Fees & Funding

Will it cost me anything?

Nelson Tasman Kindergartens is a not-for-profit charity committed to giving every child the best possible start. Every dollar we receive goes towards employing trained, registered teachers and creating wonderful learning environments and resources.

20 Hours ECE Policy

All our kindergartens offer the Ministry of Education’s 20 Hours Early Childhood Education (ECE) policy. This means if you use some or all of your child’s 20 free hours at our kindergartens, those hours are fully funded by the Ministry and free to you. Many of our centres even offer up to 30 free hours if you attest all your 20 hours to us. Conditions apply, for example if your child is under three, or attends more than six hours a day. Please check with your kindergarten administrator to see if this applies to your child.

Fees and Additional Costs

You may be required to pay a fee if:

  • You do not attest all 20 hours of ECE to your chosen kindergarten.

  • Your child is under 3 years old.

  • Your child attends for more than 6 hours a day.

  • All children under 2 years old.

Your kindergarten administrator can provide specific fee details for your centre.

Support with Fees

Many families may be eligible for the WINZ Childcare Subsidy to help with fees. For any questions about fees or subsidies, please speak to the administrator at your chosen kindergarten.

Family Contribution

We invite all families to make a small Family Contribution of 50 cents per hour to help cover additional costs not funded by the Ministry of Education. This supports things like travel for local trips, printing profile books, art and craft supplies, stationery, and extra activities such as physical development sessions. These all contribute to enriching your child’s learning experience and help us give them the best possible start.

If you're unable to contribute financially, there may be other ways to support your kindergarten — feel free to talk with your teaching team. The Family Contribution is considered a donation and may be claimed for tax purposes. For more information, visit the IRD website.

All Nelson Tasman Kindergartens offer the Ministry of Education's
20 Hours ECE Policy.

Information on fees

    • Fees must be paid within 7 days of receiving an invoice.

    • Invoices are issued weekly or fortnightly, depending on the kindergarten.

    • We prefer Automatic Payments or Internet Banking.

  • Please ensure that you complete the Fee Declaration under ‘Fee Information’ on the enrolment form within 7 days. Failure to do this could result in your child no longer having a place at kindergarten.

  • All absences, including illness, are charged at the normal fee, as your child’s place remains reserved until they return.

  • No fees are charged for public holidays.

    • If fees are unpaid for 14 days, you will be required to set up automatic payments to clear the debt and manage future fees.

    • If fees remain unpaid for 28 days, the account will be referred to the Association Office, which may:

      • Reduce your child’s hours of enrolment,

      • Remove your child from the roll, and/or

      • Refer the debt to a Debt Collection Agency.

  • If you have any enquiries regarding Fees, please initially see the Administrator at the kindergarten, or contact the Association Office on (03) 546 7683.