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Parents to pay £5 a minute if they pick up children late
Felix Allen23 Nov 2009
A nursery school is allegedly charging parents £5 a minute if they are late picking up their children.
The charges - equivalent to £300 an hour - have shocked parents at the Phoenix House Montessori nursery in Stamford Hill, north London.
The private nursery's fees have risen from £1 a minute in a bid to stop parents using the creche as a "free waiting room". Although the fines are intended to punish repeat offenders, parents who are caught up accidentally can end up paying heavily for the extra time.
Laura Boston, who has a toddler at the school, told a newspaper: "I nearly had a nervous breakdown on a bus when I got stuck in traffic after an accident and thought I was going to be really late. They put [the fees] up to a fiver a minute because people were turning up late."
The National Day Nurseries Association defended late fees, saying providing care after hours is expensive as at least two members of staff are needed to comply with regulations.
Phoenix House Montessori was unavailable for comment.
Reader views (4)
My nursery charges £1 per minute for late collection but this is only enforced for repeat latecomers. I have been late once and not been charged as I called to let them know there was an accident and it was a one off incident. At the end of the day, if staff have to be paid overtime then it seems fair to pass that charge on to the parents. I agree that without it some parents would take advantage.
- Smb, London, UK, 24/11/2009 12:50
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I agree. My sister owns a nursery and says it is very irrating when parents come late especially when her staff have worked a very long day. As an example she mentioned that last friday a member of her staff had to stay on for 30 minutes after closing because a parent had forgotten that their child was at the nursery!!! Unbelieveable and shocking......
- Sonia, London, 24/11/2009 11:34
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the staff at phoenix do a wonderful job and have cared for my daughter for the last 3years. they are not insured to have children on the premises after 6 o'clock and have to comply with ofsteads rules. the staff work a long day and should be able to leave at 6pm. we get newsletters every month and memo's stating any changes and the reasons for the change and was given a weeks notice of the change to the late fees before it was put inn place.
- Alice Rose, london stoke newington, 23/11/2009 19:10
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Yet more rip-offs. I trust the parents will be looking to put in bills themselves the moment the school is a few minutes late opening up.
- Paul, London, 23/11/2009 11:50
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