Early Education Entitlement (Funding)
  1. For the most up-to-date information regarding the 'Funded Early Education Entitlement' (FEEE) and eligibility, your first port-of-call should be the 'Best Start In Life Family Hub' - https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/childcare-early-years-education.
  2. Please also see our 'Admissions' and 'Payment of Fees' policies.
  3. Funding is provided by the Government as follows;

    2-year-old Entitlement for families in receipt of government support (FEEE2 15 hours)
    Universal Entitlement for all 3- & 4-year-olds (FEEE3&4 15 hours)
    Eligible Working Parent Entitlement for 3- & 4-year-olds (FEEE3&4 EFE 15 hours)
    Eligible Working Parent Entitlement for 9 months to 2 years old (FEEE1W & FEEE2W 30 hours)

  4. Parents / carers do not have to access the full funded hours, although any hours attended over those claimed will be subject to charge at our standard hourly rate.
  5. Please note (taken from FEEE contract):
    "If a parent decides they want to increase the number of hours their child is accessing after the funding has been claimed, the nursery may charge the parents for the interim period only, as no late claims can be made in this instance. This also prohibits parents utilising any unclaimed entitlement with another provider for that term. Further details of this are covered in the Parent Agreement Form."

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  6. Working Parent Entitlement

    Eligible working parents will be able to apply for the Working Parent Entitlement the term after their child turns 9 months.

    Working parent funding can be applied for on https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/childcare-early-years-education
    It is parents' responsibility to apply for the Working Parent eligibility code before the fixed deadlines; 31st March for the summer term, 31st August for the autumn term and 31st December for the spring term and to reconfirm their codes every three months.
    Working parents will remain eligible at a current setting if they fall into their grace period but cannot start with a new setting until their code has been reconfirmed and prior to the cut-off date.
    New or lapsed codes will show as eligible once confirmed but cannot be claimed for until the next cut-off date. E.g. A new code confirmed on 2nd January may show the child as eligible, but it has missed the cutoff date of 31st December and cannot be used until the summer term.
    Working Parent Entitlement cannot be used once the child has started at reception in school.

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  7. 2-year-old Entitlement for families in receipt of government support (FEEE2 15 hours)

    This is not a universal offer; only eligible children can access this funding via an application process.
    To check for eligibility and apply Parents should go to Funded childcare for 2-year-olds: Overview | Essex County Council..
    If eligible a parent will be given a unique reference code starting with TYF which they give to the provider to submit a placement notification. This code does not need to be checked again and remains valid until the term after the child turns three where they will qualify for the universal three-year-old funding of 15 hours.
  8. Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

    EYPP is additional funding for early years settings to improve the provision for eligible children. This means that for low-income families, Providers are entitled to receive additional funding for all children accessing up to 15 hours funded entitlement for FEEE1W, FEEE2W, FEEE2 and FEEE3&4 universal.
  9. Disability Access Fund (DAF)
    The DAF is payable as a lump sum once a year per eligible child for all the entitlements. To be eligible a child must be in receipt of Disability Living Allowance. DAF can only be claimed by one provider per year.
  10. Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funding (SENIF)
    Providers can apply for SENIF for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities if they need additional support to include children in activities. SENIF if agreed is paid for FEEE hours attended.
  11. Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI)
    The deprivation supplement is paid per hour for FEEE3&4 universal and extended hours only and is paid directly to the provider. This funding is added automatically for children who live in an eligible postcode where providers are claiming FEEE3&4.
  12. Tax Free Childcare
    Parents will need to check to see if they are eligible for Tax Free Childcare. To check for eligibility and to apply, go to Tax-Free Childcare - GOV.UK