Our Fees And Funding Explained
COSTS AND TERM DATES
At Bluebell, we are committed to helping families access high-quality early education and childcare.
We offer a range of government-funded childcare options for children aged two to five years, and we support families using Tax-Free Childcare to make payments easier and more affordable. These funded places ensure that every child can benefit from engaging, play-based learning during the important early years of development.
Our Fees
We currently charge £9 per hour and we prefer children to do a minimum of 3 hours per day and attend two sessions a week as this helps them settle and become used to a routine.
Our opening times are: Monday, Wednesday and Friday - 9am-3pm and Tuesday and Thursday 8:30am - 3:00pm
Breakfast Club
We also run a Breakfast Club all week from 8-9am. Breakfast Club is £12.50 for your child to attend or one funded hour plus £4.50. Your child will have a choice of breakfast options including cereal, toast, crumpets, juice, and fruit. We run Breakfast Club in small groups and all allergies are catered for.
Our Funding Options
All children in England are entitled to 15 hours of funded early education per week from the age of two years old for 38 weeks of the year.
These funded sessions support children’s learning, social development,
and preparation for school.
15 Hours
Funded Childcare
Eligible working families may be able to access 30 hours of funded childcare per week for children aged three to four years for 38 weeks of the year.
This funding helps support working parents by providing additional childcare hours during term time.
30 Hours
Funded Childcare
Eligibility for 30 Hours Funded Childcare
Eligibility for funded childcare depends on factors such as your child’s age and your family’s circumstances, including employment and income. Parents can check their eligibility and apply for funding through the government’s childcare service here. Once you receive your eligibility code, please share it with us so we can arrange your child’s funded place.
If you would like more information about funded places or support with the application process, please feel free to speak to a member of our team — we are always happy to help.
Tax-Free Childcare
We also support families using Tax-Free Childcare, a government scheme that helps working parents save up to £2,000 per child per year (£4,000 for a disabled child).
For every £8 you pay into your childcare account, the government adds £2.
Who Can Apply:
Working parents or those self-employed in the UK
Can be used alongside funded childcare to cover additional hours or costs
Each parent earns at least the National Minimum Wage and less than £100,000 per year
How it works at Bluebell:
Once your account is set up, you can pay nursery fees directly from your Tax-Free Childcare account.
You will find Bluebell under MW&H LTD trading as Bluebell Pre-School.
Funded Early Education Entitlement (FEEE)
FEEE is funding provided by the UK Government for all eligible children because they want children to have a good nursery education so that they have the best start in life.
Two-year-old children of eligible working parents can get funded entitlement hours the term after they turn two.
Children will get up to 570 funded entitlement hours over the year.
This is 30 hours per week for 38 weeks from September 2025 if the parents meet the eligibility criteria.
FEEE2W
Some two-year-olds can get funded hours if their parents are on certain benefits, economic criteria or the child meets certain non-economic criteria.
Children will get up to 570 funded entitlement hours over the year.
This is for 15 hours per week for 38 weeks if the parents meet the eligibility criteria.
FEEE2
All three- and four-year-olds can get funded entitlement hours from the term after they turn three up until they go to school, this is called the universal funded entitlement.
Children will get up to 570 funded entitlement hours over the year.
This is for 15 hours per week for 38 weeks.
FEEE3&4
Three- and four-year-olds of eligible working parents can get the extended funded entitlement, which is another 15 hours in addition to the universal 15 funded hours, this is often called the “30-hour offer”.
This is because children can have up to 30 hours a week for 38 weeks which is a total of 1140 hours of funded entitlement a year.
EFE
38 weeks explained
The 38 weeks (or 570/1140 hours) start at the beginning of April and finish at the end of March in the following year and are divided into three terms in line with school terms.
Term Dates
Our term dates and holidays:
Summer Term 2026
Monday 13th April – Friday 17th July
May Half Term – Monday 25th May - Friday 29th May
Non Pupil Day – Thursday 7th May
Summer Holidays – Monday 20th July – Tuesday 1st September
Autumn Term 2026
Wednesday 2nd September – Friday 18th December
October Half Term – Monday 26th October – Friday 30th October
Non Pupil Day – Tuesday 1st September
Christmas Holidays - Monday 21st December – Friday 1st January 2027
Spring Term 2027
Monday 4th January – Thursday 25th March
February Half Term – Monday 15th February – Friday 19th February
Non Pupil Day - TBD
Easter Holidays – Friday 26th March – Friday 9th April 2027