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Children are funded the term after their third birthday to attend 15 hours at nursery each week. At Little Bears Nursery this is split into five three-hour sessions. Please see the Session Times & Costs section for more details on the ways in which your child can attend our Nursery. 

All children are entitled to 15 hours funded Nursery provision. Anything in addition to this must be privately paid for and is outlined in the Session Times & Costs section. The only exception to this is for families who are eligible for 30 hours funding. If you are eligible for 30 hours then you must apply for this via the gov.uk website.

A child qualifies for the extended entitlement if both parents/carers are working (or the sole parents/carer is a lone parent/carer is working) and each parent earns, on average, a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours (National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage) and less than £100K a year. More information can be found on the Childcare Choices website. 

If you are eligible, you will be given an 11-digit code that you will need to pass on to us, along with your national insurance number and your child’s birth certificate. Without these we cannot process your funded hours. 

You will need to reconfirm your eligibility every three months and will receive a reminder text message or email from the government before the deadline.

When do I apply for my funding?

When does your child turn three?

Apply by

Between 1st September-31st December

15th October-30th November
(Start term following January 1st)

Between 1st April-31st August

15th June – 31st July 
(Start term following 1st September)

Payment of Fees

You will receive an invoice for any additional fees, including the cost of school meals, emailed after the end of each month and we ask that it is paid in full within 30 days of the invoice date. 

There are also several additional funding schemes that you may be eligible to apply for. 

Please take a look at the following to see if they apply to you:

EARLY YEARS PUPIL PREMIUM (EYPP)

Did you know your childcare provider may be entitled to £302 additional funding to further support the education of your child?

If your child is three or four years old, childcare providers can claim up to £302 per year to spend on enriching your child’s education. The funding is called Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP).

How this could help your child?

It will help your child to:

  • Benefit from extra resources and equipment suited to their needs
  • Enjoy a range of new play, learning and activity experiences
  • Be better prepared for starting school

Childcare settings will have to demonstrate to Ofsted how funds have been used to improve your child’s education. If you are still eligible, the funding can also be transferred if your child moves to another childcare provider.

If you are claiming one of the following benefits or credits, your provider may be able to claim additional funding for your child:

  • 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 you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual, household, gross income of no more than £16,190)
  • Universal Credit (if you are entitled to Universal Credit and have an annual net earned income equivalent to and not exceeding £7,400, assessed on up to three of your most recent Universal Credit assessment periods)

EYPP may also be paid for children who meet the following criteria:

  • If a child is currently being looked after by a Local Authority in England or Wales
  • If a child has left the care of a Local Authority in England and Wales due to one of the following:
    • Adoption Order
    • Special Guardianship Order
    • Child Arrangement Order

Please speak to your provider who will help you fill out the relevant section of your Parental Declaration and they will then apply on your behalf.

Disability access fund

Your child’s early years provider could get £800 or more per year to help with their education and support.  This will be paid direct to your early years provider.

You can apply to get disability access funding if your child is aged 3 or 4 and you’re receiving both:

To apply for disability access funding speak to your childcare provider or local council.