Nursery education grant for private nurseries - when does it stop?

[chipmunkswhereareyou]

If a child is in reception in a private school, do they still get the LEA grant and does it include all three terms if they have a summer birthday?

[stealthsquiggle]

Yes - they get it up to and including the term in which they turn 5

[MollieO]

As stealth said. My ds is an end of June birthday so it covers his entire reception year. Think I will be in for a shock in Yr1 as you can also use childcare vouchers towards school fees until they turn 5.

[Hulababy]

DD is in private school and we got nursery voucher price knoced off our school fees for the first two terms (April birthday).

[stealthsquiggle]

MollieO - you can still use childcare vouchers for wraparound care after that, if it is of any use to you.

[gladders]

I thought the childcare vouchers were only for nursery? will be delighted if they last til age 5 as dd is a July baby!!!

[MollieO]

gladders I was told by my school's accountant or else I wouldn't have known. I was delighted and like stealth says you can still use them for wrap around care after that. By vouchers I mean the ones you get through your employer, like Busy bees vouchers. The LEA nursery funding lasts up to and including the term in which they are 5 so for my June born ds it lasts his entire reception year and consequently I save about 25% on fees.

[LIZS]

We got it for all 3 terms of Reception for dd . However every year it comes under doubt as to whether it will continue as the number of term weeks/hours is borderline to qualify so not guaranteed.

[stealthsquiggle]

gladders - both childcare vouchers (salary sacrifice) and the LEA early years grant depend on the school's willingness to do the paperwork, so I would recommend talking to the accountant/bursar at the school. We messed the system up completely because DS was in the first term of Y1 before he turned 5 but the assistant bursar (bless her) hand-crafted the bill to meet the LEA requirements so we still got the Early Years funding.

Childcare vouchers don't actually apply for us because we use all ours for DD's nursery bills, but we could use them for after school care and holiday clubs for DS.

[chipmunkswhereareyou]

Is there some sort of central website that lists which schools get the grant funding...have looked but failed to find such a site

[notimetoshop]

The grant funding is for the child. It doesn't matter where they go. It's administered through your LEA.

[stealthsquiggle]

..but the school does have to bill in the correct manner in order to get the money back from the LEA, and it generates a lot of extra paperwork, and some don't do it - so I am afraid you just have to ask...

[LIZS]

notimetoshop , sorry but it does matter , not all private schools meet the LEA's criteria to qualify. The LEA should be able to tell you which school nurseries qualify and that is usually an indicator if the Reception is likely to but there may be some which only start at Reception year too.

[chipmunkswhereareyou]

Have called them and asked and they don't but are thinking of doing so. If I take a place there I shall be nagging them to as it is three terms' worth for us!

[gladders]

thanks Stealth and Mollie

I knew the LEA would pay the early years thing until she was 5, but to know that I can use the vouchers as well is FAB - quite a big saving i reckon...

am an accountant so will go and tot it up on my calculator.... about £2k i reckon!! woohoo - might splash out on take away tonight!!