Sessional preschool in a hired village or church hall

Parents and carers paying fees, plus government funded early education hours where your area and setting qualify.

Fees per child per session, plus any local authority funding for eligible children. Hall hire and staff wages are the main costs, so filling your places matters.

• Early years knowledge and a relevant childcare qualification
• Organising staff, rotas and paperwork
• Calm, warm manner with children and parents

• Registration with the right regulator and inspections (Ofsted, Care Inspectorate, Care Inspectorate Wales or your local trust, depending on where you are)
• Enhanced DBS checks, safeguarding training and staff to child ratios, check the current rules for your nation
• Public liability and employer's liability insurance, plus hall hire agreements and fire safety
• Sessions may be quiet at first, so allow for months of low numbers before breaking even
• Check how funded early education hours work for your setting and how quickly payments arrive

Startup costs are typically around £4,000 to £15,000, depending on hall hire, equipment, registration and staffing. Treat this as an estimate and check hall hire agreements and what you must set up and pack away each session.

Monthly revenue is typically around £3,000 to £11,000, depending on numbers, session fees and funded hours. Sessions may be quiet at first, so allow for months of low numbers before breaking even.

Check registration and inspection with the right regulator for your nation, such as Ofsted or the Care Inspectorate. Also check enhanced DBS checks, safeguarding training, staff to child ratios, insurance, hall hire agreements, fire safety, and how funded hours work for your setting.