Early Years West Sussex
We offer a limited number of fully funded spaces. You can apply for these directly through your nursery manager.
All other funded hours are subject to additional charges which cover the consumables and additional services
we provide. These will be charged to your invoice as set out below.
9 months+ funding 15 hours full year £0 per week
2 year funding 15 hours full year £0 per week
3 & 4 year funding 15 hours full year £16.50 per week
3 & 4 year funding 30 hours full year £33.00 per week
Full year funding is stretched and allocated at 11/22 hours per week
Policy for delivery of 2, 3 and 4-year-old funding
The Free Entitlement (FE) for 9-month plus, 2, 3 and 4-year-olds is central to the Government’s vision for ensuring that all children have access to high-quality early years education to help them achieve their full potential.
The Department for Education (DfE) provides the Local Authority (LA) with statutory guidance, namely 'Early Education and Childcare - Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities (April 2024)', which outlines how to fulfil the obligations set out in the Childcare Act 2006 and subsequent legislation. It also contains information about eligibility and funding conditions.
The FE Provider Declaration Form explains the statutory requirements and the Local Authority's expectations. Pumpkin Patch agrees to comply with these conditions to claim the FE for children within their settings.
Eligible 9 months plus
For each eligible child attending on the headcount date (usually the second week of the term):
The LA will fund a maximum of 570 hours per year for 9 months+, 2 Year Olds LA issued or Working Parents FE and 3 year olds Universal FE.
The LA will fund a total of 1140 hours per year for 3 year olds that are eligible for Universal FE and Extended FE (Working Parents).
Please refer to the government policy on working parents funding eligibility and your specific LA for LA issued 2 year funding criteria.
Parents/carers can decide how their child accesses their weekly entitlement, subject to our available sessions.
FE sessions are subject to the following limits:
• a maximum of 15 or 30 hours in one week, dependent on maximum number of hours (over 38 weeks)
• All claims to the LA are term time only and can be self-stretched by Pumpkin Patch over a full year with a reduced
weekly amount (11 hours or 22 hours full year, dependent on Universal/ Working or Extended)
• Funding will be allocated to any sessions per their agreed booking plan. These will be delivered free for 9-month-plus and 2-year-olds. In agreement with families, there may be additional consumable charges for 3—and 4-year-olds.
A child may move provider at any point during a term; however, parents/carers should ensure they have complied with Pumpkin Patch’s notice period (unless leaving before Headcount Day). If moving provider within LA, the funding must follow the child, with no deductions. If a child attended elsewhere between the start of term and before Headcount Day, funding for the time attended must be passed on to the previous provider or arrangements made with the LA.
We provide limited FE-only standalone places for our children, which are free at the point of delivery and are offered in agreement with management. The children access all additional services, including a broad curriculum led by Early Years Teachers, Atelierista, Outdoor leads and Educators. There will be:
• No registration/administration fee, payment upfront or non-refundable deposits;
• No requirement for a child to access additional hours on top of the free hours;
Example standalone offer for our 9 months+ - 1 full day stretched
Example standalone offer for our LA-issued 2-year funding - 3 x half days TTO
Example standalone offer for our Universal 3-year funding - 3 x half days TTO
Example standalone offer for our Universal and extended funding - 2 full days stretched
• No requirement for the child to access additional weeks on top of the funded weeks;
• Voluntary contributions are acceptable but must not be included as a condition of access.
Attendance will be closely monitored.
Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)
Children who meet the eligibility criteria will attract additional funding to the hourly base rate. EYPP will be used to improve the quality of the provision for all children, but with particular regard to the children it has been paid for. To claim EYPP funding, Pumpkin Patch will gather the required information from parents and record it on the Parent Declaration form for submission with Headcount.
Disability Access Fund (DAF)
The Disability Access Fund (DAF) is a new funding entitlement which aids access to early years places by, for example, supporting providers in making adjustments to their settings. Children will be eligible for DAF if the child meets both of the following criteria:
• receives child Disability Living Allowance and
• receives 3 and 4-year-old FE (either Universal or Extended).
