Early Education Funding

Early Education Funding is allocated to the Local Authority by the DfE (Department for Education).

Swindon Sure Start Partnership is the department at Swindon Borough Council that leads on the administration of this funding.

Eligibility

Funding for Early Education is available to three and four year olds in Swindon from the term following their third birthday.

To check a child’s eligibility according to their age in the financial year 2010-2011 a table is available on the downloadable pdf below:

Eligibility table (14kb)

Summary of planned changes from September 2009

• From September 2009 all eligible three and four year olds continue to be entitled to 12.5 hours of early education funding per week for a maximum of 38 weeks per year.

• From September 2009 eligible three and four year olds who attend settings in a pilot programme enabling parents to access additional funding more flexibly will be entitled to funded early education for 15 hours per week for a maximum of 38 weeks per year.

• The fifteen hours of funding can be split across two settings only if both settings are included in the pilot programme – if parents choose two settings, one of which is not included in the pilot programme 12.5 hours of funding is available.

For a list of eligible settings please view the following downloadable pdf:

Eligible settings (10kb)

From September 2010 all eligible three and four year olds will be entitled to flexible funded early education either for up to 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year, or the same maximum number of funded hours over more than 38 weeks pro rata. The Two Year Old Pilot

• From September 2009 a limited number of two year olds who have been identified and referred by a professional working with the family will be eligible for up to ten hours of funded two year old early education over a maximum of 38 weeks per year.

Key Information

Funding is currently for a maximum of 12.5 hours per week (15 hours from September 09 in the pilot programme) for 38 weeks per year. 2.5 hours is the daily minimum session (two hours in the pilot programme).

Funding for the year 2010-2011

Providers in the pilot programme offering 15 hours will be:

£3.91 per hour for providers open greater than 48 weeks per year and 8 hours per day .

£3.75 per hour for providers open less than  48 weeks a year and less than 8 hours per day

Provider not in the pilot programmes will receive £3.75 per hour until September 2010 when 15 hours becomes universal and the above rate will apply.

The breakdown of weeks per term for the financial year 2010 – 11 is:

Summer term               13 weeks

Autumn term                14 weeks

Spring term                  11 weeks

Headcount dates for the financial year 2010 - 11 are:

Summer Term 2010     Thursday 29th April 2010

Autumn Term 2010      Thursday 16th September 2010

Spring Term 2011        Thursday 20th January 2011

Head Count Details (11kb)

A link to term dates for Swindon schools is available on the working with extended services pages of this website.

Information for parents about Funded Early Education is available on the Swindon Borough Council website.

Please telephone Denise Stewart on 01793 463127 for further details or e-mail dlstewart@swindon.gov.uk