Parent & Child Groups

CVSE operates four groups at present, two at Machpelah in Hebden Bridge on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and two at St John’s in Cragg Vale on Mondays and Fridays. The group is for parents or carers and children under 3 and includes an activity and a snack. The cost is £6 per session and fees are payable termly in advance to the Parent & Child Leader. The NEG funding, at present, does not apply for the Parent & Child groups.

These groups offer young children and their carers an opportunity to engage with the Steiner ethos from an early age and are an excellent introduction for any child thinking of joining the Kindergarten.

Kindergartens Birch & Willow

*For those children who are eligible to receive Nursery Education Funding from 3 -4 years, Kindergarten fees will be reduced accordingly. Current funding for 2010/11 per child is £3.40 per hour up to a maximum of 15 hours per week until the term in which the child turns 5.  If you would like more information on the Nursery Education Funding please contact Marilyn.

Due to recent demand, CVSE now operates two kindergartens. Kindergarten Birch is for rising 3 year olds and currently operates three days a week on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. Each day is from 9.45am until 1.45pm. Kindergarten Willow is for 4 year olds and older and runs each day is from 9.45am until 1.45 am. We feel children need to be in a steady rhythm which is why we recommend a minimum of 3 days a week attendance. The children in both kindergartens receive the same curriculum, adapted to suit ages & individual needs, and there will be times every day when the children from both kindergartens are joined together to share activities and play.

Our code of practice states, with the NEG in mind, that whilst we will not exclude any child on the basis that they do not wish to attend the full 4 hour sessions, for the benefit of the child we do strongly recommend that children attend all three sessions to ensure they benefit form a steady rhythm.

School lunches are charged at £1 per day for Kindergarten and must be paid for in advance alongside your fee contribution.

Please also note that a yellow school bus service is available to take the children to Kindergarten each school day. Currently the collection and drop off points are Colden, Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge (x3) and Mytholmroyd. The  bus journey costs 60p per child each way and is payable each journey. Every family is asked to accompany the children on one (regular) journey each week. For more information please contact Hazel Draper on  

Payment Terms

Fee contributions are currently divided into twelve equal payments, which are collected from your bank account by standing order. Payments must arrive no later than the 5^th of each month and run from August through to the following July. A standing order form is attached which must be returned competed to Marilyn by the 15^th July.

Financial Support

Our ideal is that any child can have access to Steiner education irrespective of the financial resources of their family. We have looked into a number of sources of subsidy and financial support that may also be available.

Government subsidies and support

There are several ways you may be able to access external funding to cover your childcare costs. These include:

Nursery Education Grant (available to all pre-school children)

The school qualifies for Early Years funding and your pre-school child should be automatically entitled to this. Visit www.direct.gov.uk for more information or contact Marilyn if you think your child is eligible.

Child Tax Credit (and related credits)

Pays up to 80% of childcare costs for working families. Means tested award, actual amount depends on family situation. Again visit www.direct.gov.uk for more information or call the helpline 0845 300 3900.

Salary Sacrifice and Childcare Vouchers

Allows employers to contribute to early years and afterschool childcare costs of employees. Typically the employee asks for a salary reduction equal to childcare costs, and employer then covers these costs directly. The advantage is that costs are paid by the employer ‘pre-tax’ so the employee received an effective discount on childcare costs equal to highest tax rate paid. (Note: The employer also saves, as it doesn’t have to pay NI on this component.) Visit www.hmrc.gov.uk for more details or contact one of parents This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it for further advice.

CVSE Support

CVSE are committed to providing support for families with limited financial resources who are unable to pay the full fees required for their children to attend the school. We offer two means of support.

Reduced Fee Concession

CVSE offers a reduced fee concession if Gross Household income is below £25,000 per annum. In order to qualify for the Reduced Fee Concession you must provide evidence to show your current gross household income.  Please submit some evidence of your stated income such as a tax return, P60, pay slip and benefit advice to Marilyn Edwards prior to the beginning of the Academic Year.

*For those children who are eligible to receive Nursery Education Funding from 3 -4 years, Kindergarten fees will be reduced accordingly. Current funding for 2010/11 per child is £3.40 per hour up to a maximum of 15 hours per week until the term in which the child turns 5.  If you would like more information on the Nursery Education Funding please contact Marilyn.

CVSE Bursary Fund

In addition to the Reduced Fee Concession, CVSE has launched a Bursary Fund.  The main purpose of this fund is to maintain places for children who have been educated for a long time within the Steiner system and who would be exceptionally disadvantaged by having to leave this educational environment. It is anticipated that in its first years the fund will aim to 'top up' parental contributions rather than provide full fee coverage and as such can only be accessed if the child/children in question are over 5 years of age. Please note the cost of the first term’s fees for each child must be paid in full. If you would like to apply for a bursary, please request an application form from Marilyn Edwards.

Upon receipt of your application you will then be invited to meet with a member of the Finance Committee to discuss your financial situation and the contributions you are able to make. Advice on government and other subsidies that may be available will be discussed at the same time. All bursaries will be reviewed annually, requiring an annual financial assessment (as above) and no previously agreed bursary will be rolled over into the coming year without a fresh application being made, as described above.

Calder Valley Steiner Education Community Support

In addition to the financial contribution parents make in the form of fees we welcome other forms of support. The ethos of the school is one where the whole community becomes involved in the sustaining and maintaining the school as a beautiful educational experience for our children. The school relies on parents to provide some time assisting in the running of the school. Parents are encouraged to become involved in the various administrative groups, such as Public Relations, Maintenance, Cleaning, Gardening, etc. Of course parents with appropriate profession or trade skills are particularly easy to accommodate, but we can find a role for all willing volunteers! There are also many events and activities during the year where parents can contribute socially and culturally as well as materially to the community, either through personal initiative or as part of a group.

The school also encourages parents to make additional financial contributions above the prescribed ‘fees’ towards the provision of educational resources and bursaries wherever possible. These are best made as ‘Gift aid’ donations.

We hope all parents will consider:

• Gift aiding a contribution towards an established bursary fund. This may be for a specific amount, or for say 10% or more of the standard fees for a place in the school.
• Gift aiding contributions for specific purposes, such as specialist subject provision, equipment, etc.

Gifts of this nature, both small and large, are invaluable to us as they enable us to provide a better teaching and learning environment for our children, as well as allowing us to maintain a bursary system. Our ability to keep our fees low and access to Steiner education as broad as possible relies to a large extent on the generosity of those parents who are able to make donations of this kind.

Gift Aid forms are available from Marilyn in the first instance.

All further enquiries should be addressed to

Marilyn Edwards, Wicken Hill, Heights Road, Hebden Bridge HX7 5RF 

Tel. 01422 885249.