An after-school club has said a cash-strapped couple must pay “four months’ notice” – more than £1,000 – to withdraw their child.

But the nursery says the parents signed up to the terms and conditions which they said were fair.

Lisa Sanders, 42, and husband Richard Sanders, 40, were forced to withdraw Emily, five, from Dickybirds nursery at St Andrew’s Hall, Maple Road, Surbiton, after their working hours changed.

The couple sent Emily there for two years before deciding to hire a childminder after finding the club’s closing time of 6pm too stressful when travelling home from work in central London.

But the nursery owners insisted the couple should pay out £1,100 for the January to April term next year, despite being told Emily’s last day would be December 2, more than a month in advance.

Mrs Sanders, who lives in Arlington Road, said: “Effectively we are paying four months’ notice, when our daughter won’t be using the club.

"I can’t think of any other situation where you would need to give longer than three months’ notice. The notice period for the nursery is shorter at two months.

“Obviously for us and other parents there is a lesson in reading the small print, and never assuming that because you have an excellent relationship with the staff of a nursery or after-school club who care for your children, that the owners will take any of that into account.”

Dickybirds has nurseries in Raynes Park, Wimbledon, New Malden and Surbiton and has a net worth of more than £3m, according to website Company Check.

Mrs Sanders said: “I suspect we will have no choice, but to pay up.

“I don’t think we asked for much – we are not saying we won’t pay them, we are saying three months is reasonable.”

Rachel Berry, director at Dickybirds, said: “We believe that our terms and conditions are fair.

"These are clearly communicated and agreed by parents who choose to use our after-school club.”

Councillor David Cunningham, Conservative lead member for schools and continuing education, said: “It seems the nursery is being rather high handed by taking this attitude even though they have a contract.

“That is not the sort of attitude that one expects from a childminding group as flexibility is so important to parents.”