Inclusion and Supporting Children with SEND
The EYFS provides an inclusive framework that supports the individual needs of all children. Pumpkin Patch will ensure that no child is refused admission when space is available.
Each Pumpkin Patch Nursery has a SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) who works alongside the Manager who takes responsibility for developing and implementing inclusive policies within the nurseries and ensuring that all members of staff understand their responsibilities in planning to meet each child’s individual needs (see Inclusion Policy)
Pumpkin Patch monitors the progress of all children, identifies children not making progress, and implements strategies and support to enable all children to reach their full potential. We ensure that vulnerable children and families can access the services that can support their needs, for example, referrals to health professionals or setting up an Early Help Plan.
Safeguarding
Pumpkin Patch meets all the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the current EYFS. (See Safeguarding Policy).
Parents who wish to claim the FE must complete a Parent declaration and have started the child (unless on short-term sick or planned holiday) with the provider no later than Headcount Day.
Vulnerable Funded 2-year-olds can start at any point in the term. For eligible 9-month-olds, 2-year-olds, 3 and 4-year-olds (Universal / Working parents and Extended FE), only in exceptional circumstances may claims be accepted for FE after this date, for example:
• Moving from outside of West Sussex after headcount
• Missed headcount due to serious illness
• Children from traveller communities
• Children with an additional need whose start with a provider has been supported by a professional such as a GP, Portage, Speech and Language, Health Visitor etc.
• Children Looked After (foster care etc.)
• Asylum seekers/refugees
• Ethnic minorities, English not first language
• Child of a parent who is in a women’s refuge or part of a Witness Protection Programme
• Other vulnerable children
Term weeks - WSCC
Spring - 12 weeks
Summer - 12 weeks
Autumn - 14 weeks
Term weeks BHCC
Spring - 11 weeks
Summer - 13 weeks
Autumn - 14 weeks
Claims will be made on a termly basis as set out above, but Pumpkin Patch can stretch the funding to suit parents’ preferences, subject to the termly limit.
If Pumpkin Patch has planned closures during FE time, these will not be included in the offer. It is parental choice to take holiday and they simply miss out on the funding. Should the setting need to close in the event of an emergency, Pumpkin Patch will endeavour to make up any loss of FE hours wherever possible.
Audit Requirements and Compliance
Providers will usually be given notice of any audit
LA will carry out a sample check by requesting copies of Parent Declaration Forms and registers to check against Headcount claims. This may be by visit or by requesting submission of paper copies.
They may also require policies relating to admissions, fees etc.
Pumpkin Patch will retain all documentation related to the FE places for the current year plus two years for audit purposes. All Parent Declarations (including signed confirmation that the original of each child’s birth certificate or valid passport was seen by the provider representative making the return), attendance registers, estimates and final headcount claims for the current year plus two years.
All or part of the payment may be reduced, suspended, withheld or reclaimed if it becomes evident that:
• There is failure to comply with any obligations under this form of agreement;
• False, inaccurate or misleading information is provided;
• The organisation has been, or is about to be, dissolved;
• The provider is not meeting the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities;
• The provider is not promoting fundamental British values;
Grace Periods
The grace period enables parents to retain their childcare place until the end of the term if they become ineligible for the Working Parent or Extended FE. If they are over 3 years old, they would still be eligible for Universal FE.
Parents reconfirm their eligibility around every three months. The ‘validity start date’ is when the parent has applied and been issued a code. The ‘validity end date’ is the parent’s ‘deadline’ for reconfirming. Their ‘grace period’ date is the last date they should receive the Working Parent / Extended FE. A child cannot start at a new provider during their grace period. WSCC will automatically assign grace period end dates to every eligibility code and inform providers which children are in their grace period via the Online Provider Portal (OPP)
