As part of the Government’s commitment to improve early years education, the Local Education Authority (LEA) provides funding for 2, 3 and 4 year olds if they attend an Ofsted registered setting which is eligible to claim the Early Years Funding/Educational Entitlement (EYFE/EYEE) on behalf of the parent. The EYFE/EYEE covers the LEA school year of 38 weeks x 15/30 hrs (570/1140 hours) however the LEA sets the number of weeks in each term and the maximum amount of funding per week. Please note the first 15 hours funding is a universal entitlement however the second 15 hours is subject to eligibility. Please note a code is required for these extended hours which must be applied for termly in advance prior to the start of term.
Hopscotch offers the hours as a ‘stretched’ offer which enables the funding to be spread over 47 weeks x 12/24 hours (564/1128 hours).
Further information regarding eligibility and codes can be found here Childcare Choices
You will need to complete a Parent Declaration Form, which will be emailed to you from the Head Office using Funding Loop. It is mandatory that this is completed and a copy of the child’s birth certificate provided, so that any adjustments can be made.
Your child is normally entitled to the EYFE from the term after their 3rd birthday. For example, if a child becomes 3 years old in February, EYFE starts in the Summer Term which usually starts in April.
Terms are: Spring 1st January to 31st March – Summer 1st April to 31st August – Autumn 1st September to 31st December. The Hopscotch funding weeks are set within these universal term dates.
Your child must be attending the nursery on the headcount date to qualify for EYFE. This means they must be on our register on that day.
Yes it may affect the claim. If you are away on holiday or your child is off sick we will still make a claim for you but funding is not guaranteed. Some LEAs require us to send copies of our registers to prove the children’s attendance at nursery, so it is advisable that you try to ensure that your child attends fully for the week of the headcount.
In order to receive the EYFE children must attend on a regular basis. As part of our agreement with the LEA, Hopscotch is required to record and monitor absences of children who receive free nursery education. You should be aware that persistent absence may lead to withdrawal of entitlement.
If your child attends another early years provider you can claim but you need to confirm this on your Parent Declaration Form by telling us the number of sessions you wish to claim from Hopscotch and from the other setting. The total hours that you claim across the settings however must not exceed 15 hrs a week or 12 hours on the stretched offer.
The ‘free entitlement’ relates to the EYFE funding. The LEA pays for 3 hours per session for a maximum of 15/30 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year (570/1140 hours) or a maximum of 12/24 hours on the stretched offer for 47 weeks. Hopscotch provides a full day care service. This means that sessions are longer and our fees also include breakfast, snacks, nappies and peripatetic lessons if required. Please see the Fees and Funding Pages on this website for costs of sessions.
LEAs collect the children’s time in hours rather than sessions. At Hopscotch you can claim for 12/24 hours, with 3 hours claimed on a half day or 6 hours claimed on a full day.
Hopscotch will recover from you any funding credited to your Hopscotch account to which you child is not entitled.
During non-term time – the fees for normal full sessions are charged. Hopscotch are open for 51 weeks per year.
We need to confirm your child’s date of birth falls within the dates of eligibility set by the LEA. This can be a birth certificate or passport. We also need to retain a copy of this for audit purposes.
Hopscotch are guided by the LEA requirements to complete and sign a parent declaration forms. For ESCC you are required to complete a new form each term you claim (x3 per year). For BHCC you are required to sign one form per funding year. Should your booking or contact details change within that time you may need to complete another form or amendment. Forms must be completed to enable us to complete the LEA headcount portals accurately and to allow you the correct amount of funding. The LEA can audit us at any time to ensure that we are awarding you in the correct manner and we need to provide them with documentary evidence. Please be aware that the form is a legal document and that anyone knowingly making a false declaration may be committing an offence and could be liable to prosecution. The information contained on the form is protected under the Data Protection Act. Also see our Privacy Notices displayed in each nursery regarding the use of data collection. We use Funding Loop as an online digital platform for the completion of the Parent Declaration Forms which are emailed via a link to access and submit.
If you fail to return your form and proof of your child’s date of birth, the EYFE will be withheld until we receive them. If they are not received by the headcount date, funding will not be claimed for your child.
It is our understanding that you do need to declare EYFE if you are in receipt of the childcare element of working family/ child tax credits but you should get further clarification from the HM Revenue & Customs. You can contact them online at www.hmrc.gov.uk.
We understand that some parents may not wish to claim EYFE as it can complicate claims with working family tax credit. We do still require you to complete the form and to state that you do not wish to claim. Please make this clear on the form. It is also desirable for you to send a letter to confirm this.
2yr old funding is based upon individual circumstances – for further information and the online application please see the links below:
Brighton and Hove County Council 2 year funding
East Sussex County Council 2 year funding
You can call Caroline Oliver at the Hopscotch Head Office on 01273 385577
Alternatively email at : office@hopscotch.uk.com
Example of the EYEE/EYFE Parent Declaration Forms: Peacehaven & Seaford, Brighton & Hove Nurseries
Information for Parents and Carers (ESCC)
These forms are now sent out to parents by email using the digital Funding Loop system.
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