Early Learning Funding Entitlement
Downham Nursery School is listed with Norfolk County Council as an approved provider to offer the Early Education funding entitlement for all 3 and 4-year olds and has agreed to meet the conditions of the current Early Education and Childcare Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities.
The nursery is registered to accept the 15 hours universal offer and is now also registered for the 30-hour offer.
The Early Education Funding (Grant) is available to all children aged 3-years and over from the term after their 3rd birthday.
From September 2024 the nursery has been registered to accept the 15 hours of funding for eligible parents of children aged 9 months to 3 years.
Government funding is intended to cover the delivery, of 15 hours or 30 hours of free, high quality, flexible childcare. It is not intended to cover the cost of meals, consumables, additional hours or additional services.
The Nursery is open daily for 8am-6pm for 51 weeks of the year. (For full fees please see sessions and fees sheet)
The Nursery offers the free Early Education Funding which is available for 38 weeks of the year.
The 15 hours free entitlement is offered as follows:
- Sessions of 3 hours – a morning session 8.30am-11.30am or afternoon - 12.30pm-3.30pm
- 5 mornings or 5 afternoon sessions- A total of 15 hours free Early Learning (Grant)
Additional hours are charged per half hour (For full fees please see sessions and fees sheet)
The 30-hour free entitlement is offered as follows:
For example: 8.30am-11.30am grant session, lunch 11.30-12.30, charged at £9.50, afternoon session 12.30-3.30pm, 6 hours a day 5 days a week = 30 hours free grant session a week.
Parents receive an invoice showing the free grant hours claimed on their behalf for the term. Any additional hours and snacks are charged at the rate stated in our fees information.
The free entitlements will be delivered consistently so that all children accessing any of the free entitlement will receive the same quality and access to provision, regardless of whether they opt to pay for optional hours, services, meals or consumables.
Registration fee of £15.00 is payable when we have confirmed a place for your child. This is voluntary for those families whose child(ren) only access the funding entitlement. For children who start the Nursery before the age 3 the fee is £15.00 and is non- refundable. We do not ask for a deposit.
Parents often register their children when they are only months old. They pay a registration fee to ensure that a place is kept for them. We do only charge a registration fee when we offer a place.
The nursery is open all year round, with the nursery offering optional holiday care facilities for parents who require care all year around. Parents are sent a separate booking form for holiday care and are invoiced for this separately. There is no Early Learning Funding (Grant) available for holiday care.