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Free Entitlement Information for Childcare Providers
Information for providers of nursery education in Sheffield.
Free Entitlement (FE) is funding paid to eligible early years providers for delivering nursery education for 3 and 4 year olds. FE is a statutory duty audited by the Local Authority. The revised Code of Practice, which came into effect from April 2006, is available below as a downloadable document, and is intended to inform eligible providers on how the free entitlement should be delivered.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) have not issued updated guidance, although the maximum free entitlement hours claimable has increased to 15 per week. This, and any other necessary changes and guidance, have been communicated in separate correspondence and the underlying principles stated within the document are still applicable.
What should I do now?
- Prior to the start of each term you will be sent a list of deadline dates and useful information
- Free Entitlement Early Years Census (formerly know as Headcount) Forms and guidance notes will be sent to you approximately 1 week prior to Early Years Census day for you to amend and update child details.
- Return the updated forms to the address specified at the bottom of the forms.
The document below entitled LA Ethnicity & SEN Codes also provides useful information on the ethnicity & SEN codes required when completing the Early Years Census forms. For further help or advice on any funding issues relating to Free Entitlement please contact Shabnum Younis - email shabnum.younis@sheffield.gov.uk or David Dodd - email david.dodd@sheffield.gov.uk, or contact them on 0114 281 1881.
There are also updated Guidance Notes and blank copies of the New Children Form and Changes to Child Details Form available to download below.
Please note that the flexibility guidance, Q&A, Parental Questionnaire and Parental Declaration Forms should now be considered as addendums to the code of practice. These can be found at the bottom of this page.
For further help or advice on the Early Years Census process or how to complete the forms, contact us at eyecs.it-data@sheffield.gov.uk
Downloads
Nursery Education Funding (NEF) for Three and Four Year Olds - Supplementary Guidance (Word 1.38 MB)
Additional guidance for the NEF Code of Practice (1.33 MB)
Ethnicity and SEN codes for the completion of NEF Early Years Census forms. (28.5 KB)
A document providing information for those completing Early Years Census Forms (52.5 KB)
A form to provide details of any new children attending your setting. (19 KB)
A form to provide changes of details to children currently attending your setting (18.5 KB)
This guidance aims to include everything you need to know about eligibility and conditions of funding and to inform providers of nursery education of their obligations in order to gain access to funding. (812 KB)
A leaflet to provide more information on the Free Nursery Education Entitlement Funding (36.5 KB)
A questionnaire to be completed by childcare providers to show how their proposed hours meet demand from parents (480 KB)
A sample parent/carer agreement for childcare providers to use for the Free Nursery Education Entitlement (40 KB)
A document providing answers to frequently asked questions on the Free Nursery Education Entitlement (70.5 KB)
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