Funding
Funded provision
Current funding applies for all children from the term after your child’s third birthday (e.g. children turning three between 1st January and 31st March would receive funding from 1st April). Please note that dates are specified, do not move with Easter and do not always follow Surrey term dates. Please see the table below to see when the funding would begin for your child.
From the term after their third birthday:
All children receive 15 hours of funded childcare
Children with parents who are eligible for working parents’ entitlement can receive 30 hours of funded childcare.
If you think you are eligible for working parents’ entitlement, you will need to apply for a code and further information can be found here. If you qualify, your child would be entitled to 30 hours of childcare from the term after they are 9 months old. At Acorns Pre-School, we only accept children who are aged three-years-old and above. However, this means that if you qualify for working parents’ entitlement, funded hours could be taken straight after your child’s third birthday. Please indicate on your application form (see below) if you are interested in 30 hours of provision.
The session options available are:
15 hours of funding:
All day Monday (8.30am-3pm)
All day Tuesday (8.30am-3pm)
Wednesday morning from 8.30-11.30am.
30 hours of funding:
All day every day, Monday-Friday
Full-day sessions from 8.30am-3pm
As our full-day sessions are 6.5 hours, there will be a charge of £1.70* for the extra 30 minutes that are unfunded. Please note this charge will increase each September. Children who attend for 15 hours can choose to stay until 12pm on Wednesdays and pay for the additional half an hour that day.
Additional non-funded sessions
If you are eligible for 15 hours of funding, but would like your child to attend for 30 hours, you may pay for the additional 15 hours of unfunded provision at a rate of £6.80 per hour (£20.40* per session). These charges apply to the 2025-26 academic year and are subject to change for 2026-27.
Lunch options
For children attending for 15 hours per week, there is the option for them to extend their Wednesday morning session by half an hour and stay for lunch. The cost of the additional half hour is £1.70*. This would mean children attending in the morning would be picked up at 12pm rather than 11.30am.
If your child is staying with us for lunch and you would like them to have a school dinner provided by our caterers, the price for this is £2.90* However, you can also choose to send your child with a packed lunch. Children eat their lunch in the school hall, encouraging them to become familiar with routine, a larger setting and the opportunity to mix with older children, helping to prepare them for school life.
*All prices are subject to change each academic year.
Admissions for the 2025-26 academic year
We have a very limited number of places available in Acorns Pre-school for this summer term. If you would like to apply, please complete an Application Form 26-27 and return it to the school office.
Charges for the 2025-26 academic year are:
30 minutes unfunded provision per day (currently used for lunchtime) £1.70
3-hour unfunded session (for parents who do not qualify for 30 hours government funding) £20.40
Cooked lunch - £2.90
Admissions for the 2026-27 academic year
If you are looking to join us from September 2026 onwards please complete an Application Form 26-27 for a pre-school place and return it to the School Office.
Charges for the 2026-27 academic year are:
30 minutes unfunded provision per day (currently used for lunchtime) £1.80
3-hour unfunded session (for parents who do not qualify for 30 hours government funding) £21
Cooked lunch - price to be confirmed