Nursery Educational Funding (NEF)
Nursery Educational Funding (NEF) at Blue Butterfly Montessori
At Blue Butterfly Montessori, we are pleased to offer Government-funded Early Education and Childcare places for eligible children aged 9 months to 4 years across our Pinner and Stanmore nurseries.
Our safe, nurturing and inclusive Montessori environments support children’s emotional wellbeing, confidence, independence and school readiness through high-quality early years education and care.
Funded childcare hours are completely free of charge. Families are not required to purchase additional services in order to access their funded entitlement. However, families may choose to access additional sessions or optional Premium Provision services if they wish.
Understanding Funded Hours
At Blue Butterfly Montessori, we operate across 51 weeks of the year. To provide consistency and flexibility for families, funded childcare hours are stretched across the full 51 weeks rather than term-time only.
This allows children to access their funded entitlement throughout the year while helping families benefit from consistent monthly invoicing.
Please note:
- Funded hours cover childcare only
- Optional Premium Provision services are charged separately
- Monthly fees may be adjusted pro-rata for starters, leavers or changes to funding eligibility
Funding Options
Eligible working families may be entitled to funded childcare support. Parents/carers must provide a valid eligibility code to their childcare provider and reconfirm their eligibility every 3 months through their HMRC childcare account.
Failure to reconfirm eligibility may result in funding ending for the following term, and standard nursery fees may apply for any non-funded sessions.
| Working Family Funding (15- 30 hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Recommended time to apply | Last date to apply | Funding Effective from |
| 15th Oct – 30th Nov | 31st Dec | 1st Jan |
| 15th Jan – 28th Feb | 31st Mar | 1st Apr |
| 15th Jun – 31st Jul | 31st Aug | 1st Sep |
| Universal funded childcare (15 hours) | |
|---|---|
| A child turning 3 between | Funded from |
| 1st Sep – 31st Dec | 1st Jan |
| 1st Jan – 31st Mar | 1st Apr |
| 1st Apr – 31st Aug | 1st Sep |
All eligible children aged 3 and above may access Universal Funded Childcare regardless of working status.
Families who are not eligible for Working Family Funding may still be entitled to Universal Funding. Please speak with your branch-specific Management Team to explore available options.
If your child is aged 9 months or above by the end of December and you believe you will be entitled to Working Family Funding from January, the deadline to apply for your Eligibility Code is 31st December 2025. To obtain or renew your code, visit GOV.UK: Check eligible free childcare or call HMRC: 0300 123 4097
Premium Provision
Our Premium Provision supports the enhanced experiences and additional services that form part of the Blue Butterfly Montessori experience.
Optional services may include:
- Meals & Snacks
- Consumables
- Enrichment Activities
- Additional Sessions beyond funded hours
Families can choose which optional services best suit their childcare requirements.
Current meal charges:
- £1.60 per meal (Under 2.5 Years)
- £1.80 per meal (Over 2.5 Years)
Consumables:
- £0.20 per hour
Children also benefit from freshly prepared vegetarian meals made on-site daily within our no added sugar, no added salt, nut-free and egg-free environment.
Nursery Fees
Our Nursery Fee’s Calculator helps families estimate childcare costs based on:
- Child’s age
- Required sessions
- Funding eligibility
- Preferred attendance pattern
All calculations are provided for guidance purposes only and do not constitute a final fee confirmation. For personalised information based on your child’s age, funding eligibility and required sessions, please contact your branch Management Team.
Families with more than one child may be eligible for sibling discounts. Please speak with your Nursery Management Team for further information.
Use our Nursery Fees Calculator to receive a personalised estimate tailored to your childcare requirements, preferred sessions and funding eligibility.
If you have more than one child, please answer separately for each child. At BBM we offer a 10% discount for the older sibling speak to your Nursery Manager for more information.
All calculations are for illustrative purposes only. We recommend you speak directly to your Branch Nursery Management Team who can provide tailored information to meet your individual requirements.
To Note: BM stretch their funding across 51 weeks of the year
Invoicing
At Blue Butterfly Montessori, we are committed to transparency and clear invoicing. Monthly invoices provide a breakdown of:
- Private Fees for non-funded sessions
- Optional Premium Provision services
- Early Years Funding (NEF) applied across the 51-week stretch model
All optional charges are clearly separated from government-funded childcare hours. Fees may vary depending on age group, attendance pattern, funding eligibility and session type.
Helpful Links
Important Information
Government funding rates, eligibility criteria and local authority funding arrangements may be revised every April, and updates will be reflected in fees from that month onward
Families are encouraged to refer to GOV.UK and their Local Authority for the latest information and eligibility guidance.