From January 2026 Early Education Providers are required to publish the costs of any chargeable extras in line with the Department for Education’s Statutory Guidance. Costs should be clear, up-to-date and easily accessible to parents, to enable parents to make an informed choice of provider. This page is dedicated to the information relating to costs at Meldreth Preschool.
Preschool Provision – Funded & Chargeable Items
Preschool Session Options
Government funded childcare is available for a maximum of 6 funded hours per day.
| AM Session | 8:45am – 11:45am |
| PM Session | 12:15pm – 3:15pm |
| Half Day | 8:45am – 12:15pm |
| Short Day (Maximum 6 Funded Hours) | 8:45am – 2:45pm |
| Full Day | 8:45am – 3:15pm (Funding is limited to a maximum of 6 hours per day. Additional hours are chargeable.) |
Funded Childcare
| 15 Hours Funded Childcare | Available during term time (38 weeks per year) as five morning or five afternoon sessions each week. Funding begins from the term after your child's 3rd birthday (1 January, 1 April or 1 September). | Free |
| 30 Hours Funded Childcare (Eligible Working Parents) | Available during term time (38 weeks per year). Funding can be used across the session options above, with a maximum of 6 funded hours per day. | Free |
| Bookings | All bookings are made through MagicBooking. We accept childcare vouchers where applicable. If you wish to change your child's attendance pattern, please provide at least half a term's notice. | — |
Fees
| Non-funded childcare sessions (all children) | £8.00 per hour |
| School Packed Lunch or Hot Dinner (optional) | £2.50 per day |
| Late Collection | £15.00 (may be charged at the school's discretion) |
Additional Charges and Contributions
| Fresh Fruit Snack | Parents are kindly asked to provide 1–2 pieces of fruit each week for the shared fruit basket. | Parent contribution |
| School Milk | Children under 5 receive 189ml (⅓ pint) of milk each day through the Nursery Milk Scheme. | Free |
| Consumables | Parents may be asked to contribute towards consumables supplied by the preschool, such as nappies, wipes or sun cream. | Chargeable where applicable |
| Additional Activities | Activities that are not required for the delivery of the EYFS curriculum may incur an additional charge. | Chargeable where applicable |
Minimum Attendance Expectations
To support children's learning, wellbeing and development, we ask families to book a minimum number of sessions each week:
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2-Year-Olds: Minimum of 2 AM or PM sessions per week.
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3 & 4-Year-Olds: Minimum of 3 AM or PM sessions per week.
Regular attendance helps children settle into preschool, build secure relationships with staff and peers, establish consistent routines, and enables practitioners to effectively monitor and support each child's development.
