explantion need on funding preschool

[heifer]

can someone please explain to me what happens re funding preschool place.

My DD will be 3 in December and I understand that she is entitled to free (or assisted I'm not sure) preschool.

I think that she gets 2 sessions until Sept when she is entitled to 5 session.

Is this correct, and how is the money paid.

I looked on the preschools website and it states that I have to pay £4.50 per session (2.5hrs). so does this mean that I pay upfront and somehow claim the money back, or is this already assisted costs??

Any links would be good explaining all this to me,. only seems like yesterday DD was born and now I have to worry about chosing preschools etc....

I currently pay for her to go to a private nursery 2 mornings per week, which I will cancel when she starts preschool, so hoping to save £200 per month.... please tell me I won't have to pay anything towards preschool....

any advise/explanation welcome

[buktus]

not sure if your circumstances are the same but where i live this is how it works, the government funds over 5 nursery sessions a week for over 3 year olds, however this only starts from the beginning of a new term so my ds2 started jan 12th this year, but because school went back on the 6th jan i didnt get funded until the following easter term, in the meantime i paif for his sessions direct to the nursery they let me do this weekly or monthly, once he became funded i have to sign the funding form once a term and this allows the nursery to be paid direct - hope this helps

[foxtrot]

They are entitled to 5 (2.5hour) sessions per week for a certain number of weeks a year, starting in the term after their third birthday. This is paid direct to the pre-school once you have signed the relevant form. You may have to pay a top-up, if the pre-school charges more than the grant, if they attend more than the maximun number of weeks or the sessions are longer.

[buktus]

sorry meant only 5 sessions a week

[heifer]

thanks for the reply Buktus,I know that DD is funded in the spring term (January 2007) which is just after she is 3 (December).

The bit I don't understand is that looking at the website of the preschool, it states that each session will cost £4.50 which will be collected up front each term..

So would this figure already take into account the funding DD will get from the government or do I claim it back? ie will it really cost me £4.50 each session..

The preschool don't take them until after their 3rd birthday so I can't see that any of the children won't be funded somehow...

[heifer]

sorry only just seen the other replies. thanks.

The session are 2.5 hrs long, and they actually only offer 2 or 3 sessions per week as they so popular.

So it looks like I have to pay £4.50 top up each session, does this sound a lot?

[LIZS]

Does sound a lot if it is net of grant, more likely to be the normal charge. You don't get the LEA grant until the term after they turn 3 though so a Jan 1st baby might be accepted for the Spring term but not be funded until afetr Easter iyswim so have to pay 4.50 until then. Maybe you pay it up front then they rebate you when it comes through , it varies from one to another.

[foxtrot]

Heifer, if it's any help, my preschool charges £10/session if unfunded, £1.70/session if funded but that's for a 3 hour session. And i thought that was expensive.

[buktus]

my ds wasnt 3 until jan 22nd but he could start in the same month he would be 3 which meant that as he started preschool just after the start of the spring term it meant i had to wait until after easter and the pre school asked me to pay up front perhaps that is why, you shouldnt have to contribute anything mine is nerly £6 a session but i dont have to pay any extra that will work out fine if she is starting at 3 and straight into the new term, my ds1 has an aug birthday, so his funding started straight away in the sept, but sometimes the government only funds for example 11 weeks in a 13 week term so for those extra 2 weeks you will have to pay the sessions perhaps this is what they mean by paying up front, its all quite confusing, i had all these questions my first started

[foxtrot]

and it sounds as though it is!

[MumRum]

Do they take children younger than 3?... if they take them from aged 2 and a half it may be that they have to pay the £4.50 per session until they are funded...

[heifer]

no rummum they only take them the term after they are 3.

I will have to give them a call to find out I guess.

Just wanted to get the low down from you guys before I spoke to them...

Thanks

[heifer]

Oops sorry, should have said MumRum.... maybe RumMum is better.....

[julienetmum]

Not all children will get the funding. Mums who work part time for example may chose to use the grant at a childminder or private nursery, but still use the playgroup for other days especially if it feeds into a school.

Pretty much all playgroups state their charges without funding, then it is applied for and paid direct to the group.

[sinclair]

the alternative is to find a state pre-school - sometimes these are attached to primary schools, sometimes not, and then not have to get into the whole claiming money / paying a top up thing. your local council will have info, probably under education on their website. If they don't have any - not all areas for some reason do - they should also be able to explain exactly how they work the funding where you live, give them a ring.

[Nemo1977]

Ds goes to a playschool and is 3 next week. I have to pay £4.50 a session but from jan[new term] the playschool will collect the money direct from the government themselves when I fill in the relevant forms.