Fees and sessions

Little Dragons offers term-time sessions, 38 Weeks per year:

Mornings – 9am-12pm
Afternoons – 12pm-3pm
Full day – 9am-3pm

Fees:

Under 3s – £22.50 per session or £45 full day
Over 3s – £20.50 per session or £41 full day
A snack is provided, but you will need to bring a packed lunch for afternoon and full day sessions.

Late collection charge

At Little Dragons, children must be collected on time. If your child is still in our care after the session ends, a £20 penalty will be charged for every quarter of an hour (or part thereof) that you are late. When children are picked up late, staff schedules are disrupted and our insurance can be invalidated, so even if it is by just a few minutes, you will still be charged.

How to pay

  • Debit and credit cards can be used with no transaction charges, either at our reception or over the phone. We do not accept American Express.
  • Cheques should be made payable to St George’s CCP.
  • Standing order forms are available from reception.
  • We accept all brands of vouchers issued under the salary sacrifice scheme.

All fees are revised annually at the beginning of June and implemented at the beginning of September. Parents paying subsidised fees will be asked to verify their current circumstances and eligibility at regular intervals.

We require 4 weeks’ notice of any cancellation or amendment to your child’s sessions.

Subsidised places

St George’s has provided affordable childcare within our local community for more than 30 years. We are able to offer subsidised places to families in financial difficulty, so that their children can also have the best possible start in life. All subsidised places are made possible through our programme of charity fundraising; no contribution is taken from families who pay full fees.

If you or someone you know is in need of support, please contact us at childcaremanager@stgeorgeschildcare.co.uk to find out more about eligibility.

Free Early Education (FEE): 15 or 30 Hours for 38 weeks of the year 

The local authorities provide FEE to assist with playgroup fees for children of eligible working parents who will be 2-3 years old at the start of the next term (15 hours). The FEE is available for a maximum of 30 hours per week for 38 full weeks of the year for children aged 3-4 years old for eligible parents. This will cover up to 10 sessions per week (3hrs long sessions). Little Dragons is usually open for up to 38 weeks per year, so occasionally there may be a day that is not supported by funding.

For 3–4-year-olds, the FEE is available term-time only and for up to 30 hours per week for eligible working parents. 15 hours is universal from the term after the child 3rd birthday. Depending on the sessional fees and the opening times of the Nursery, the FEE will be deducted from the child’s fees and the remaining balance itemised for payment by parents/carers.

For example, if your child was born on the 15th March 2024, you can receive subsidised childcare from the following April (Summer Term).

If a child is attending more than one nursery or playgroup, the FEE for up to 30 hours from September is divided between the providers (for 3-4 years old). If children are attending a nursery attached to a school, the school will claim the funding. Attendance registers are kept and show evidence of each child’s attendance record, the time they arrive and the time they leave each session.

To check your eligibility go to www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

We have a limited number of spaces available for 30 hours FEE. Please enquire as to availability by emailing childcaremanager@stgeorgeschildcare.co.uk or call 01892 543982.

If you think you are not getting your entitlement please follow this read the latest Kent-Provider-Agreement- 01.09.2021