Nursery Fees & Funded Hours
Windrush Valley Prep SchoolWindrush Valley School – Nursery Fees & Funded Hours
At Windrush Valley School Nursery, we believe an exceptional early education should be within reach of every family. Our nursery fees are simple, transparent and sensibly priced, with all 3 and 4-year-olds entitled to 15 funded hours per week through Local Authority funding – and eligible families able to access up to 30 hours. With part-time, full-time and extended day options from 08:00 to 18:00, you only pay for the childcare you need, while your child enjoys the warm, nurturing start that sees 97% of our Early Years children attain a Good Level of Development (GLD) – far surpassing both national and local results. To put this into context, the Department for Education has set a national target at 75%. The most recent national figure currently stands at 67.7%. Within the Oxfordshire the level is 69%.
Understanding Your Funding
All children aged 3 and 4 are entitled to 15 hours of funded education and childcare per week with an additional 15 hours for working parents who meet the eligibility criteria. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working/check-youre-eligible.
| Birth date between | Funding Starts |
|---|---|
| 1 April – 31 August | September |
| 1 September – 31 December | January |
| 1 January – 31 March | April |
Important Notes:
- Funded hours applies only to core sessions (9:00-15:00)
- We offer limited 30-hour funded places each term
- Funded hours cannot be used for wrap-around care or extras
- If a funded sessions normally attended falls on an Inset day or Bank Holiday, an alternative session can be requested and met subject to availability.
Making The Most of Your Funding
Attendance for pupils with 15 funded hours can be used in a variety of combinations either for a morning, afternoon or full day – to make up 5 sessions. Attendance for pupils with 30 funded hours covers up to 10 sessions
Enhancing Your Child’s Nursery Experience
We offer a range of optional extras to enhance your child’s week and simplify your routine.
- Non-funded sessions
- Ad hoc sessions
- Forest School enrichment
- Wrap Around Care
- Additional Childcare
- Creative consumables
- School meals
Non-Funded Sessions
Research shows that children who gradually increase their nursery hours transition more smoothly to full-time school. We recommend considering additional sessions throughout the year so your child is comfortably attending at least 4 days by the summer term. This will ensure that they are better equipped and prepared for the increase to 5 full days per week along with the increased pace of learning required in the Reception class.
| Year Group | Additional Hours | Autumn Term (14 weeks) |
Spring Term (10 weeks) |
Summer term (11 weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Additional session per week | 3 | £397 | £284 | £312 |
| 2 Additional sessions per week | 6 | £794 | £567 | £624 |
| 3 Additional sessions per week | 9 | £1,191 | £851 | £936 |
| 4 Additional sessions per week | 12 | £1,588 | £1,134 | £1,247 |
| 5 Additional sessions per week | 15 | £1,985 | £1,418 | £1,560 |
Note: Secure your preferred schedule early as availability is limited
For part time pupils, we recommended the following patterns of attendance:
- Autumn: 2-3 days/week “settle in”
- Spring: 3-4 days/week “build confidence”
- Summer: 4-5 days/week “Reception ready”
- Please be aware that 30-hour funded places are limited each term. We cannot guarantee that every session will be available, as spaces depend on enrolment and staffing.
- We strongly advise using all 30 of your funded hours each week to secure your place for the full year. If we cannot initially accommodate your full 30 hours, you will be placed on a waiting list for the remaining sessions, which we review at the end of each term.
Invoices for non-funded sessions are sent out at the end of the preceding term and are payable by the start of the new term.
Ad hoc Sessions
Last minute ad hoc sessions charged at £35 per session, can be booked (subject to availability).
Forest School Enrichment
As part of our enriching curriculum, we offer off-site Forest School sessions. If your child attends on a Forest School Day, a termly fee of £70 applies. These sessions are designed to build resilience, creativity, and confidence through outdoor exploration.
If you prefer not to participate, your child will engage in alternative EYFS activities at school.
Wrap Around Care
Windrush Valley School Nursey provides flexible care options. Daily options include:
| Before School Care (BSC) | £10 | Drop off any time between 08:00-09:00 – No pre-booking needed |
| After School Care (ASC) | £5 per 30 minutes | Charged in 30-minute increments – Booked on a weekly basis |
| Late Pick-up | £30 | After 18:00 Mon-Thu; after 15:30 Fri |
Specific educational needs will normally be defined as having an EHCP or specific diagnosis from an outside professional that determines the need for targeted intervention but can include pupils requiring Specialist Support in Phase 3 without an EHCP or specific diagnosis.
The above charges will be invoiced retrospectively at the end of each term. We also accept childcare vouchers for payment of wrap around care.
After School Care bundles provide supervised care after the core sessions, includes tea, and offers the best available value.
- Pre-booked & pre-invoiced at the start of each term
- Childcare vouchers accepted
- Guarantees your preferred schedule – no need to book week by week
- Priority placement for bundle holders
Autumn Term (14 weeks)
| No of days booking for | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundle name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| ASC until 4pm | £191.00 | £372.50 | £544.00 | £705.50 |
| ASC until 5pm | £327.50 | £638.50 | £932.50 | £1,209.50 |
| ASC until 6pm | £464.00 | £904.00 | £1,321.00 | £1,713.50 |
Spring Term (10 weeks)
| No of days booking for | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundle name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| ASC until 4pm | £136.50 | £266.00 | £388.50 | £504.00 |
| ASC until 5pm | £234.00 | £456.00 | £667.00 | £864.00 |
| ASC until 6pm | £331.50 | £646.00 | £943.50 | £1,224.00 |
Summer Term (11 weeks)
| No of days booking for | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundle name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| ASC until 4pm | £150.00 | £292.50 | £427.50 | £554.50 |
| ASC until 5pm | £257.50 | £501.50 | £732.50 | £950.50 |
| ASC until 6pm | £364.50 | £710.50 | £1,038.00 | £1,346.50 |
Additional Childcare
Stay and Play Days: Windrush Valley School Nursery runs two additional days at the end of each half term where children can enjoy seasonal crafts, games and a movie.
Activity weeks: One additional week is provided at the end of the Autumn and Spring terms and two weeks at the end of the Summer Term. These weeks provide more structured play and sessions including Cotswold Stage School and sports activities.
Children can attend one or more days as needed. These are charged at £55 per day at the time of booking. We also accept childcare vouchers for payment for this additional childcare.
Creative Consumables
Children enjoy daily access to a wide variety of creative materials as part of our core EYFS curriculum at no additional cost. Occasionally, we offer special creative projects using materials like clay or individual craft kits – which allow children to explore new skills and materials. You will be notified in advance of any small cost for these projects.
If you choose not to participate, your child will take part in an alternative EYFS-approved activity.
School Meals
The school offers chef-prepared options that save time and ensure balanced nutrition:
Children attending full days and afternoon sessions have a choice of a hot school meal (£4.50) or a packed lunch (£4.00). Packed lunches are also available for morning-session only children to take home. A Packed Tea is available for those wishing to take one home at 15:00 or when staying for After School Care.
Packed Lunch/Tea provide a well-balanced meal with varied choices that include a selection of bread and fillings, vegetable pots, cheeses, fruit, cookie/cake/yogurt and a drink. Gluten free and dairy free options are available.
For more information, please view our nursery page and nursery admissions page.