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 2011-2012 a table is available on the downloadable pdf below:

Eligibility table (14kb)

Key Information

Since September 2010 all eligible three and four year olds are entitled to a maximum of 570 hours of free early education.  This can be delivered in various options and it is the responsibility of each provider to choose the options that most fit the needs of the parents/children.

For providers who are prepared to offer the free entitlement over more than 48 weeks of the year and 8 hours per day flexibly, the rate of pay is £3.91 per hour.

For providers who are only able to offer the free entitlement over 38 weeks of the year and for a maximum of 6 hours per day, the rate of pay is £3.75 per hour.

Since April 2011 funding is calculated over hours per term rather than weeks, due to when holidays fall.  

Below is a table indicating the maximum funded hours available based on the school term calendar 2011/2012.  The spring term is equal to 177 hours, however, as the maximum entitlement per year is 570, the LA is only able to offer 171.

If children attend more than the allowed hours parents may be charged by the provider.

Term                        Hours                         Dates

Summer                   189hrs                  01/04/11 - 08/04/11
                                                        26/04/11 - 28/04/11
                                                        03/05/11 - 27/05/11
                                                        06/06/11 - 22/07/11

Autumn                    210hrs                 01/09/11 - 19/10/11
                                                        31/10/11 - 16/12/11

Spring                       171hrs                05/01/12 - 10/02/12
                                                        20/02/12 - 30/03/12

Headcount dates are to be advised.

If a provider is considering opening differently to the school term calendar please contact me on the link below.

A link to term dates for Swindon schools is available on the Swindon Borough Council website.

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

Please telephone the Early Education Management Systems Project Officer on 01793 463127 for further details or e-mail dlstewart@swindon.gov.uk