Working out nursery fees can feel like one of the most complicated parts of choosing childcare. Parents are often comparing day rates, sessions, funded hours and extra charges while also looking for a setting where their child will feel safe, happy and well cared for.
A helpful starting point is to separate nursery fees from funded childcare. Nursery fees are the amount paid for your child’s booked place. Funded childcare is government support that may reduce the childcare element of your invoice if your family is eligible.
The final cost will depend on your child’s age, attendance pattern, funding eligibility and whether they attend during school holidays. Current prices and arrangements can change, so the setting-specific pages are the best place to check the latest details:
Fees and funding info for Sweet Peas Garforth
Fees and funding info for Sweet Peas Rothwell
How nursery fees are usually charged
Nursery fees are normally based on the sessions your child attends. Depending on the setting, this may be a full day, half day or a defined morning or afternoon session.
A full-day place suits families who need care around a working day. Shorter sessions can suit families with more flexibility or those gradually introducing nursery. A typical week may include two or three regular days or a fuller five-day pattern.
When comparing nursery costs in Leeds, look at the full arrangement rather than the daily rate alone. Check session times, what is included and how funded hours are applied to your chosen pattern. Two places may appear similar in price while offering different session lengths or included items.
A regular weekly routine also helps children become familiar with the people, spaces and rhythm of nursery life. For families, it can make monthly costs easier to plan for.
What do nursery fees include?
A clear list of inclusions helps families understand the full cost of a nursery place. Some providers charge separately for meals, nappies or activities, while others include more of these everyday essentials within their standard fees.
Sweet Peas Garforth
On privately paid days, fees at Sweet Peas Garforth include three nutritious home-cooked meals, healthy snacks and age-appropriate milk. Nappies, hypoallergenic wipes, sun cream, Calpol, activities and enhanced educational experiences are also included, alongside online daily information sharing, learning journals and personalised development assessments.
Families can discuss dietary requirements with the team. This includes allergies, intolerances, vegetarian diets and cultural dietary needs.
When funded hours are applied, Garforth still provides nappies, wipes, care consumables and activities. Meals are charged separately on funded days, with families able to provide a packed lunch instead if they prefer.
Sweet Peas Rothwell
On privately paid days, Sweet Peas Rothwell’s usual nursery fee includes meals and standard nursery consumables.
When funded hours are applied, the funded entitlement covers the childcare hours themselves. Meals are charged separately. Families can also choose an optional consumables fee. This covers nappies, wipes, sun cream, creams, Calpol where required and administered in line with nursery procedures, other care consumables and additional activities or experiences where applicable.
Families who choose not to pay the consumables fee can provide the required items for their child from home.
When reviewing a nursery’s fee information, look for:
- Which meals and snacks are provided
- Whether nappies, wipes and creams are included
- Whether milk is provided
- Whether activities are included within the standard fee
- How funded sessions are charged
- What families may need to provide from home
Fees and funded childcare: how they work together
Funded childcare can reduce the childcare cost of a nursery place. It is separate from privately paid sessions and may not cover meals, consumables or additional attendance outside a child’s funded entitlement.
Since September 2025, eligible working parents can receive up to 30 funded hours a week for 38 weeks of the year from the term after their child turns nine months until they start school. All three and four-year-olds can receive 15 funded hours a week for 38 weeks from the term after their third birthday. Eligible two-year-olds may also receive 15 funded hours, depending on their circumstances.
For working-parent funding, each parent in a couple usually needs to meet the earnings requirements. A parent whose expected adjusted net income is above £100,000 for the current tax year will not qualify. Families using working-parent funding need to reconfirm their eligibility every three months.
For a fuller explanation of eligibility and applications, read understanding 15 and 30 hours funded childcare.
Do you pay for nursery during holidays?
This depends on your child’s attendance pattern, funding eligibility and how the setting applies funded hours.
Government-funded childcare is based on 38 weeks of the year. Some providers offer a stretched model, where the annual entitlement is spread across more weeks with fewer funded hours available each week. A provider’s availability and funding arrangements determine whether this option can be offered.
