Clear costs for your childcare

Our private childcare rate is £8.70 per hour. We do not charge a registration fee or deposit. We will explain your booking and any optional extras before you agree to a place.

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Opening hours and bookings

We open Monday to Friday, 7.30am–6.30pm, for 50 weeks of the year. We close on bank holidays and for two weeks over Christmas. Closure dates are shared with families.

Our minimum booking is six hours per week across at least two days. Additional hours and ad-hoc bookings are available subject to space and staffing.

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Funded childcare

At Three Bears Childcare, we offer government-funded early education and childcare for eligible children. We believe funded childcare should be accessible, flexible and transparent for all families.

 

How our stretched funding works

Government-funded childcare is normally calculated over 38 weeks per year. As Three Bears operates for 50 weeks, we offer parents the option to stretch their funded entitlement across our 50 opening weeks.

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For children entitled to 30 funded hours, this provides 1,140 hours annually, equivalent to 22.8 funded hours per week over 50 weeks.

 

For children entitled to 15 funded hours, this provides 570 hours annually, equivalent to 11.4 funded hours per week over 50 weeks.

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These calculations apply where the child has their full annual entitlement available. Entitlements may be adjusted depending on the child's eligibility and start date.

 

Flexible funded childcare

We aim to provide families with flexibility when arranging funded childcare. Funded hours can be accessed without the requirement to purchase additional privately paid hours.

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Parents may also choose to book additional childcare hours at our standard private rate of £8.70 per hour.

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We will discuss available sessions with each family and confirm their funded entitlement and booking arrangements before their place begins.

 

No compulsory extras

We do not charge a registration fee or deposit. Meals and consumables are optional, and families can provide their own suitable alternatives.

All funded hours, privately paid hours and optional charges will be clearly itemised on invoices.

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Meals and consumables

At Three Bears Childcare, we believe in providing families with clear and transparent information about any additional charges.

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All meals and consumables are optional. Parents are welcome to provide suitable alternatives from home without affecting their child's entitlement to funded childcare.

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Our optional meal charges​

• Hot lunch: £2

Nappies and other consumables

• Nappies: Parent supplied

• Baby wipes: Parent supplied

• Sun cream: Parent supplied

 

Where an item is not provided or charged for by Three Bears, this will be clearly indicated.

 

Your choice

Parents are not required to purchase meals or consumables to access funded childcare.

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Families can provide their own suitable food and consumables in accordance with our health, safety and allergy arrangements.

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All optional charges agreed with parents will be clearly itemised on invoices.

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Your invoices

Invoices show funded hours, private hours and any optional items separately. Before you start, we will explain payment dates, notice requirements and how private fees apply during nursery closures. Funded hours are not charged to parents; we will explain how sessions affected by bank holidays are arranged.