Understanding Early Years Funding and Additional Charges
Following recent guidance from the Department for Education, early years providers are now required to clearly show how Early Years Entitlement funding is used, alongside any additional charges.
Government funding contributes towards the core childcare element of your child’s day. Charges for meals, consumables and enhanced educational provision are listed separately so that families can clearly see how funded hours and additional elements come together to shape your child’s experience.
This approach ensures transparency and meets Department for Education requirements, while also helping families better understand the full range of provision we offer.
You may notice that our Pre-School invoices now present these elements separately. This change is simply about how information is displayed and does not represent an increase in the overall published nursery fees for the 2025/26 academic year.
2026/27 Fees
For the 2026/27 academic year, the full daily cost of a Pre-School place at The Paragon is £75 per day.
This includes:
- Core daily provision: £46.00
- Lunch (freshly prepared hot meal): £5.00
- Consumables (learning materials and classroom resources): £5.00
- Enrichment provision (including specialist lessons, Forest School and our wider curriculum): £19.
Total daily cost: £75.00
Session Options:
We offer flexible session options to support families:
- Full day: From the start of the school day until 3:30 pm
£75.00 per day - Morning session: From the start of the school day until 1:00 pm
£45.00 per day - Additional or occasional hours:
£11.00 per hour
Funding Information
We currently offer 15 hours per week of universal Early Years Entitlement funding. At present, The Paragon School does not offer the extended 30-hour entitlement.
Our Pre-School Provision
Our Pre-School provision is thoughtfully designed as a complete educational experience, reflecting the ethos and curriculum of The Paragon.
Meals, consumables and our enriched programme all play an important role in supporting the quality and breadth of each child’s day. These elements are a natural part of the experience for children attending Squirrels, helping to create a nurturing, engaging and well-rounded environment in which they can thrive.