Nursery School Terms & Conditions

Updated 02/09/2025

By registering or making a booking with Little Lionhearts Nursery School, it is regarded that you have read and accepted these terms and conditions.
We reserve the right to change the terms and conditions and our fee structure at our sole discretion. We will provide as much notice as reasonably possible of any changes.

To reserve a place:

Complete and submit the registration form.
Pay a non-refundable registration fee of £250.
Once both are received, you will be issued a written confirmation of placement. You may accept or decline the offer within 7 days. Once accepted, the registration fee is non-refundable.

Settling-in:

After acceptance, we provide up to 4.5 hours complimentary settling-in sessions prior to your child’s start date.
We will assess any additional needs or resources that may be required.
Parents must provide written confirmation of all special dietary or medical needs.

Minimum booking:

We now offer three attendance patterns:

Full Year-Round (51 weeks)
– Attendance throughout the year, excluding the Christmas–New Year closure week and bank holidays.
Year-Round (47 weeks)
– Excludes 2 weeks in September, 1 week in January, and 1 week at Easter, plus the standard Christmas–New Year closure and bank holidays.
Term-Time Only (38 weeks)
– Aligned with the local school academic calendar.

Fee calculation:

The annual fee for your chosen attendance pattern is divided into 12 equal monthly instalments, payable regardless of the number of weeks attended in any given month.
This ensures that fees are spread evenly throughout the year. Please note: even if there is no physical attendance during the final month (e.g. for term-time contracts), the final monthly payment remains payable.

Payment requirements:

First month’s fee + registration fee are due in full before your child’s start date.
Ongoing fees must be paid monthly in advance via Direct Debit, Tax-Free Childcare Account, or Childcare Voucher.
Claimants of Tax-Free Childcare or Childcare Grant must ensure payment is authorised 7 days before invoice due date, otherwise the Direct Debit will be taken automatically.
Parents/legal guardians are ultimately responsible for ensuring timely payment.

Additional fees:

Extra sessions: payable by card, cash, or bank transfer.
Late collection: £1 per minute after the agreed collection time. Children left uncollected after 30 minutes without notification will be referred to the local authority, as required by law.
No refunds are made for absences due to illness, bank holidays, or holidays.

Late/failed payments:

The nursery is closed on bank holidays, for 3 staff inset days per year, and during the Christmas–New Year period (1 week).
These closures are accounted for in the attendance pattern calculations; no refunds or reductions are made.

Full nursery policies and procedures are available at reception. Copies can be provided upon request.

By parents:

You may terminate this agreement at any time with 1 month’s written notice.
If your child is receiving government funding, a minimum of 2 months’ written notice is required.
Fees remain payable throughout the notice period, regardless of attendance. Failure to provide notice or maintain payments makes the parent/guardian liable for one month’s full fees.

By the nursery:
We may terminate this agreement with immediate effect if:

Fees are unpaid.
Parents breach obligations and fail to remedy the breach after being requested to do so.
Parents behave unacceptably (physical or verbal abuse towards staff will not be tolerated).
A child’s behaviour is unsafe or endangers others.
Financial, business, or operational circumstances compel significant change, including closure, service change, or re-registration.

Suspension:

If a child is suffering from a contagious illness until deemed safe to return.
Where closure is required due to circumstances beyond our control (e.g. severe weather, public health guidance, emergencies). No alternative childcare or fee reduction is guaranteed.

Staff recruitment restriction:

Parents must not employ or engage nursery staff for private childcare during the contract or within 6 months after termination. A fee of 20% of the staff member’s gross annual salary will apply if breached.

Safeguarding:

We are required to report to relevant authorities if we suspect abuse, neglect, or harm. This may be done without parental consent.

Parents are encouraged to raise any concerns directly with the Nursery Manager in the first instance.
If unresolved, the complaint will follow our complaints procedure in line with Ofsted requirements.