Funded Early Education (FEEE) and Fee details

 Our opening hours are:

 9.00-12.00 (3 hours) Monday to Friday or

9.00-3.30 (6.5 hours) Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

We are open 38 weeks per year (term time only) and arrange our holidays in line with Essex schools.

Usual term times are as follows:

Autumn -14 weeks

Spring – 11 weeks

Summer – 13 weeks

We are also entitled to take 3 training days per year (1 per term) which will be notified to parents at least 6 weeks prior to the date.

We will be closed for any Bank holidays that fall in term time.

Where possible we will offer as many sessions as parents require but we do stipulate that children need to attend at least 2 sessions per week.

The pre-school requires 1 months’ notice if parents decide to drop sessions or leave the setting.

Fees

• Fees are charged at £18 per 3-hour session or £39 for a full day (£6 per hour). This will be invoiced at the start of each half term, and we ask for full payment by the date specified on the invoice.
• We also ask for a £1 voluntary contribution per session towards snacks. This is detailed on the invoice.
• Where fees apply all absence must be paid for, including sickness, holidays, closure due to bad weather.
• In the event of financial difficulties, we will work with parents to agree a different payment schedule, e.g. payment on a monthly or weekly basis.
• We reserve the right to withdraw places for a child if non-payment of fees exceeds 1 half term.

V0luntary chargeable extras

This is a voluntary charge of £1 per session towards snacks for children who pay fees and those who receive funding.

For snack children are offered:

• two items of fruit or vegetables
• cheese
• crackers or toast
• milk

Where parents/carers decline to pay the voluntary charge towards snacks, we will ask them to provide a healthy alternative from a pre-agreed list of items (see nutrition policy) to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing each session (2 for a whole day).

• Extra charges for trips, parties and special events will be notified in advance by letter and there is no expectation that these are taken up.

Invoices

These will be clear and transparent so that parents are able to clearly understand how the amount on the invoice has been calculated.

Funding

We offer funding for children from 2-years-old. This includes:

• 2-year 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 2-year-olds (FEEE2W 30 hours)
• Eligible Working Parent Entitlement for 3- & 4-year-olds (FEEE3&4W 15 hours)

All funding except for FEEE2 may be split between 2 providers.

Funded hours may be taken between the hours 9.00-12.00/12.30-3.30 (single session of 3 hours) or 9.00-3.30 (full day of 6.5 hours)

• If children’s funded hours do not cover the full day, we offer parents the option to collect children at 3pm so that there is no additional cost to them for the extra 30 minutes that is not covered by funding.
• Where parents choose to collect at 3.30, there will be a charge of £3.00 for the 30 minutes  UNLESS children’s funded hours apply.

Universal Entitlement for all 3 & 4-year-olds (FEEE3&4 15 hours)

• All children will automatically receive this funding the term after their 3^rd birthday

Working Parent Entitlements

Eligible working parents will be able to apply for the Working Parent Entitlement, the term after their child turns 9 months. This can be applied for on: Homepage/Best Start in Life

• Parents are responsible to apply for the Working Parent eligibility code before the fixed deadlines of 31^st August (Autumn term), 31^st December (Spring term) and 31^st March (Summer term). They must also reconfirm codes every 3 months when prompted.
• Children whose code have elapsed, will receive a grace period but after this, if the code is not valid or parents have missed the cut off date, fees will apply.

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.
• Parents will be given a unique reference code starting with TYF which they must give to the provider to enable them to submit a placement notification. The code does not need to be re-checked and remains valid until the child turns 3 and qualifies for universal 3- & 4-year funding.

Procedures to claim funding

• We will ask parents to read and sign a consent form (from Essex County Council) each term to access the funding for their child. If this is not signed and returned by the specified date, fees will be payable for the whole term. Children’s funded hours cannot be increased after the headcount day, where hours are submitted to Essex County Council for that term.
• Where a child changes settings after the headcount day fees will be applicable unless there is agreement to forward fees between settings.

Further funding available:

Early Years Pupil Premium

This is additional funding available 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 child accessing up to 15 hours funded entitlement.

Disability Access Fund (DAF)

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.

Special Education Needs Inclusion Funding (SENIF)

Providers an apply for SENIF for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities if the need additional support to include children in activities. SENIF, if agreed, is paid for FEEE hors attended.

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, The funding is added automatically for children who live in an eligible postcode where providers are claiming FEEE3&4.

Tax Free Childcare

Parents will need to check to see if they are eligible for Tax Free Childcare. To check eligibility and to apply, go to: Tax-Free Childcare-GOV.UK