Early Education Funding
The Government provides early education funding to all local authorities so that a child can attend up to five free 2 ½ hour sessions of early years education per week for up to 38 weeks a year at a registered setting from the term after their third birthday.
If your child is turning three in the 2009-2010 academic year, the following table shows when your child will become eligible i.e. if their birth date falls between:
| Summer Term 2009 | 1 January 2006 and 31 March 2006 |
| Autumn Term 2009 | 1 April 2006 and 31 August 2006 |
| Spring Term 2010 | 1 September 2006 and 31 December 2006 |
If a provider offers two sessions in a day then these sessions should be separated by a break of at least one hour. The setting must be registered with OfSTED and must follow the early years foundation stage.
The funding will continue until the term after a child’s fifth birthday or until the child takes up a nursery place at a maintained school. The funding provided during 2009-2010 covers up to 38 weeks of the year split between the summer, autumn and spring terms. Some providers may not be able to offer the full 38 weeks during 2009-2010. It is advisable to ask them for their term dates should this be an issue.
For more information see 
Early Years Education Funding (425kb)
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