This page is intended for providers. If you are a parent looking for information about childcare or Funded Early Learning, please go to Funded early learning on the Sheffield Directory.
FEL is Government funded childcare for all 3 and 4 year olds and eligible 2 year olds.
Here, childcare providers can find guidance about claiming FEL funding and access the Sheffield Provider Portal.
Further information about FEL and the Code of Practice that sets out what providers in Sheffield must do in order to meet our requirements for delivering FEL are available on the Sheffield Directory.
Funded Early Learning termly Headcount Census
The Headcount is a data collection task. During each Funding Period, every child’s attendance details are collected to inform the Forecast, Actual and Amendment payments to providers.
You must submit your Headcount Census information via the Sheffield Provider Portal. We will use this to calculate the Funded Early Learning (FEL) payments due each term.
We will interpret any non-submission of Headcount Census returns as a nil return, which could mean the termination of FEL funding.
You must ensure Headcount Census returns are complete, accurate and submitted by the deadline dates highlighted below.
If there are any problems that you think may impact on meeting the deadline, please contact our Performance and Analysis Team.
Information about funding for children with SEND
Details concerning childcare funding for children 0-5 years with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), including the Disability Access Fund for early years providers, can be found on the Local Offer Section of the Sheffield Directory.
Indicative budgets and hourly rate
We will provide you with an indicative budget at the beginning of the financial year, which broadly reflects anticipated participation.
During the year, we will adjust your budget to reflect actual levels of participation.
For funding and payment queries, please contact us.
Maintained Schools hourly FEL rates are available on our FEL Budgets page.
For funding and payment queries, please contact eyfundingteam@sheffield.gov.uk.
Hourly rates 2023 to 2024
Hourly rates payable from 1 September 2023 to 31 March 2024
The Government’s spring budget announcement about the additional £204m funding payable to the Early Years sector was made on 15 March 2023. The Department for Education (DfE) confirmed on 7 July 2023 that the Early Years Funding rates will increase for all Early Years providers from 1 September 2023.
The increased funding rates payable in Sheffield are as follows:
- 2-year-old FEL is at £7.36
- 3 and 4-year-old FEL base rate is at £4.88
- Deprivation funding will remain static at £0.44 per pupil hour
- Early Years Pupil Premium Funding (EYPP) is payable at the rate of £0.66 (EYPP is only paid for the Universal Hours element entitlement for the 15 hours FEL only for eligible pupils)
- Disability Access Funding (DAF) is payable at £881 for all eligible pupils
These increased hourly rates will be payable from 1 September 2023 to 31 March 2024.
Hourly rates payable from 1 April 2023 to 31 August 2023
The Sheffield School Forum agreed at the meeting held on 23 February 2023 that the FEL funding hourly rates payable would be as follows:
- 2-year-old FEL is at £5.63
- 3 and 4-year-old FEL base rate is at £4.59
- Deprivation rates will remain static at £0.44 per pupil hour
- Early Years Pupil Premium Funding (EYPP) is payable at the rate of £0.62 (EYPP is only paid for the Universal Hours element entitlement for the 15 hours FEL only for eligible pupils)
- Disability Access Funding (DAF) is payable at £828 for all eligible pupils
These hourly rates are payable from 1 April 2023 to 31 August 2023.
Early Years Funding Balances 2021/22
An Early Years Consultation goes live on Tuesday 26 June for 4 weeks and closes on Monday 24 July 2023.
Sheffield City Council would like to consult with all early years childcare providers in the city to seek your views on how we distribute the net positive outturn for the early years funding for the financial year 2021/22, which totalled to £465k.
Consultation on the Proposed 2023/24 Increased Early Years Funding Rates
The results of the Early Years Proposed 2023/24 Increased Early Years Funding Rates that took place from 20 January 2023 to 1 February 2023 have been compiled.
There was a 30% response rate and 60% of voters chose Model 1, to distribute the full £0.16 to the sector via an increase in the base hourly funding rate. This was recommended to the Sheffield School Forum on 23 February 2023.
Early Years Disability Access Funding Consultation to distribute £554,000
The results of the Early Years Disability Access Funding (DAF) Consultation that took place from 4 July 2022 to 31 July 2022 have been compiled.
There was a 12% response rate. 48% of voters chose Model 3, to distribute the £554,000 funding to the Early Years sector.
This will be recommended to the Sheffield Early Years Working Group on 9 September 2022. Model 3 provides a share of the £554,000 positive DAF balances to all current 3 and 4 year old FEL providers paid for any FEL participation hours in 2021/22. The full report is avilable to read.
Early Years Deprivation Funding Consultation £1.2 million
The results of the consultation with the Early Years Sector to agree the Sheffield Deprivation Funding Methodology, for Implementation from 1 April 2023 have been compiled. The consultation ran from 6 July to 31 July 2022. There was a 12% response rate with 86% of voters agreeing to the current IDACI method of distribution. This will be recommended to the Sheffield Early Years Working Group on 9 September 2022. You can read the full report.
Sheffield Provider Portal
The Sheffield Provider Portal allows you to access a secure online tool to submit your FEL Headcount Census returns for 2, 3 and 4 year olds quickly and efficiently each term.
Guidance documents are available to help you complete your Headcount Census returns via the portal.
If you have not yet registered for access to the Sheffield Provider Portal, please complete and return the Portal Access Request Form.
Anycomms
As a FEL provider you will be required to have access to the ‘Anycomms’ system. This system is utilised to carry out data quality tasks such as:
- previous term adjustments
- double funding queries
- 2 year old compliance checks
If you do not already have a username or password for the ‘Anycomms’ system please email us. We have also created a guide for anyone who needs further assistance.
Sharing of information
Privacy notices set out how we ensure the privacy of the information families provide and to let them know their information rights, as well as how their information may be used.
If you would like more information about how to issue the Privacy Notice contact the Performance and Analysis Service.
How we will communicate with you
We send all important news to providers through our Early Years Provider News Bulletin. The Code of Practice requires you to sign up for this.