Providers offer early education which is inspected for quality by Ofsted. The providers are required to deliver a play based curriculum called the Early Years Foundation Stage, which continues through reception year at school.

As your child moves into school, providers are required to share information about their learning and development.

This information will be used by the teacher to provide learning opportunities that meet your child’s needs and help them to settle into school.

What is the entitlement?

Eligible children attending a provider are entitled to receive:

A maximum of 15 hours free per week up to a maximum of 570 hours per year.
A maximum of six funded hours in a day, taken between 8am and 6pm, at a maximum of two providers at any one time.
The entitlement should be offered in one of the following models:
- 3 hours a day over 5 days a week, or
- 5 hours a day over 3 days a week, or
- 6 hours plus 6 hours plus 3 hours over 3 days a week.
Providers do not have to offer every model of delivery and can offer the entitlement more flexibly than these models within the limits specified above. Providers are not be expected to agree to the flexible requests from every individual parent.
If your provider is open for less than 38 weeks, the total number of weeks paid will be reduced to match the total number of weeks they are open.
If your provider is open for more than 38 weeks, your provider may enable you to stretch the full entitlement of hours over more than 38 weeks. If you stretch your child’s entitlement the number of hours you can claim each week will be less than 15 hours. We add up the number of funded hours that your child claims in the each funding period to ensure that this does not exceed the 570 hour maximum entitlement in any 12 month period.

How do I find a childcare provider?

There are over 100 private or voluntary run providers, over 50 accredited childminders and 8 nursery classes attached to schools where your child can access their free entitlement.

A list of these providers, along with details of their provision, can be obtained from the Family Information Service on 01934 426300 fis@n-somerset.gov.uk

You can also find lists of childcare providers on the Family Information Service online directory www.n-somersetcsd.org.uk or on www.direct.gov.uk.

You should contact the individual provider yourself to check availability and what they are able to offer.

When is a child eligible for a free place?

Children become eligible for the free entitlement at the start of the funding period after their third birthday.

They are eligible for up to 2 years before they reach compulsory school age, which is the school term after their fifth birthday. These dates are set by the Department for Education.

A child born between: is eligible for a free place from:

1 April and 31 August 1 September following their third birthday

1 September and 31 December 1 January following their third birthday

1 January and 31 March 1 April following their third birthday

What dates does the funding cover?

The funding dates are set nationally by the Department for Education.

Summer: 1 April – 31 August

Autumn : 1 September – 31 December

Spring : 1 January – 31 March

Can my child attend more than one provider?

Yes, your free entitlement can be split between 2 different providers.

You must inform your provider if your child attends more than one early education provider and fill in a parent declaration form for each provider.

You have to specify on both forms how many hours of funding you want to claim at each provider.

Can I use a provider that is located outside the boundaries of North Somerset?

Yes, you can.

You must make your claim for your child’s attendance at your chosen provider in the other authority. The provider will also require a similar claim form to be filled out and signed.

What happens if my child switches providers in the middle of a funding period?

We fund the childcare provider that your child is attending during head count week for the number of hours that your child is attending.

This provider receives the funding for your child for the whole funding period.

If you change providers after this date then your new provider should offer your child’s entitlement free of charge.

Is there any flexibility for children with special education needs?

We recognise that some children with special educational needs may require additional support during their early education.

Please contact the Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCo) at the provision your child attends for further information.

You may also contact the Family Information Service for advice on 01934 426 300.

How do I claim the entitlement?

When you find your provider they will give you a Children’s Information Form to complete and return with a copy of your child’s birth certificate or passport.

This only needs to be completed once for any child attending a provider.

The provider will make the claim on your behalf three times a year, but you will need to complete and sign a parent declaration form for the hours you want to claim during head count week. You will be given this form by your provider.

Further information:

Providers cannot charge you any additional fee for the funded hours, although any extras could be billed for e.g. meals, snacks.
If your child attends more than the maximum entitlement per week, your provider is entitled to charge you for the extra hours.
If the provider is open more than 38 weeks, your provider is entitled to charge you for the extra weeks.
Your provider’s fee policy should clearly state the charges for all additional hours and services.

Note that the value and payment of fees for hours not funded by the early education entitlement is a matter between the parent and provider.

When is head count week?

Providers are funded for the number of hours that eligible children are registered to claim funding during Head Count week.

The Head Count week dates for 2012/2013 are:

Summer 2012 14 – 18 May 2012
Autumn 2012 1 – 5 October 2012
Spring 2013 14 - 18 January 2013

What happens when my child starts school on a part-time basis (and I need him/her to continue at nursery as well)?

When your child starts attending school, even if it is only a few hours a week to start with, the free entitlement will not be available from your provider.

You will have to pay your provider for any hours that your child attends from the start of the funding period.

I have a query with the bill from my provider?

You must contact your provider if you have a query about your bill.

The value and payment of fees for hours not funded by the early education entitlement is a matter between the parent and provider.

I am having difficulty finding a provider with spaces?

The Family Information Service can provide a brokerage service to those families who are finding it difficult to find suitable childcare for their child or children.

You can contact them on 01934 426 300 or fis@n-somerset.gov.uk

How do I apply for a place in a school nursery class?

There are eight schools with nursery classes. The Governors of these schools are responsible for allocating the places, which they have to do in accordance with the agreed nursery school admissions policy. Children are normally admitted to a nursery class in the academic year following their 3rd birthday.

For entry in the 2012/2013 school year, children born between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009 will be eligible to apply for nursery places Application forms can be collected from the schools from the 1 September 2011. They must be returned to the school where a place is requested by 3.30 pm on Friday 20 January 2012.

Two year old funding

North Somerset Council has funding to provide free early education for 50 disadvantaged two year olds across the authority each year.

Health visitors and children’s centres identify families with eligible two year olds and make referrals, using the Common Assessment Form, which are assessed by multi-agency panels.

The Department for Education stipulates that families receiving this funding must be ‘workless’ eg, in receipt of one or more of the following - Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element, Extra Working Tax Credit relating to a disability, or Pension Credit.

To these criteria we have added some locally agreed eligibility criteria relating to family, parental or child characteristics to identify the 50 children who will receive the funded childcare.

The table below shows when an eligible child would be able to start a two year old funded placement.

	Date of birth
Funding starts	1/9/08- 31/12/08	1/1/09- 31/3/09	01/04/09- 31/08/09	01/09/09- 31/12/09	1/1/10- 31/3/10	01/04/10- 31/08/10
01/01/2011	x
01/04/2011		x
01/09/2011			x
01/01/2012				x
01/04/2012					x
01/09/2012						x

If you want your child to be assessed for funded two year old childcare, please contact your health visitor or local Children’s Centre. Contact details are available from the Family Information Service on 01934 426 300 or fis@n-somerset.gov.uk