The early years funding can seem complicated, and we hope that the information provided is helpful, but we understand that it may not answer all your specific questions. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the office and we will happily help you find the best options for your family.
The Government funding schemes available are:
Free for 2 Funding
570 hours funded childcare is available for qualifying families from a child’s second birthday. This funding can be taken as 15 hours per week over 38 weeks or 12 hours per week over 48 weeks. cc.
There is no service charge for families qualifying for Free for 2 Funding.
Working Parent Entitlement for 2-year-olds
570 hours of funded childcare is available for all qualifying families in England, from the start of the school term following your child’s second birthday. (January, April, September)
You can choose to use your 570 hours over 38 weeks (term time) at 15 hours per week or stretch those over 48 weeks at 12 hours per week.
If you wish your child to attend outside of their funded hours, you will be charged at our advertised rate.
Universal Funding
570 hours of funded childcare is automatically available for all families in England, from the start of the school term following your child’s third birthday. (January, April, September)
You can choose to use your 570 hours over 38 weeks (term time) at 15 hours per week or stretch those over 48 weeks at 12 hours per week.
If you wish your child to attend outside of their funded hours, you will be charged at our advertised rate.
Extended Funding – up to 30 Hours per week:
An additional 570 hours of funded childcare is available for qualifying working families in England, from the start of the next school term following your child’s third birthday. (January, April, September). A family eligible for extended funding and using their universal funding will have a total of 1,140hrs over the year.
Please note that Farm Work Play is a year-round setting that is open 50 weeks a year. Families accessing universal and extended funding, can opt for Term Time (38 weeks) or Stretched (48 weeks) hours.
To confirm if you are eligible you will need to register for the funding through the Government website https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ before the start of the next school term. You will receive an 11-digit code which you must provide the nursery for us to process your claim.
To keep your funded childcare place, you need to revalidate your details every 3 months, (please register for the text alert), if you do not revalidate your details it may lead to your funding being withdrawn and you will be liable for the full cost of the childcare.
Farm Work Play’s Funded Sessions
At Farm Work Play we understand that the cost of childcare to a family is a significant expense, and we are committed to offering flexible options to suit all our families. The Government funding offer is designed to only cover the cost of delivering the early years foundation stage framework. To allow us to offer fully funded sessions with no additional costs we have a package of set times available throughout the week. Alternatively, families can elect to use our flexi-funding package.
Limited Fully funded sessions
A limited number of fully funded sessions with no additional charges are available, term time only from:
- Working Parent Entitlement funded sessions 8am – 1pm, 3 sessions per week.
- Universal funded sessions 8am – 1pm, 3 sessions per week.
- Extended funded sessions 9am – 3pm Monday – Friday
Families opting for fully funded sessions are asked to provide their child/ren with a healthy snack/breakfast in line with our healthy eating policy, as well as nappies, wipes, and sun cream.
N.B. Nursery reserves the right to change the Free Funded Session pattern with 4 weeks’ notice in writing.
Flexi-funding package.
For families looking for more tailored approach to using their funded hours we can offer our flexi-funding package. This package allows you to select the sessions you use based on your individual family needs, and give you access to the following additional benefits:
- Homecooked seasonal meals and snacks, including breakfast, hot lunch, snack, and tea.
- Choice of term time or year-round sessions
- Enhanced holiday discounts for children attending year-round.
- Reduced notice period to change, increase or decrease weekly session patterns*
- Programme of additional activities, these have previously included football, dance, farm/forest school, cooking, gardening, and yoga (these are reviewed each term.)
- Wipes
- Nappies
- Sun cream
- Use of all-in-one puddle suits
- Use of sun hats
- Session swaps*
*Available with 14 days’ notice/subject to availability.
This package includes a service charge. Please refer to our current price list for costs, these costs are reviewed annually.
Important information regarding funding
- We always endeavour to offer our families as many funded hours as possible, but places are dependent on availability. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to offer you all hours to which you are entitled.
- Funded hours may not be used outside the hours of 8-5pm. Families needing earlier or later hours than this will be charged at the normal rate, please refer to our current pricelist.
- For all funding you will need to complete a parental declaration form each term and show the setting your child’s birth certificate or passport prior to the first funding claim.
- Parents will be required to sign a nursery funding agreement form.
- For claims where funding has been submitted but later found to be ineligible, hours that have been used will be invoiced at our hourly rate (see current price list) and charged an administration fee of £20.
- For families using more than one childcare provider to claim their full entitlement, Farm Work Play will contact the other provider to ensure funding is being allocated correctly.
- Farm Work Play reserves the right to change the pattern offer of free funded hours with 4 weeks’ notice to parents in writing.
- It is the parents’ responsibility to ensure codes are reconfirmed and remain active.
For further information on all funding please visit https://www .childcarechoices.gov.uk/