Parents can enrol their children for funded sessions a month before they want their child to commence sessions without incurring a retainer fee. All funding can be used term time only 38 weeks a year, or it can be stretched through the holidays 51 weeks year and you can also share the funding between settings. If you would like to enrol your child more than a month in advance of commencing sessions a retainer fee of one month’s full fees will be payable. This is refunded as soon as your child commences their sessions with us and your funding eligibility code has been checked and authorised.
Funded hours can be claimed extremely flexibly between the hours of 7.45am and 6.00pm but no more than 10 hours a day.
3 & 4 Year Olds
Universal Hours (15 hours funding)
All children are entitled to 15 hours universal funded education from the term after they become three. For example, a child who has their third birthday in November will benefit from universal funded hours from the term which starts in January. All these children will be entitled to the 15 ‘Universal’ hours per week when they attend a registered childminder, playgroup or nursery which has been inspected by OFSTED.
Extended Hours (30 Hours Funding)
Working parents may be able to claim a further 15 hours known as ‘Extended’ hours entitling them to 30 hours a week nursery education. Parents can check their eligibility at www.beststartinlife.gov.uk. You will be required to enter your personal details and will be given an eligibility code which we will be required to check. You must give us this code by the end of the previous term to receive the funding for the following term. Full details will be explained on this website. You are required to check and update your details every 3 months.
The ‘Extended Hours’ will be offered subject to availability of sessions and sustainability. If availability is limited we will offer the ‘Extended Hours’ to those children who have been attending the nursery for the longest period time. We reserve the right to review our offer termly.
9 Months & 2 Year Olds
From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds can access 15 hours childcare support. By September 2025, most working families with children aged between 9 months and 5 years old will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support. The changes are being introduced gradually to make sure that providers can meet the needs of more families. This means that:
From September 2024
15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 3-year-olds from the term after the child turns 9 months.
From September 2025
Eligible working parents of children from 9 months to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week from the term after the child turns 9 months old.
These hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time), or up to 51 weeks stretched throughout the year between the hours of 7.45am and 6pm but a maximum of 10 hours a day.
From September 2025, working parents in England can access up to 30 hours of free childcare per week for their children aged 9 months and older. This expansion of the 30-hour free childcare scheme is available for children from 9 months old until they start school. Please use the website www.beststartinlife.gov.uk to see if you are eligible or contact your local Children’s Centre or the Family Information Service on 0345 6080033. Suffolk County Council also send out ‘Golden Tickets’ to those families who are entitled to claim the funding, you can take these tickets to your chosen provider as evidence of your eligibility and check availability of sessions.
