Section outline

  • Early Years Pupil Premium Funding – Preschools/Nurseries/Childminders

    The early years pupil premium (EYPP) aims to support early years settings in narrowing the achievement gap between children from certain potentially vulnerable groups. Its purpose is to enhance the progress of these children in education through focused and strategic interventions and support, encouraging practitioners to give particular attention to their development.

    Having a Children's Services Practitioner does not automatically make a child eligible for EYPP. Children may be eligible if they receive funded early education and their parent/carer receives certain qualifying benefits. If a child has a Children's Services Practitioner but is not looked after by the local authority, eligibility must be assessed against the EYPP income-based or care-status criteria.

    Further information on EYPP is available via the resources links at the top of this page.

    Early Years Funded Hours - Preschools/Nurseries/Childminders

    Early years funded hours are government-funded hours for children to attend EY education (preschools, nurseries or childminders) before they begin formal schooling. Depending on the age and circumstances of the child, different amounts of hours are available via government funding.

    Children with a social worker (CWSW) are not automatically entitled to additional early years funded hours because of their social worker status alone. However, they may be eligible for funded early education if they meet the criteria for the disadvantaged 2-year-old offer, having an education, health and care plan (EHCP), receiving disability living allowance, or meeting certain family income thresholds. All children are also entitled to the universal 15 hours of funded early education from the term after their third birthday, with some families eligible for up to 30 hours through the working parent entitlement. 

    Key entitlements:

      • all 3 and 4 year olds, including children with a social worker, are entitled to 15 hours per week of universal funded early education for 38 weeks of the year
      • eligible children from 9 months to 4 year olds may receive up to 30 hours a week, if they meet the working parent eligibility criteria
      • children aged 2 who have an education, health and care plan (EHCP), receive disability living allowance or live in a household receiving certain qualifying benefits are entitled to a funded early education place, through the disadvantaged 2 year old entitlement.

      Term time hours are calculated on the child attending for 38 weeks per year.