Funded Places
If you live and work in England you may be entitled to 30 hours funded childcare support from the term after your child turns 9 months old, until they start school.
You can usually get funded childcare for working parents if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:
In work or starting a new job
On sick leave or annual leave
On shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave
In work or starting a new job
On sick leave or annual leave
On shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave
If you are not eligible for the working parent offer you will still receive the 15 hour entitlement for all 3 and 4 year olds from the term after your child turns 3 until they start school, irrespective of your income level, benefit status, or family circumstances.
We are proud to offer government-funded childcare for eligible families, ensuring your child receives high-quality early education and care.
Funding for
2-Year-Olds
15 hours per week for families meeting specific benefit criteria, from the term after their 2nd birthday.
Funding for 3 & 4-Year-Olds
(Nursery Education Funding)
15 hours per week (570 hours per year) for all children from the term after their 3rd birthday.
30 hours per week (1,140 hours per year) for working parents (both parents must be working or on qualifying leave).
Stretched Funding Option
We offer the option to stretch your funded entitlement across up to 52 weeks per year. This means your annual hours are spread across more weeks, at a reduced number of hours per week.
Children eligible for 15 hours per week can access up to 570 hours per year, stretched to 10 hours per week over 52 weeks.
Children eligible for 30 hours per week can access up to 1,140 hours per year, spread over 52 weeks at 20 hours per week.
Our Funded Sessions
Funded hours can be accessed during our Morning (8 am to 1 pm), Afternoon (1 pm to 6 pm), and Full Day (8 am to 6 pm) sessions, across all five days, Monday to Friday. The maximum number of funded hours available per day is 10 hours for both the 15-hour and 30-hour entitlements.
What’s Covered
Government funding covers the following during funded hours:
Delivery of the EYFS curriculum
Qualified staff supervision
Planned learning and development opportunities
A safe and stimulating learning environment
What's Not Covered
The following are not covered by government funding:
Meals and food
Nappies and wipes
Personal care consumables (such as creams)
Optional enrichment activities beyond EYFS provision
Any hours attended outside the funded entitlement
External company visits (such as Boogiemites or JC Sports)
Trips (costs are discussed with parents in advance and charged accordingly)
No parent is required to pay any fee in order to access their funded place. All additional charges are entirely voluntary, and parents may choose to opt out by providing their own items. Access to a funded place is not conditional on purchasing any optional services.
Additional Hours
Additional hours outside of your funded entitlement are charged at standard nursery rates. Please speak to your Nursery Manager for full details of our fee structure.
Absence Policy
If a child is absent due to illness, holidays, or any other reason, funded hours cannot be carried forward or transferred to another time.
Notice Period
Families wishing to leave the setting or transfer their funded hours to another provider must give at least 4 weeks' written notice. West Sussex County Council recognises a notice period of up to 4 weeks for the transfer of funded hours. Please speak to your Nursery Manager if you have any questions about this process.
Applying for Funded Childcare
To apply for funded childcare, visit GOV.UK and apply for a Childcare Account. If eligible, you will receive a funding eligibility code, which must be shared with the nursery.
Eligibility codes must be reconfirmed every three months to remain valid.
Important Notes
Ofsted-registered: We are a fully Ofsted-registered setting and follow all EYFS statutory requirements.
Availability: Funded places are offered subject to availability and must be arranged in advance.
No top-up fees: JC Little Explorers does not charge any top-up fees for funded hours. Any additional charges relate only to optional services, meals, consumables, or additional hours outside the funded entitlement.
Please speak to your Nursery Manager for full details of our terms and conditions, funding arrangements, and fee structure.
EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS
We hope that this PDF will help guide you through this decision and give you a clear understanding of the government-funded childcare options available to your family and how JC Little Explorers supports these schemes.
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