Fees are paid every term and invoices are issued in the first half of term by email. Special arrangements can be made with the manager to pay half-termly. The fees are set by the school at their discretion (current 2025/26 fees are £7.20 an hour and £8.40 an hour for an ad hoc session. These will increase in 2026/27 to £7.80 an hour and £9.00 an hour for an ad hoc session) and may be increased from time to time as necessity dictates. A half-term’s notice will be given of any changes to fees.
In addition to the standard hourly rate, there is also a voluntary daily consumables charge of £1 a day (this will increase to £1.10 a day in 2026/27). Half of this charge includes non-food consumable items (such as wetwipes and nappies) and half of this charge is food consumables ( such as snacks (e.g. crackers)). Please refer to the school Charging and Remissions Policy (Section 6.2: Preschool Provision and Section 7: Voluntary contributions) https://www.shelfordschool.org.uk/web/policies/171318 which details that this is a voluntary charge to meet ongoing costs and is not a condition of receiving a funded place. Parents/Carers can 'opt out' of this charge by letting the Rainbow Administrator know. Those on Pupil Premium are not charged this consumables charge.
Fees are payable for every day on which a child is registered to attend and will not be waived for illness or holiday. A notice period of a complete half term (six weeks) is required prior to any changes in sessions or a child leaving the group. Failure to give notice will result in liability for fees for the half term after the child has left. Each child’s attendance at the group is conditional upon continued payment of any necessary fees or the granting of permission to Rainbow to claim the Early Years Education Funding.
Parents who may have difficulty paying the fee should talk to the manager or the primary school head in confidence to enquire about the possibility of an assisted place.