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Funding

You may be entitled to funding for your child’s early learning. 

All three and four year old children are entitled to receive 15 hours of free early years education per week, 38 weeks per year. This can be administered over three terms only.

When your child becomes eligible for 3 year funding:

  • If your child is born between 1st April and 31st August, they will automatically be eligible for a funded place from 1st September following their third birthday, until statutory school age.
  • If your child is born between 1st September and 31st December, they will automatically be eligible for a funded place from 1st January following their third birthday, until statutory school age.
  • If your child is born between 1st January and 31st March, they will automatically be eligible for a funded place from 1st April following their third birthday, until statutory school age.

Two year old funding is not available for all two-year-old children. Families must meet set criteria to be eligible. Please ensure you read the criteria to check if you are eligible and apply for your unique funding code.

When your child becomes eligible for 2 year funding:

  • If your child is born between 1st April and 31st August, they will be eligible for a funded place from 1st September following their second birthday, until statutory school age. If parents continue to meet eligibility criteria.
  • If your child is born between 1st September and 31st December, they will be eligible for a funded place from 1st January following their second birthday, until statutory school age. If parents continue to meet eligibility criteria.
  • If your child is born between 1st January and 31st March, they will be eligible for a funded place from 1st April following their second birthday, until statutory school age. If parents continue to meet eligibility criteria.

9 month + funding is not available for all children aged 9 months +. Families must meet set criteria to be eligible.  Please ensure you read the criteria to check if you are eligible and apply for your unique funding code. 

When your child becomes eligible for 9 month + funding:

  • If your child turns 9 months between 1st September and the 31st December, they will be eligible for a funded place if they meet criteria from the beginning of the Autumn term.
  • If your child turns 9 months between 1st January and the 31st March, they will be eligible for a funded place if they meet criteria from the beginning of the spring term.
  • If your child turns 9 months between 1st April and the 31st August, they will be eligible for a funded place if they meet criteria from the beginning of the summer term.

Funded 30 hours Childcare

To access a funded 30-hour place the family must have a valid code and the child must be of eligible age.

Suffolk County Council can only fund places where the eligibility codes meet the requirements set by the Department for Education (DfE).

We work to the government's operational guidance for local authorities and childcare providers, which says:

When Parents can Claim and Start a 30 Hour Place

  • Parents should be encouraged to apply the term before their child turns three to ensure they can access a place when they want it. If they do not receive a code before the deadline, they will need to wait until the following term to access their 30 hours place.
     
  • Parents can apply up to 31 days before taking up or returning to work. If a parent applies before this point, they will only be able to apply for Tax-Free Childcare.
     
  • Local authorities are not expected to secure the additional funded hours when the parent has applied after the 31st August, 31st December or 31st March.

This can be administered over three terms or stretched out to suit your needs (limited spaces available for stretched funding).

If you would like more information about funded places and to check if you are eligible, please visit the websites detailed here.

Childcare support for parents and carers - Suffolk County Council

Apply for free childcare if you're working - GOV.UK

Homepage | Childcare Choices

EY-JUN-24-PAF-Parent-Guidance.pdf

Kirkley Nursery 30 hour Funding Information 

Hedgehog children (9month+)

Hedgehog children will automatically be booked in on an all-year-round contract as per our current terms and conditions.  Term time places are available in this room but come with an additional cost and are limited.   Stretched funding will be available to all eligible hedgehog children from September 2025. (further information can be found in our funding offer, sessions and fee structure)

Squirrels and Owls children (2 year and 3 year funded children)

As per terms and conditions, children in the squirrels and Owl room will automatically be placed on a term-time-only contract. Stretched funded places can be secured subject to availability.

30 hours funding term time only.

A maximum of 30 funded hours per week can be used during the school term.  There is no obligation to use all 30 funded hours.  Parents can choose how many hours a week they wish for their child to attend, funding can only be utilised between 9-3pm.  (More information on sessions times can be found on the nursery fee structure).

Stretching 30-hour funding throughout the year.

Spaces for stretched funding are limited and will be offered on a first come, first served basis. Staffing levels during school holidays are lower than during term time. To ensure that legal ratios are maintained, we only have a limited number of stretched funded spaces available.

If you choose to stretch your child’s funding over the year, a maximum of 22 funded hours per week may be utilised. This allows for enough hours to be claimed each term to carry through for school holiday sessions.

Kirkley Nursery Funding Offer

Funding at Kirkley:

  • Funding can be utilised during school day time only.  This is from 9am-3pm. Any hours outside of this will be classed as wrap around care and charged at an hourly rate.
  • Funding sessions for children aged 2 and above can be booked as follows: 9am-12pm, 9am-1pm, 9am-3pm and 1pm-3pm, or any combination that will total up to 15 /30 hours.
  • 15-hour funding can be utilised during term time only. Any regular all-year round booking patterns will be charged at the full session rate during holiday periods.
  • 30-hour funding can be utilised during term time, or be stretched all-year round, using a maximum of 22 hours per week.
  • The last week of the summer holidays will not be funded, and no additional bookings will be available.
  • The nursery will only accept a maximum of 8 stretch funded 3 and 4 year olds per session.  This can be increased in groups of 8, where any additional parents/carers of 3 and 4-year-old children wishing to stretch their funded hours will be placed on a waiting list. (This is due to the number of staff required in holidays).
  • The nursery will only accept a maximum of 5 stretch funded 2 year olds per session.  This can be increased in groups of 5, where any additional parents/carers of 2 year-old children wishing to stretch their funded hours will be placed on a waiting list. (This is due to the number of staff required in holidays).
  • The nursery wrap-around hourly rate will reflect the rate which the government is funding for a child of the same age.
  • The nursery have introduced a 9am-3pm funded session available to parents/carers of children aged 0-2.

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