Early Years Education Funding Policy for two, three and four year olds

Buttercups Nursery School works with children and families to ensure that we deliver Early Years Education to a high standard, to make certain that all two, three and four year olds are making good developmental progress.

Early Years Education Funding (EYEF) is administered by the Local Authority (LA), as an Early Years Provider we are required to follow the guidelines set out in the Provider Agreement Procedures and the Statuary Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage (2017).

To comply with these requirements, Buttercups Nursery School will:

• Require you to complete an EYEF Parental/Carer declaration prior to your child starting an EYEF place
• Receive a two-year-old funding code, if eligible
• Receive a 30-hour funding code, if eligible
• Receive your National insurance number
• Have a copy of your child’s birth certificate

Two-Year-Old Funding

Funded two-year-old spaces are not universal, only eligible children may access this funding via an application process. Parent/carers will need an eligibility code which needs to be presented to Buttercups Nursery School to access the free place. Eligible children may access a funded place starting the term after their second birthday.

Three and Four-Year-Old Universal Funding

The Universal Funding entitles all three and four-year-old children to receive 15 hours a week, 570 hours over three terms, of childcare or Early Education for 38 weeks of the year standard offer. At Buttercups we offer the funding as, 11.5 hours stretched offer over the 49 weeks of the year we are open. The funding is available the term after the child’s third birthday.

Three and Four-Year-Old Extended Funding

The Extended Funding is not universal; only eligible children may access this funding via an application process, please visit the Childcare Choices website. It entitles three and four-year-old children to receive an extra 15 hours per week, 1140 hours over three terms, of childcare or Early Education for 38 weeks of the year standard offer. At Buttercups we offer the extended entitlement as, 23 hours stretched offer over the 49 weeks of the year we are open. The funding is available the term after the child’s third birthday.

If your child is born between: They are eligible for a free place from:

1st April and 31st August : 1st September following their 3rd Birthday Autumn Term

1st September and 31st December : 1st January following their third Birthday Spring Term

1st January and 31st March : 1st April following their 3nd Birthday Summer Term

Stretched Offer Features

• Maximum of 11.4/22.8 hours per week, stretched over the 50 weeks Buttercups is open
• Invoices calculated and divided into equal payments each month over the period of each term
• Buttercups will agree with parents how their child can access any spare hours left where the hours per week multiplied by the number of weeks of the stretched offer totals less than 570/1140 • Eligibility for the 30-hour funding is only valid for three months; it is the parent’s responsibility to check if they are still eligible for the funding. Failure to do so will result in the lose of funding after the grace period

Funding features

• Minimum claim per day of 2.5 hours
• Maximum claim per day of 10 hours
• Funding cannot exceed 570/1140 hours a per child’s birthday year
• Parents can choose a maximum of two approved early years education providers
• Parents must confirm the hours required with the early year’s education provider through a parent declaration for every funding period
• Parents must pay any additional hours or services over and above the early years education hours per week being claimed
• The provider confirms to parents the number of hours that are part of the offer and produces clear invoices indicating the early year’s education hours.

Example of hours stretched:

Offer – Stretched Offer
Hours per week – 11.4/22.8
Max number of weeks – 50
Total hours – 570/1140
Spare Hours – 0
Example of offer – Buttercups is open for 50 weeks of the year and Early Years Education is available for 50 weeks. Parents will be charged for any extra hours taken over the week. All hours will be charged at our Additional Service and Quality Premium charge

Hampshire County Council sets maximum hours that can be claimed for each funding period. These maximum hours are different for the standard and stretched offers to take account of the number of weeks available in each funding period for the different offers. Therefore, unused hours cannot be carried forward from one funding period to the next to claim more than the maximum hours available.

Funding payments Funded invoices will be issued the term after your child’s third birthday. Invoices will be calculated for the terms, Autumn – September, October, November and December, Spring – January, February and March Summer – April, May, June, July and August. Each term will be calculated and divided in to equal payments so that parents can benefit from having a set amount that needs to be paid each month. It is the parent’s responsibility to pay the invoice by the due date and to change payment totals if necessary. Invoices will not be issued until the new funding period. Charges will be made if Buttercups receives late payment of fee’s. Please see below when your first funding invoice will be issued and terms it will include.

If your child is born between: First funding invoice issued and terms included:

1st April and 31st August :
Issued – Autumn term
Terms include – Autumn, Spring and Summer

1st September and 31st December :
Issued -Spring Term
Terms include – Spring, Summer and Autumn

1st January and 31st March :
Issued – Summer Term
Terms include – Summer, Autumn and Spring

Notice period

Buttercups Nursery School requires a written notice period of 12 weeks for termination of contract and 6 weeks written notice for any reduction in hours/days. For funded children leaving to go to school, parents must ensure that they give the correct notice period for their child if they wish for them to leave at the end of July or reduce hours/days during the month of August. Failure to do so will result in August fee’s being paid in full. Failure to pay these fees’ will result in the £50 deposit paid on registration not being refunded.

Hampshire County Council require all funded monies returned if the child should leave the setting before the end of the funding period. For example, if a child leaves at the end of July, funded hours must be re paid that have been claimed for the month of August. This money belongs to Hampshire County Council not the parent.