Nursery reduces fees. This had me worried...

**Mouse** · 27-03-2013, 01:40 PM

...until I read how much they charge!!

I wonder how much cms in that area charge. I bet no where near that much. No wonder they need to reduce their fees if their numbers have dropped.

Nursery group cuts fees | Nursery World

**smurfette** · 27-03-2013, 01:43 PM

Wow! Just wow!!

**Tealady** · 27-03-2013, 01:49 PM

I live up the road from Henley and on the whole it is quite an affluent area. That is a typical rate for a good nursery round here.

I also live within a mile of Chiltern Training College which is a well reknowned College for training Nannies. They have a day nursery atattched with a huge waiting list. They charge similar but yes the going rate for CM round here is £4.25 - £5 so would be less.

However I've had a few couple of enquiries for half days on a temp basis until that session becomes available at Chiltern. My hubby jokes that my tag line should be "Tealady Childminding..... Cheaper Than Chiltern!"

**Tinkerbell1979** · 27-03-2013, 01:54 PM

I know a cm where I live that charges £58 day rate !!!

**nipper** · 27-03-2013, 02:07 PM

Ooh gosh, how nice of them. I went to see Sarah Steele, the founder of the Old station Nursery chain at one of the seminars at childcare expo '11. Have to say I think she thought she was on to a good thing. At the end, she then proceeded to haul out boxes of a book she had written about activities to do with children with lovely fancy photos. £10.00

Talk about teaching you to suck eggs. Military trained before she became fed up with looking for suitable childcare for her darling children so she thought she'd buy a few nurseries out...as you do.
This article is hardly about reducing fees to help parents, it's a cleverly worded advert for them. 'Old nursery bought out by another chain, needs to change its clientele.'

**hectors house** · 27-03-2013, 02:27 PM

Gosh the original half day rate is more than my full day rate with 2 meals!

**bunyip** · 27-03-2013, 02:54 PM

The thing I find most surprising is that they are so public about their fees. I've had parents come to me who've said that when they were looking into childcare, the local nurseries were very reluctant to quote prices - "like getting blood out of a stone" one mum said.

**primula** · 27-03-2013, 03:07 PM

Some childminders where I live charge £8.00 an hour! and I have heard that food is extra!!

**SYLVIA** · 27-03-2013, 03:53 PM

Would a full day be 8 til 6? I would charge £50 for those hours. Lets hope that the parents who gain from that price reduction still get a good service with less staff/higher ratio. Time will tell

**adedwards68** · 27-03-2013, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by murphf

Wow! Just wow!!

Childminders prices around this area are not far off, the advantage of a cm is the ratio of adult to children
Housing, rates etc are generally higher so cm and nursery a have to charge more to be able to make a living

**jelly15** · 27-03-2013, 05:31 PM

My daily rate is £30 everything incuged except nappies

**Rick** · 27-03-2013, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by bunyip

The thing I find most surprising is that they are so public about their fees. I've had parents come to me who've said that when they were looking into childcare, the local nurseries were very reluctant to quote prices - "like getting blood out of a stone" one mum said.

.....it's such an unreasonable request isn't it? HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ME? They try and blind parents with all their resources so they feel like they can't say no and then quote the price at the last minute.

**Rick** · 27-03-2013, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by primula

Some childminders where I live charge £8.00 an hour! and I have heard that food is extra!!

Sounds excessive! You can get a nanny for that who would do light housework and cooking for that!

**pinky33** · 27-03-2013, 05:43 PM

A nanny would be more than £8 per hour as you would pay tax and insurance.they also only do nursery duties normally.

**bunyip** · 27-03-2013, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by Rick_Knight

.....it's such an unreasonable request isn't it? HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ME? They try and blind parents with all their resources so they feel like they can't say no and then quote the price at the last minute.

Oops! Just realised how hypocritical I'm being.

Before I even discuss money, I always get the parents in to visit so we can all meet; talk about the child; explain what I do; find out what they need; make sure everyone's priorities are right, etc. etc. .

Only then do I let them beat me down to sub-minimum wage offer settled in peanuts and shiny beads.

**Rick** · 27-03-2013, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by bunyip

Oops! Just realised how hypocritical I'm being.

Before I even discuss money, I always get the parents in to visit so we can all meet; talk about the child; explain what I do; find out what they need; make sure everyone's priorities are right, etc. etc. .

Only then do I let them beat me down to sub-minimum wage offer settled in peanuts and shiny beads.

My fees are on my website and childcare.co.uk profile so parents already have that info before they come round. I did reduce my fees slightly for parents of sisters as they are siblings and I was keen to get my first mindees but other parents haven't tried to 'discuss' fees.

I have been extremely lucky with the parents I have, they pay and pick up on time. Only a matter of time.......

**MessybutHappy** · 27-03-2013, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by bunyip

Oops! Just realised how hypocritical I'm being.

Before I even discuss money, I always get the parents in to visit so we can all meet; talk about the child; explain what I do; find out what they need; make sure everyone's priorities are right, etc. etc. .

Only then do I let them beat me down to sub-minimum wage offer settled in peanuts and shiny beads.

Mmm, now there's an idea for my next marketing strategy...reduced rates in return for free boiler servicing and other DIY jobs?!!!