At Young Friends, we see early years care as an investment.
We are a fully plant-based, sustainability-led early years community, designed for families who value calm, connection, and meaningful childhood experiences. Our fees reflect the true cost of providing high-quality care in a way that aligns with our values.
This includes:
- Fresh, homemade food cooked daily
- Sustainable care practices, learning and materials
- Experienced educators who work with presence and intention
- A thoughtfully curated environment that supports emotional wellbeing
- Enrichment rooted in real life: cooking, gardening, nature and community
Fee Information
All fees are charged monthly.
Fees are calculated weekly and spread across 12 equal monthly payments, based on 50 weeks per year. Weekly fees are multiplied by 50 and divided by 12.
A minimum of two sessions per week is required.
Sibling discount = 10%
Five day discount = 5%
Standard Kindergarten Charges Without Funding
| Session | Full Session Price | Hourly Rate |
| 8am – 6pm | £90.64 | £11.34 |
| Additional Hour | £11.49 |
Optional Extras (When Using Funded Hours)
When using funded hours, additional charges apply for the following:
These extras are optional, and full details will always be provided to families in advance.
Meals
Freshly prepared plant-based meals and snacks
£16 per day
Consumables
Includes nappies, wipes and daily resources
£1.20 per hour
Enrichment Activities
Additional experiences and activities
Costs vary depending on sessions and will be clearly provided to families in advance of taking up a place
Government Funding & Your Choices at Young Friends
Young Friends accepts the Early Years Free Entitlement (EYFE).
This funding contributes towards the cost of your child’s place.
Families then choose how they want their child’s kindergarten experience to feel.
Two Ways to Attend
1. The Full Young Friends Experience (Most Families Choose This)
Families opt into our Full Young Friends Experience, which reflects how Young Friends is designed to be experienced day to day.
2. Funded-Only Care
Families may choose to access funded hours only, without meals, consumables or enrichment. This option is available in limited blocks and does not include the full provision listed below.
Optional extras such as meals, consumables and enrichment are not included in this option.
All children receive the same high standard of care and supervision, regardless of funding route.
Wraparound Care
Funded hours can be combined with wraparound care in the morning and late afternoon.
Wraparound hours are charged at our standard rate of £11.49 per hour.
What’s Included in the Full Young Friends Experience
Families who opt into the Full Young Friends Experience receive:
Food & Care
- A completely plant-based menu cooked fresh from scratch daily
- Oat milk, snacks, puddings and suppers made in-house
- Organic, home-grown fruit and vegetables when available
- Washable nappies, wipes and flannels (provided and laundered)
- Weleda nappy cream, grapeseed oil and Alturist sunscreen
Learning & Enrichment
- Daily cooking activities
- Nature kindergarten experiences and local trips
- Seed-to-plate learning and kitchen garden visits (older children)
- Forest School and nature workshop activities
- Community projects such as beach cleans
- Animal experiences including pet therapy
Understanding EYFE
Government funding rules can feel complicated.
For a full explanation of how EYFE is delivered at Young Friends, please see our Early Years Free Entitlement page or speak to our team — we’re always happy to talk it through.
Fees, Sessions & Attendance
- All fees include settling-in sessions, arranged with your child’s key person.
- A minimum of two sessions per week is required to ensure continuity of care and emotional wellbeing.
- Sessions are fixed and cannot be swapped.
- Children must not be dropped off before their booked session time.
- Consistent lateness cannot be accommodated, as it impacts staffing and the safe care of all children. Late collection may result in a late fee or a review of your place.
Funded Places
- We offer stand-alone funded places, delivered on a Monday and Friday.
- These places are allocated based on availability and discussed directly with management.
- Children identified as needing additional developmental, social or emotional support are prioritised for funded-only spaces where appropriate.
Changes, Notice & Flexibility
- Changes to sessions require one month’s notice.
- Opting out of the Full Young Friends Experience also requires one month’s notice.
- Postponements of start dates require one month’s notice and are agreed at management discretion.
Fees, Invoicing & Payment
- Fees are charged monthly and calculated as a weekly total multiplied by 50 weeks and divided by 12.
- Fees are payable in advance by BACS and must be received by the 8th of each month.
- A late payment fee of £38.50 will be added to the next invoice if payment is received after this date.
- Fees remain payable during periods of illness, nursery closure, or family holidays.
Deposits & First Invoice
- A £200 refundable deposit is required to secure a place.
- If a place is cancelled within the first three months prior to the agreed start date, the deposit is retained.
- Deposits are returned the month after leaving, once the final invoice (including any extras) has been settled.
- Your first invoice will include the registration fee and a pro-rata month ahead.
- Where a child is accessing funded hours only, the deposit will be returned in line with the Provider Agreement, within one month of the child starting.
Payment Methods
- Payments must always include your child’s name as the reference.
- Childcare vouchers are accepted by electronic transfer only.
- Tax-Free Childcare payments are welcome — please send your code to Louise via Famly for our records.
- Payments can be viewed on Famly; please allow time for processing before querying.
Closures, Training & Fee Reviews
- We are closed for bank holidays, the Christmas period, and two inset days per year.
- These closures are already reflected in your monthly fees.
- Inset days are used for training and team development and are communicated with at least 8 weeks’ notice.
- Fees are reviewed annually in April and families are given advance notice of any changes.
Government Funding (Summary)
- We deliver funding year-round by stretching it across the year:
- 15 hours becomes 11.4 hours per week
- 30 hours becomes 22.8 hours per week
- Full details are available in our Early Years Free Entitlement Policy.