Claiming early years free entitlement - anyone know the anwer to this?

[CarGirl]

Pre-school is shut for an inset day. I am entitled to use my free entitlement on a different day that week?

My dd already attends 4 sessions per week but I can only claim for 3 free sessions as I claim 2 elsewhere. However on the inset day they still want to charge me for one of the days although my dd will only get to attend 3 sessions?

If anyone has a link to the information that gives that kind of info, or a phone number please let me know!

that post doesn't make much sense?

If dd only attends 3 sessions one week instead of 4 because the pre-school is shut are the entitled to charge me for the 4th session?

There arguement is that I get free entitlement Wed Thur Fri and I pay for Tuesdays and as they are shut on the Fri I still have to pay for the Tues.

www.surestart.gov.uk/surestartservices/support/helpwithchildcarecosts/earlyeducationplaces
www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/earlyyears/lapractice/entitlement the surestart website directs queries to 0800 2 346 346, if no luck there then it suggests Department for Children, Schools and Families by email at [email protected] or by telephone on 0870 000 2288.

I would query this in writing to your preschool. Although they have no obligation to provide all of the places you are entitled to, my understanding is that they are only allowed to charge for services supplemental to your free entitlement. So I would point out in the letter that during week commencing X, only 3 days are available to your child. And as no services over and above your free entitlement are being supplied during that week, there should be no additional charge for that week.

But if you CHOOSE any time not to send your child on a Tuesday, I would expect to still have to pay as you are keeping the Tuesday place for your child. By the same token, they may say that they are entitled to the Fridays in the same way nurseries and childminders charge for bank holidays or other days child is absent. But I think they are on dodgy ground charging you in the situation described in your post and its worth challenging and seeking further advice.

I will ring them first. As it's £11.50 for a session I would prefer not to pay especially as they still get the funding for every child on an inset day anyway!

I was under the impression that inset days were not allowed during funded periods.

The funding takes account of the inset days, so you still need to pay. If your child was only attending 5 sessions a week, they would not get the opportunity to do 6 sessions another week to make up for the inset day.

All children that do 5 sessions per week would only get 4 on that week.