How do free nursery hours work for an August baby?

[HairsprayBabe]

Not sure if I have worked this out right DS is only 18mts but I'm a planner by nature.

Am I right in thinking they can only get free hours once they turn 3 but then they start school just after they are 4 so a Sept. born baby would end up with more "free" hours by the time they start school.

Seems unfair but is it just one of those things and families of summer borns just end up missing out a bit on the extra 2 terms of financial assistance?

Well, yes, but surely you’d need less. You’d have nearly a whole year less of childcare to pay for?

Its funded hours not free.

You don't need as many terms for the childcare as say a child born in the September.

Yes you will apply for the funded hours to start the term after the child's 3rd birthday, so luckily for you this will be the following month in September. There are winners and lovers but having a summer baby should mean your child is in nursery a whole year less than a September born - that's a lot of money saved in itself.

families of summer borns just end up missing out a bit on the extra 2 terms of financial assistance?

Thats an odd way to see it. My DD was born in June and since I went back to work when she was 9 months, financially it’s better for us to have a child going to school at 4 and a bit, rather than at nearly 5. Because we’re paying for less nursery overall (and we will still have to pay a bit even when she has free hours).

It starts the school term after they turn 3. I've got a May baby and an August baby and they'll both get their hours in the September.

@butterflycatcher

Yes you will apply for the funded hours to start the term after the child's 3rd birthday, so luckily for you this will be the following month in September. There are winners and lovers but having a summer baby should mean your child is in nursery a whole year less than a September born - that's a lot of money saved in itself.

Ah no I see, I knew I had missed something that makes much more sense, thanks!

You get funded preschool education for all the terms after the one they turn 3 in up until they start reception.

You can use tax free childcare at the same time.

Yes, you get 3 terms of preschool funding, compared to an October born getting 5 terms. And then they wonder why summer borns are behind......

It's not what you asked but it does annoy me that DD2 born May has to wait until September for free hours whereas if she'd been born in say, December she'd get them from the following month. I know I am being unreasonable but I'm counting down the weeks until our free hours kick in so a few extra months is really hurting our pockets.

I have 2 Jan and 1 March babies. They all started /will start after the Easter break.

And for the pp who said summer babies are behind. Not always 2 of my dn are both August and July birthdays so only had 1 year at pre school and they smashed every year top marks etc. Where as my dsc is Sept. So had extra at pre school and is at the same level.
Every child is different!

@MaizeAmaze

Yes, you get 3 terms of preschool funding, compared to an October born getting 5 terms. And then they wonder why summer borns are behind......

Well, my friend’s October born was utterly bored in pre-school the last term, my July born one had no issues with school after only one year pre-school.

Both are earmarked 7-8 for GCSE across the board, so the difference is not that great at a later stage.

It always depends on the child, school and parents.

Summer born babies get school quicker, September born children have more childcare to pay for

@FoamBurst

I have 2 Jan and 1 March babies. They all started /will start after the Easter break.

And for the pp who said summer babies are behind. Not always 2 of my dn are both August and July birthdays so only had 1 year at pre school and they smashed every year top marks etc. Where as my dsc is Sept. So had extra at pre school and is at the same level.
Every child is different!

True every child is different but that is just an anecdote - statistically summer borns will be behind until they are about 16.

Regardless of your personal experience.

It's like saying I've never worn a seat belt and I've never been hurt in a car crash. Or my grandad smoked 40 a day and lived to 100, basically just survivor bias.

Anyway this wasn't the point, I hadn't worked the timings out properly thats all - doesn't impact us that much anyways as DS is cared for by family atm.

Your summer born baby can start school the September after they turn 5. I will do this with my summer born child.

This is just how it works, ds1 October baby had 5 terms of nursery. Ds2 April baby couldn't start till September so got 3 terms - except he only got 1 full term because of lockdown. I do feel like he's at a disadvantage compared against some children who got 5 terms and those who attended during lockdown.

My DD is May born and will get 3 terms of nursery funding before starting reception, then another 3 terms to cover the reception year as she'll be going to a private school. It reduces the termly fees by about £1000.
www.theguardian.com/money/2012/jun/02/free-nursery-cash-private-school

I have August born twins and we were lucky that, because of when my husband started his job, we qualified for funded hours from 2 years of age - meaning they started nursery 2 weeks after their second birthday. They will continue to get those 15 hours when they turn 3 this summer under the universal hours scheme.

We also have the option (which we plan to take up) of delaying them starting school until they reach compulsory school age (the term after their 5th birthday instead of a whole year earlier) because they’re summer born but were premature so due in the October and, as a result, will continue to get the universal hours until they start school so will get 6 full terms not 3. This is open to any summer born child not just those who were premature or who have additional health needs.

I've got an April born DD. I thought it was a bit unfair that we had to wait until September for her 30hrs. She started at the local school nursery when she was 3 yrs and 5 months, but her August born school buddies started when they were 3 yrs and 1 months.

But honestly, I'm a bit "c'est la vie" with it. The Winter kids, seem to have it easier at school than the Summer kids, but there's isn't really a fairer way to organise things. Apparently there were lots of problems with the old "rising 5s" system too (where you started school in the term you would turn 5).

If you’re thinking about starting school just after your DS turns 5 rather than 4 (compulsory school age), you would be entitled to funding for 6 terms. That’s what we did for our youngest. I know it’s not quite what you asked but thought I’d let you know, just in case it was useful.

Dd is August born and received funded hours in the September however she started school the following year so was funded less than siblings. Ds is April and doesn’t receive his funding until September due to how the term falls. He misses it by a day.