Sessions, Staffing and Fees
Our Playgroup operates from the Village Hall holding 9 sessions per week, 5 mornings 9.00am to 12.00 and 4 afternoons 12.45pm to 3.45pm (not Wednesdays). The afternoon sessions are more structured and give opportunities for activities such as PE and visiting the local primary school. We regularly accommodate over 80 children in these 9 sessions aged from 2 to 5 years old. Children are accepted from all areas but preference is given to children of the Parish when this is necessary.
Each session is 3 hours in length and costs £20.00 for a child under 2 plus a 3 year old that doesn’t yet qualify for Funded Early Education and £19.00 for any extra sessions for a child that qualifies for the Funded Early Education. All fee calculations are made for a whole term ( ie. terms 1 & 2 therefore if a child turns 3 in term 2 they would be charged £20.00 a session for the whole term). The term following a child reaching the age of 3 is when they qualify for Funded Early Education Funding from KCC which is for up to 15 hours per week. 30 hours of Funded Early Education may be available subject to eligibility criteria, please see separate pages, but Boughton Monchelsea Playgroup are only able to offer up to a maximum of 27 hours a week. More information is available at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk. We are also registered for children eligible for the Free For 2 Funding.
Lunchclub is available 4 days a week at a cost of £5.00 per day and is available to all children. Children aged over 2 can attend for 2 sessions in a day and if they are eligible for Free Early Education they can use 6 hours for this and just pay for the lunchclub.
FEES STRUCTURE
At our Playgroup we believe in open communication with all parents/carers and staff and are therefore presenting our fee structure in order to ensure that everyone fully understands our charging. We are open for 38 weeks per year, closing on Bank Holidays. Our fees do not include any outings, celebrations that are in addition to our usual session activities. We have a contribution added to our invoices for consumables ie. snacks, craft materials, sensory resources, toiletries and snacks.
APPLICATION FEE
There is a £20.00 non-refundable administration fee when you complete and send in an application form. This fee includes a Playgroup t-shirt and taster sessions before your child starts.
FEES: Fees are payable termly in advance, in accordance with the rates in force at the time. Fees are reviewed annually in May/June of each year or in the event of any changes to the DofE Statutory Guidance. Any changes to current rates will be advised in writing at least one term in advance. If you are experiencing difficulties with termly payments, please speak to the Administrator or Manager.
CONSUMABLES CHARGE: We charge a consumables charge which is £1 per week for children attending up to 5 sessions and £2 for children attending 6 or more sessions, these charges cover extras such as snacks, wipes, nappies, nappy sacks and suncream. These charges are added to your termly invoice and are due alongside the fees. If these charges would cause a family financial hardship then the parent should speak to the Playgroup Manager or Administrator who may be able to help.
2 year olds (if they qualify for Funded Early Education Funding)
3 hourly session am (9.00 am to 12.00 pm) or pm (12.45 pm to 3.45 pm) £20.00
Lunchclub session (12.00 pm to 12.45 pm) (parents to provide packed lunch) £ 5.00
3 year olds (once they have qualified for Free Early Education Funding)
3 hourly session am (9.00 am to 12.00 pm) or pm (12.45 pm to 3.45 pm) £19.00
Lunchclub session (12.00 pm to 12.45 pm) (parents to provide packed lunch) £ 5.00
| NUMBER OF FUNDED EARLY EDUCATION HOURS TAKEN & COST | FEES EXTRA SESSION AFTER 15 HOURS HAVE BEEN ACCESSED | |
| AM (9 AM TO 12 PM) | 3 HOURS – £0.00 | £19.00 (3&4yrs) £20.00 (2yrs) |
| PM (12.45 PM to 3.45 PM) | 3 HOURS – £0.00 | £19.00 (3&4yrs) £20.00 (2yrs) |
| LUNCHCLUB | 0 HOURS – £5.00 | £5.00 |
| FULL DAY (9 AM TO 3.45 PM) | 6 HOURS + £5.00 | £43.00 (3&4yrs) £45.00 (2yrs) |
ILLNESS/ABSENCE: No refund will be given in the event of a child’s absence due to illness, holiday or any other reason.
