Dear Mr Cummings,

We are writing to you expressing our disappointment on the latest communication we have received on Monday 30th March 2020 regarding nursery fees.

It’s seems we are being requested to pay 50-75% of the full fees whilst our children are at home. We feel there is a lack of clarity behind these costs, especially in comparison to similar local nursery settings, please see a list attached below:

Bright Sparks Day Nursery - 20 percent of monthly total fee to be paid
Lemon Tree Nursery - £130 per month to be paid including learning packs
Fennies - 50% 1st month. Waived in full for remaining time
Busy Bees - Suspended Fees
Little Learners - Suspended Fees
Old Palace - Waiving fees two months Croydon High School - waived in full      Lemon Tree nursery - £130 for FT children (includes monthly learning packs)

Our understanding is that the government is offering support and bail outs which Cumnor House can access for teachers salaries at 80%. We cannot see the reflection of this in the fees you are requesting of us.

Many parents are in a position where they have lost their jobs, working reduce hours, or taken unpaid leave to look after children at home whilst nursery is closed. The financial implications of this makes the fees you are requesting potentially crippling for many.

For many parents, the main services required from nursery are social interaction and day care facilities. This is not possible to be provided in the current situation and the fees should therefore reflect this. Seesaw has mixed reviews from the parents and children using them. Whist we appreciate the teachers efforts we feel that providing online Youtube videos, and activities which are readily available elsewhere not sufficient to account for the fees.

We kindly ask you to look into the fee reduction again. We fear that many parents may ultimately be forced into a position to remove their children from Cumnor House.

We would kindly appreciate if we could have a response by 1pm on Monday 6April.