Booking sessions

We have a minimum booking requirement of two sessions per week. As we currently have high demand for sessions, it might not always be possible to offer you every session you request, but we'll contact you when more places become available.

Early morning drop off runs between 8am and 8.30am*

Morning sessions run between 8.30am and 1.30pm

Afternoon sessions run between 1.30pm and 6pm

The Nursery closes on bank holidays and for two weeks at Christmas.

*Only bookable for those registered and attending morning sessions, limited spaces available.

GENERAL FEE RATE

2024 prices

Unit	Early morning drop off (30 mins)	Full Days (9.5 hours)	Morning Session (5 hours)	Afternoon Session (4.5 hours)
Baby rooms	£5	£74	£57	£52
Toddler room	£5	£72	£54	£47
Pre-school	£5	£72	£54	£47
Free hours/other charges	£3 per hour

Lunch can be provided in our Baby Rooms, if preferred, at an additional cost of £3 per lunch. Lunch is included in the fees for the Toddler Room and Pre-school Room.

Additional service charge: £3 per hour. Applied against all Early Years Funded hours to cover the cost of provision of resources, food, parties, sun cream, arts & crafts and nappies etc in the Baby Rooms. For the Toddler Room and Pre-school room the additional service charge also includes lunches as these are included in the fee rate.

From April 2024 eligible working parents of 2 year olds can access 15 funded hours per week
From September 2024 eligible working parents of 9 months up to 3 years can access 15 funded hours per week.
From September 2025 eligible working parents of children aged 9 months to 3 years old can access 30 hours or funded childcare.
For those paying full rates and / or additional voluntary charges, the Toddler Room and Pre-School morning and full day includes a two course prepared lunch, snacks, nappies, suncream and additional resources.
The discretionary full week discount rate of 10% (including siblings making up a full time place) will not be given if parents in receipt of E/Y free hours opt out of paying the additional services charges.

Closure dates

Christmas closure dates: 21 December to 5 January 2025
April 18 2025
April 21 2025
May 5 2025
May 26 2025
August 25 2025

Register

Eligibility

Our nursery is open to all, including University students, staff and members of the public. We're able to take children up to 5 years and 11 months, including children who have already started school and may need childcare during half-term and summer holidays.

We can currently take a maximum of 94 children. We have capacity for up to 30 spaces in the baby rooms, with a 1:3 staffing ratio. 32 children in our toddler room with a 1:4 staffing ratio and 32 children in our pre-school room with a 1:8 staffing ratio

Register your interest - free of charge!

To register your interest in the Nursery please complete our waiting list form and your child will be placed on our waiting list until a place is available. Priority is given to existing members, their siblings, and then new children in date order.

We currently have a long waiting list for children under two years old, so register as soon as possible and get in touch with us to check your place on the waiting list. There's no charge to go onto the waiting list. When you're offered a place, you'll be invited to visit with your child.

Waiting list form

When your child is offered a place, you will be invited to visit the Nursery with your child. You are welcome to stay while they settle in. Children are encouraged to "settle in" to the Nursery at their own rate and according to individual needs.

The Nursery is fully registered with the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). The Registration Certificate is on display in the Nursery. All staff are fully DBS checked and approved to work with children under 8 years of age. All Nursery policies are available on request.

Information for University of York Staff and Students

Fees

Staff childcare benefits

Campus, postgraduates and public fees are based on a 50 week year. (Two weeks closure at Christmas and five other bank holiday closures are not charged for).
Fees for undergraduate students are based on a 37 week year (October to June). Places may be retained at a cost of 20% of full cost over the whole of the summer vacation (July, August and September).
Students can also approach the Students Union or the Student Financial Support Unit for help and advice regarding finances.
The University operates Nursery Extra / Nursery Plus and / Tax Free Childcare benefits for employees as follows:

Student rate