Nursery Fees: What's Included at Blooming Years and What's Optional

Parents across our settings in Hammersmith and Fulham, Lambeth, Croydon and Merton ask us versions of the same question before they enrol: what am I actually paying for each month, and what might appear on top? It is a completely reasonable thing to want to understand before you commit, so I wanted to lay it out clearly.

How the base fee works

At Blooming Years, your core fee covers your child's place, all care and staffing, daily activities, and access to our outdoor spaces. What it does not automatically include is meals and nappies, and I will explain why that is in a moment.

Fees are billed monthly in advance and collected by Direct Debit. If you are paying privately (without funding), your costs are spread across 12 equal monthly payments, which many families find easier to plan around than a term-by-term approach. For families booking five days per week without funding, there is a £100 per month discount, which works out at £1,200 over the year.

If you are applying a funding entitlement, that reduction is applied directly to your invoice. You simply provide your eligibility code and National Insurance number, and we handle the rest. We also remind families each term when their code needs renewing, so it does not quietly lapse. For families starting mid-term, we allocate funding from your child's start date, so you only pay for what you actually use.

If you would like a full breakdown of current rates by site, our fees and funding page has everything listed by location.

What counts as an optional charge, and why

Government guidance is clear that funded hours must be delivered completely free of charge. Providers cannot charge top-up fees on funded hours, but they are permitted to charge for meals, consumables such as nappies, and optional additional services, as long as those charges remain voluntary for the parent.

This is why meals and nappies appear as separate line items on our invoices rather than being bundled into a single daily rate. Parents can opt out of either by emailing the nursery directly.

I think it is worth being honest about how this works in practice. Most families do keep meals on, because the alternative is packing a full set of meals and snacks each day. But the choice is genuinely yours.

The meals charge in detail

Our kitchen team prepares fresh food on-site every day. Menus are balanced and varied, and we cater for allergies, vegetarian and vegan diets, and cultural dietary preferences.

For families on term-time funded places, the meals charge is £20 per month per day of attendance, so if your child attends three days, that is £60 per month. If your child attends five days, that reduces to £95 per month rather than the full £100 you might expect, which is a small saving built in for full-week families.

The charge is added to invoices automatically, so if you do not want meals included, you need to let your nursery know by email before invoicing runs.

The nappies charge

If your child is still in nappies, we charge £2 per month per day of attendance, so three days would be £6 per month. Again, this is added automatically and can be opted out of by email if you would prefer to supply your own.

It is a small charge, but it is worth knowing about so it does not catch you off guard on your first invoice.

Hourly rates beyond your funded allocation

If your child's sessions extend beyond their funded hours, additional hours are charged at an hourly rate that varies by site. At our Streatham Hill and Croydon nurseries the rate is £9 per hour. At Wimbledon Alexandra and Clapham Common it is £10.09 per hour. At Wimbledon Broadway and Barons Court it is £11.10 per hour. If you are budgeting for wraparound care on top of a funded place, it is worth checking the rate for your specific site.

Half-day sessions and other arrangements

We do offer half-day sessions at some of our sites, but availability is limited and varies by location. If a half-day pattern would suit your family, the best thing to do is contact your nearest nursery directly to find out what is currently available.

The registration fee

When you accept a place, a registration fee is required to secure it. This fee does not apply to children who are accessing only the 15 or 30 funded hours with no additional paid sessions. For everything else, the exact amount is listed on our fees and funding page, and our team will confirm it in the place confirmation we send within 48 hours of a visit.

Government funding: a quick note

Every three and four year old is entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare per week regardless of parental income or work status. Eligible working families can access up to 30 hours per week, and since September 2025 this is available from nine months old. To check whether you qualify for the 30-hour entitlement, Best Start in Life is the most reliable place to start. For families in Lambeth specifically, our guide on applying for 30 hours funding may also be useful.

Come and see us

If you would like to talk through fees in person and see one of our settings, I would encourage you to book a show-around. It gives you the chance to meet the team, look around the rooms and outdoor spaces, and ask any questions before you decide. We have nurseries in Clapham, Streatham Hill, Croydon, Wimbledon and Barons Court, and we are always happy to find the right fit for your family.