Help with the cost of childcare
help with the cost of childcare
We understand that the childcare funding system can be confusing, so we've worked hard to simplify it as much as possible for you.
government-funded childcare at first friends
We Say 'Yes'
With the expansion of government funding for childcare, high-quality early years education is more accessible than ever for working parents.
At First Friends Nursery, we proudly offer:
- Unlimited funded places for eligible children aged 9 months-5 years, ensuring every child gets the best start in a nurturing, stimulating environment.
- We welcome new families under the ‘stretch’ government-funded scheme, which means you can spread the funded hours over 51 weeks of the year. This equates to 11 hours per week (15 hours, term-time) or 22 hours per week (30 hours, term-time).
- We do offer term-time only places, but this is only in pre-school, and these places are limited.
- The ‘stretch‘ scheme applies for our nurseries in Alton, Barford St. Martin, Denmead and Eastleigh. Our Basingstoke nursery is term-time only, which equates to 15 hours funding per week.
Additional Charges
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in England sets the basic statutory framework for early childhood education and is what government-funded childcare covers.
Sadly, this alone is not enough to fully prepare children for school or life beyond. That’s why First Friends goes beyond the minimum EYFS requirements.
We provide a Premium Package. These carefully designed services enhance your child's learning experience, for which we charge a small additional hourly fee. Ask your nursery for their price list.
Prices
On our nursery pages, you can download a detailed price list, providing a clear breakdown of our fees for both half-day and full-day sessions.
Our pricing guide helps you understand your monthly costs, factoring in any government funding you're eligible for.
Flexible Sessions to Suit Your Family
We offer a range of childcare sessions to fit your schedule:
Session Options:
- 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Morning Session)
- 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Afternoon Session)
- 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Full Day)
Minimum Attendance:
- One full day or two half-day sessions per week.
- Need more flexibility? Early drop-offs and late pick-ups may be available on request.
When to apply for funding
Working parent childcare funding:
You can apply when your child is 23 weeks old. Your child can begin their nursery placement the term after they become eligible and receive a valid eligibility code. For example, if your child is 9 months old between 1 Sept-31 Dec, you will be able to start using your funded hours from January and you will apply for the funding the term before January.
3-4 year old childcare funding:
You can apply from when your child is 2 years and 36 weeks.
For example, if your child's 3rd birthday is between 1 Sept-31 Dec, you will be able to start using your funded hours from January and you will apply for the funding the term before January.
Eligibility Term start dates are 1st September, 1st January, and 1st April.
Once you've found out if you are eligible, you need to apply on the Government's childcare choices website.
Funding Code
When you have submitted your application, you will then receive an 11-digit code. You will need to give this code to the nursery manager before your child starts with us.
You may be are asked for our EY number, which is our 'Early Years' registration number issued by Ofsted. Here are our EY numbers:
Wootey, Alton: EY 261 7108
BSM: EY 399 193
Basingstoke: EY538 214
Eastleigh: EY558 651