday)
| Session | Session Duration | Rate per Session |
|---|---|---|
| Morning session | 09.00 - 12.00 | £26.25 |
| Afternoon session | 12.00 - 3.00 | £26.25 |
| Full day | 09.00 - 3.00 | £52.50 |
2-year-olds and 3-year-olds funded
| Session | Session Duration | Rate per Session |
|---|---|---|
| Morning session | 09.00-12.00 | £3.60 |
| Afternoon session | 12.00-3.00 | £3.60 |
| Full day | 09.00-3.00 | £7.20 |
3 years to 5-year-olds non funded
(Applicable from the term following a child's 3rd birthday)
| Session | Session Duration | Rate per Session |
|---|---|---|
| Morning session | 09.00 - 12.00 | £22.50 |
| Afternoon session | 12.00-3.00 | £22.50 |
| Full day | 9.00-3.00 or 8.30-3.00 | £45 |
Concessions cannot normally be made for absences since another child cannot always fill the place.
- Regular sessions: An invoice will be issued at the start of each half term and should be paid within 14 days of the issue date.
- Ad-hoc sessions: Invoices are raised on a weekly basis and should be paid within 14 days of the issue date. All invoices are placed in your child's folder in Pre-School.
Payment of Fees
We can receive payment by electronic bank transfer, cash, cheque or childcare vouchers. More detailed information about payment methods is included on the invoices. To minimise administrative costs our preference is to receive payment via electronic bank transfer.
Late Payment of Fees
Fees should be paid within 14 days of the payment date given on the bill.
- If it is not possible to pay the fees immediately and in full, please speak to the owner as it may be possible to work out a payment plan (paying weekly/daily) – confidentiality will be assured. Please note that it may be possible to receive childcare payment help through childcare tax credits or childcare vouchers.
- If payment has not been made by the first due date (nor a payment plan agreed), a reminder will be issued giving a final due date four weeks after the initial invoice was issued. Little Gems Pre-School will charge a late payment fee of any outstanding amount owed at the rate of £20 and an additional £1 per day until such payment is made.
- If full payment has not been received, nor a payment plan been agreed four weeks after the initial invoice was issued, or where repeated default (i.e. more than two instances) is made on the payment plan, then the Pre-School reserves the right to remove access to the child's non-funded sessions immediately and offer them to another family, subject to the Pre-School's discretion (i.e. taking into account any external factors relating to the child). The Pre-School may also take further action to recover the lost fees from the parent/carer.
Refunds
- Refunds will not be made for absence through illness, holiday or other, apart from in exceptional circumstances (at the discretion of the Pre-School Management).
- Refunds will not be made if Pre-School closes a planned session due to adverse weather conditions.
- Refunds will not be made where a child leaves or reduces their weekly sessions after the initial invoice has been issued.
- Refunds will not be given for ad-hoc sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours notice.
- Refunds will not be made for any training days that the school may be closed.
- Refunds will not be made if the government decide to close the pre-school due to pandemic reasons.
Late Collection
If your child will be collected late on more than one occasion, we hold the right to charge a late collection fee of £1 per minute.
Our Bank Details
All payments must be made to our Barclays account:
- Name: Little Gems Aldershot Ltd
- Account Number: 93426106
- Sort Code: 20-11-43