Fees & Funding
Funding at Bluebells
We want to help make nursery affordable for your family. Here’s a quick guide to the funding options available:
👩💼 Working Parents – 30 Hours Funding
Who qualifies?
Working parents who each earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours per week at minimum wage (and less than £100,000 per year).
What you get:
30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks a year (term-time) — up to 1,140 hours total.
Eligible ages:
From 9 months old until your child starts school.
🎉 Universal 15 Hours (For All 3- and 4-Year-Olds)
Who qualifies?
All families, no matter income or work status.
What you get:
15 hours of free early education per week for 38 weeks a year — 570 hours total.
When it starts:
From the term after your child turns 3.
🌟 15 Hours for Disadvantaged 2-Year-Olds
Who qualifies?
Families on certain benefits, or children who:
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Have an EHCP or Disability Living Allowance
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Are looked after or adopted from care
What you get:
15 hours per week for 38 weeks — 570 hours per year.
How to apply:
Through West Sussex County Council.
💡 How You Can Use Your Funding
Stretch funding:
Government Funding – Weekly Allowance
30 hours funding – will cover 2 full days (8:00am–6:00pm)*
15 hours funding – will cover 1 full day (8:00am–6:00pm)*
Any additional days or hours outside of funded entitlement will be charged at the relevant private daily rate.
*These funded sessions may be subject to the optional consumables charge (see below for more information).
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20 or 10 hours (depending on eligibility) stretched over 51 weeks (all year)
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Sessions run 8:00am – 6:00pm
Consumables Charge
There is an optional consumables charge of £10 per day. This covers meals (breakfast, lunch, snack, and tea), nappies, wipes, and sun cream. This charge is optional and families may opt out for the following term providing 4 weeks notice is given; for example if you opt out on the 16th June then the consumables charge will stop on 1st September. If opting out, parents will need to provide their own nappies, wipes, sun cream, and all food.
The consumables charge only applies to funded days.
Opting Out
If you choose to opt out, you will need to provide all the above for your child each day. Any food provided must comply with our Healthy Eating Policy.
👧👦 Sibling Discount
We offer 10% off for siblings who attend.
*Please note this discount will only be applied to sessions charged at the private fee rate.*
📝 Refundable Deposit
Refundable Deposit
A refundable deposit of £150 is required to secure the place. This deposit is refunded once the child has taken up their place and attended their first term, or at the end of the term if no consumables charge has been applied. It is not a condition of accessing funded early years entitlement . Terms and conditions apply.
Support with Deposits
We understand that families may have different financial circumstances. Where families are unable to pay the deposit in full, a payment plan or staged payments may be agreed at the discretion of the nursery manager. No child will be prevented from accessing their funded early years entitlement due to inability to pay a deposit or additional charges.