Funding

What do I have to do to access the Early Education Entitlement?

All children are eligible for 15 hours Government funded education from the term after they turn three years old. 

Around the beginning of each term, you will be asked to sign a Parent Declaration Form, setting out the agreed hours and pattern of access to the free entitlement. Your entitlement may be split with another provider if you wish – if you decide to access your free education at more than one provider you will be asked to sign a parent declaration at both settings.

Signing the parent declaration commits parents and the nursery to a termly contract. Due to the rules set down by the Local Authority, it is not possible to change the pattern of your free entitlement or change to a different provider during that term, except under exceptional circumstances and with the agreement of the Local Authority.

Some children are entitled to Extended Funded hours (30 hours entitlement), Please see criteria:

  • You and your partner must be in employment (or on maternity/paternity leave or one of you is working and the other is registered as disabled or on sick leave). You must be working the minimum of equivalent of 16 hours per week at minimum wage, and the maximum you can be earning is £100,000 per person per year.
  • In order to check eligibility you must go online at childcarechoices.gov.uk and complete the online form. You will receive an eligibility code which must be given to the setting in order to confirm your entitlement.

2 year old funding
Some children are entitled to 15 hours government funding from the term after they turn 2 years old. This funding is based on your family income. To find out if you are eligible contact the Families Information Service or ask at nursery for support with this application.

If you are billed privately for your childcare then you will receive an invoice a month in advance. i.e so for March’s childcare you will receive an invoice on 25th February and this must be on or before the 7th March, late payments will incur a late payment charge.