CLOSURES: Should the Playgroup be unable to open due to bad weather or any other unforeseen circumstances, parents will be refunded for a chargeable session or have it discounted off their next invoice. Should closure need to take place part way through a session, a refund will not be given in this instance.
LATE PICK UP: Children must be collected promptly at the end of the session/day. Should a parent fail to collect their child within 10 minutes of the sessions/day ending, a late collection fee of £15.00 may be charged, and a further £10.00 for every half hour thereafter. These fees are charged at the discretion of the Manager and/or Committee.
LATE PAYMENTS: Fees are to be paid within 2 weeks of the start of each term. If they are late, then there will be a £10.00 fine. If you are experiencing financial hardship please speak, in confidence, to the Administrator or Manager so that alternative payment arrangements can be made. If not, and without prior negotiation there will be a fine of £10.00 for session fees and £10.00 for lunchclub fees. If the fees remain outstanding then a further £10.00 fine will be added for each week that they remain outstanding. All fees must be paid within the term that they are due. If without prior negotiation, fees are not settled, we are left with no alternative but to withdraw your child’s place and if necessary take legal action to recover the amount owed. Children in receipt of Funded Early Education will be unable to access any additional fee paying hours or facilities until all outstanding fees are settled ie. lunchclub.
PAYMENT METHODS: Invoices can be settled by cash, cheques or bank transfers. All monies should be in a sealed envelope with your child’s name and the amount on the outside. Cheques should be made payable to Boughton Monchelsea Playgroup and have your child’s name on the back. If you would like to pay by bank transfer the details are: Natwest Bank – Sort code 53 81 51, Account number 13954938 using your child’s name as the reference.
15 HOURS FREE EARLY EDUCATION: The following information details how your child can access their Free Early Education hours at this Playgroup. Your child is entitled to 570 hour of Free Early Education over 38 weeks per year. However, depending on which days your child attends this may not be possible, due to bank holidays. We will inform you if this is the case and offer alternative hours.
We have 14 members of staff who work at the Playgroup with the children and an administrator who works together with the staff and committee in ensuring all paperwork and procedures are up to date. We operate a 1:3 adult to child ratio for children under 2, 1:4 adult to child ratio for children aged 2 and a 1:6 ratio for children aged over 3 which exceeds the government requirements which are ratios of 1:8 for children aged over 3.
We have 15 members of staff
To find out availability of sessions you should speak to the Administrator (Jane Clarke), she can be contacted on 01622 747431 (during Playgroup hours), via email, via the Playgroup Facebook page or via the Playgroup. A waiting list is held which is sorted in age order and once a completed application form is received the child will be placed on this waiting list. The Administrator contacts a parent once a place becomes available. The main intakes for new children are in September (the beginning of term 1), January (the beginning of term 3) and April (the beginning of term 5) although if spaces are available children can be accepted at any time throughout the year.
| Sara Skinner | Manager, BA (Hons) Early Years Leader; Foundation Degree Early Years Professional; Designated Safeguarding Officer; Health & Safety Officer, Behaviour Management Officer; Bereavement Officer; First Aider, Equality and Diversity Officer |
| Karen Emmett | Deputy Manager, Level 3 Practitioner, First Aider |
| Claire Corpe | SENCO, DPP Level 3, First Aider |
| Iveta Hajzlerova | Level 3 Practitioner, First Aider |
| Kate Derry | Level 3 Practitioner |
| Vicky Ovens | Level 3 Practitioner |
| Megan Morgan | Early Years Practitioner, First Aider |
| Chloe Brown | Level 3 Practitioner, First Aider |
| Katie Skinner
Charlie Metland Becky Chapman Michelle Doherty Stephanie Taylor Lily Stubberfield |
Early Years Practitioner
Level 3 Practitioner Early Years Practitioner Early Years Practitioner Early Years Practitioner Early Years Practitioner |
| Jane Clarke
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Administrator |