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 2008-2009 academic year, the following table shows when your child will become eligible:
| Summer Term 2008 | 1 January 2005 and 31 March 2005 |
| Autumn Term 2008 | 1 April 2005 and 31 August 2005 |
| Spring Term 2009 | 1 September 2005 and 31 December 2005 |
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 2008-2009 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 2008-2009. It is advisable to ask them for their term dates should this be an issue.
For more information see 
Early Years Education Funding (194kb)
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