Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Public Health & Education

Forward Plan Ref: 2018/024

Contact: Debbie Rouget, Service Manager – Early Years Sufficiency & Access Service Tel: 07554 437472

Report by Director of Children’s Services (CA8).

The statutory universal free early years entitlement for 3 and 4 year old children is for 15 funded hours a week when offered term time only. The Council also currently offers a 25-hours a week, term time only, free childcare place for children of reception age, where they are not yet statutory school age and have not taken up a school place. This is funded through the government through the Early Years block of the Dedicated Schools Grant. The free place can be accessed at private, voluntary and independent providers (pvi) who are part of the Early Education Funding scheme and also in some maintained nursery provision. The Department for Education is ceasing to fund this provision at the end of March 2019. The report considers the implications for the Council and for families who may be eligible for the 25 hours funding. The policy for funding 25 hours childcare was a strand of the Single point of admissions policy approved by the Cabinet on 17 July 2007 and is therefore subject to Cabinet decision if any change is proposed. 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve a change to the policy on Full Time admissions for Reception Aged 4 Year Olds to remove the 25-hour funding offer for children deferring or not taking up a school reception place, with effect from 1 April 2019

Recommendations agreed.

The statutory universal free early years entitlement for 3 and 4 year old children is for 15 funded hours a week when offered term time only. The Council also currently offers a 25-hours a week, term time only, free childcare place for children of reception age, where they are not yet statutory school age and have not taken up a school place. This is funded through the government through the Early Years block of the Dedicated Schools Grant. The free place can be accessed at private, voluntary and independent providers (pvi) who are part of the Early Education Funding scheme and also in some maintained nursery provision. The Department for Education is ceasing to fund this provision at the end of March 2019. Cabinet considered a report on the implications for the Council and for families who may be eligible for the 25 hours funding.

RESOLVED:             to approve a change to the policy on Full Time admissions for Reception Aged 4 Year Olds to remove the 25-hour funding offer for children deferring or not taking up a school reception place, with effect from 1 April 2019.