I know there's loads of these threads about grace periods etc, but I haven't found one about my specific circumstances, so hopefully someone can advise.
I'm currently on maternity leave for my second baby, my 2 year old is currently getting the 15 funded hours and has been since April this year. I know I'm entitled to the hours while on maternity leave, even during the unpaid bit at the end.
He turns three in January so if I was working he'd be eligible for 30 hours from April next year. I'm briefly "returning" to work for a few weeks (taking annual leave) in March, then I'm taking 6 months unpaid sabbatical. My pay in March will be over £2,380, so should cover me for the following three months when I reconfirm my details in March, is this correct?
I'll then not be earning anything so when I reconfirm in June so I'll lose my eligibility, but the grace period til the end of the term will see me through. I'll return to work in September, so when I come to do the next confirmation I'll be back to meeting the criteria and getting the 30 hours again.
Have I understood everything correctly? Will be son be able to use the 30 hours from the start of September even though I won't be able to confirm until mid-September?