Early Years Free Entitlement for 3 & 4 year olds

Every child attending our playgroup is entitled to 15 hours free nursery education per week, 38 weeks a year from the term after the child’s 3rd birthday. Children can claim this free education in a multitude of ways but sessions must be for a minimum of 2.5 hours a day and a maximum of 6 hours a day.

Funding is issued termly in the Spring, Summer and Autumn Terms. Should you wish to move your child to a different nursery mid-term settings are required to accept your child under the ‘swings and roundabouts’ policy if they have space.

In the event of there being more children than places available we shall give priority to funded four year old children then funded three year old children.

We are an inclusive practice and will not refuse a place on the grounds of a child’s attainment, gender, race, religion, language, culture or any special educational needs the child may have.

Gislingham playgroup will be funded for the ‘free’ time by a grant, which we receive directly from the L.E.A.We receive our funding termly,if you require your child to attend more than 15 hours a week you will be invoiced for the top up on a half termly basis.

You are able to claim your child’s nursery grant through more than 1 setting. playgroups automatically receive funding above private nurseries. Once we have established and agreed space and session times with you we will provide you with a parent declaration form, which you must complete and return to us by headcount day. We must also see original evidence of your child’s date of birth. We then have to submit your child’s details to the L.E.A., together with the agreed number of sessions your child is attending for. If your child attends with another provider we shall make contact with them to confirm how many sessions you shall be using with them. You will not be eligible for funding exceeding more than 15 hours a week between both practitioners.

If your child's funded session falls on a bank holiday Monday we will do our up most to give you a replacement session, during the term this funding falls under, on a session where we have a space available.

Free childcare for 2 year olds

2 Year Old Funding

This is a scheme that allows eligible children to receive free early years care and education from the term after their second birthday. Eligible children can claim up to 15 hours free early years care a week for 38 weeks a year.

Who can receive the 2 year old free early learning?

The 2 year old free early learning will be offered to families receiving one of the following benefits:

Income Support

Income-based Jobseeker's AllowanceIncome-related Employment Support AllowanceChild Tax Credit but not entitled to Working Tax Credit, and the annual household income less than £16,190. Support under Part VI of the immigration and Asylum Act 1999The guarantee element of State Pension CreditWorking Tax Credit during the 4 week period immediately after their employment finishes or after they start to work less than 16 hours per weekOr two year old's who have left care through special guardianship or an adoption or residence order

This is part of a national offer from the Department for Education (DfE) and has been developed to improve outcomes for identified two year old's who would benefit from accessing high quality early years and childcare provision. Further details can be found in the documents below:

New Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) from April 2015

The early years pupil premium is additional funding for early years settings to improve the quality of education they provide for disadvantaged 3 and 4 year olds.

• The aim of the EYPP is to help close the gap between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers by providing funding to early years providers to help them raise the quality of their provision.
• The EYPP is an extension of the pupil premium that is paid to schools from the reception year.

EYPP Eligibility Criteria 3 and 4 year olds in state funded early education will attract EYPP funding if their family meets at least 1 of the following criteria:

• Income Support.
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
• The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit.
• Child Tax Credit (provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190).
• Working Tax Credit run-on, which is paid for 4 weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.
• Universal Credit.

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION

• Child Tax Credit (provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190).
• The above criteria is not the same as the existing criteria for 2 year old funding. As from September 2014 the government opened up the criteria for 2 year old funding to include those families in receipt of child tax credit and/ or working tax credit and earn no more than £16,190.
• This criteria for EYPP is the same as the first 20% of 2 year olds who were eligible for the 2 year old funding in September 2013. Under the original criteria if parents received working tax credit they were not eligible for 2 year old funding.

EYPP: Additional Eligibility Criteria

• A child has been in Local Authority care for 1 day or more in England or Wales.
• A child has been adopted from care in England or Wales.
• A child has left care under a special guardianship order or residence order in England or Wales. Children must receive free early education in order to attract EYPP funding. Children become eligible for free early education at different points in the year depending on when they turn 3.

EYPP The following DOES NOT qualify a child for EYPP:

• A child in receipt of Disability Living Allowance
• A child with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Educational, Health and Care Plan.
• The existing economic eligibility criteria for the 2 year old funding IS NOT the same as the economic eligibility criteria for EYPP funding.
• Families in receipt of 2 year old funding based on the original economic criteria from September 2013 may still qualify for the new EYPP.