At Garforth, funded hours are generally applied across 38 funded weeks. Families using 30 hours over three days have the remaining 14 weeks charged at the private daily fee. Garforth can also offer limited term-time-only funded places, subject to availability and the relevant booking pattern. The team can provide a budgeting tool to help families spread costs more evenly across the academic year.
At Rothwell, children attending two days per week can have their annual funded entitlement stretched across 52 weeks. For children attending three days or more, funding is applied over 38 weeks and normal nursery fees apply for the remaining 14 weeks. The setting groups its five school training days into one of these unfunded weeks in October.
Discussing your likely attendance pattern before confirming a place helps ensure you understand how funding and private fees will apply across the year.
Extra nursery costs to consider
Before accepting a place, ask for a clear explanation of any costs. Depending on the provider and place type, these may include:
- A registration or administration fee
- A deposit to secure a place
- Meals during funded sessions
- Consumables during funded sessions
- Additional time outside booked sessions
- Optional events, trips or special experiences
- Late collection charges
Garforth requires an application form, administration fee and deposit to secure a confirmed start date. The current terms and conditions explain how these arrangements work. Funding covers eligible childcare hours. Sweet Peas Garforth and Sweet Peas Rothwell apply meals and consumables differently during funded sessions, so checking the relevant setting page will give you the clearest picture before booking.
Ways to make nursery costs more manageable
Childcare can be significant cost, so it is worth checking the support available to your family.
Start by checking whether you can claim funded childcare and apply within the required timeframe. Eligible families may also be able to use Tax-Free Childcare. Parents pay into an online childcare account and the government adds £2 for every £8 paid in, up to the relevant limit. Tax-Free Childcare cannot be used alongside Universal Credit childcare support or childcare vouchers.
Other practical ways to manage costs include:
- Choosing a regular session pattern that matches your working hours
- Planning ahead for 38-week funding or year-round attendance
- Checking whether both parents need to reconfirm eligibility
- Using Tax-Free Childcare towards the part of the bill not covered by funding
- Asking for an example of your likely monthly invoice
- Discussing whether funding can be stretched, where this is offered
Funding applications are managed through the government. The Sweet Peas team can explain how funding is applied to a place, while eligibility is confirmed through the relevant government service.
Sweet Peas nursery fees at a glance
Sweet Peas has two individual nurseries in Leeds with separate funding arrangements.
For the latest fees, availability, included items and funding information, visit:
Fees and funding info for Sweet Peas Garforth
Fees and funding info for Sweet Peas Rothwell
A nursery visit is an opportunity to discuss your preferred sessions, your child’s likely start date and how funding applies to your family.
Book a Sweet Peas Nursery tour at Garforth or Rothwell.
All information about how we apply funded hours and charges is subject to change.
Leeds Nursery Fees FAQs
- How much does nursery cost in Leeds?
Nursery costs in Leeds vary depending on the setting, your child’s age, session length and number of days attended. Funded childcare reduces the cost for eligible families. Check the current fee page for your chosen nursery and ask for an invoice based on your attendance pattern.
- What do nursery fees include?
This varies between providers. At Sweet Peas, privately paid days include meals and standard everyday care items, though the exact inclusions differ between Garforth and Rothwell. Funding-day arrangements should be checked with the relevant setting.
- How do nursery fees work with funded hours?
Funded hours are applied to eligible childcare hours. Families may pay for additional attendance, sessions outside funded weeks, meals or consumables, depending on the setting’s current arrangements.
- Are there extra costs on top of nursery fees?
Some nurseries may have registration fees, deposits or separate charges for meals, consumables, extra hours or optional experiences. Ask for clear information before accepting a place.
- Can Tax-Free Childcare be used alongside funded hours?
Eligible families can use Tax-Free Childcare alongside the working-parent funded entitlement. It cannot be used at the same time as Universal Credit childcare support or childcare vouchers.
