Free nursery places for all 3 and 4 year olds?

[CountessDracula]

DD has recently had her 3rd birthday and is at a private nursery in the the borough of Richmond-upon-Thames. It was my belief that when she was 3 the govt would fund a number of sessions a week for her. One of the other mums at nursery told me that Richmond had been deemed not a poor enough area for this!!!!!!!!! WTF??

Bubble99 you may be able to help - or anyone else? Surely they can't discriminate like this? What about very poor people who live in the borough, it's not all millionaires fgs.

You should get about 400 quid off the bill per term if its an ofsteded nursery, I think...

its per term and kicks in the term after they are 3 as far as I know.

not in Richmond apparantly!

The nursery has to be Ofsted-ed, and funded sessions are 5 mornings or afternoons per week. Ds1 was funded at his nursery in Chester, which certainly isn't poor.
It's down to the individual nursery as to whether they choose to participate. Yours may have decided against it.
It appears that there are places in Richmond (here , but not many. Article is very old, but gives an idea.

I live not too far from Richmond and our 3 yr olds are funded (works out at about £1100 per year, divided up and paid termly direct to the nursery) - have you spoken to the council and checked?

This looks like the right number (from the richmond.gov site)

Nursery Education Funding Advice
Providing advice on funding available for 3 and 4 year olds in nursery education.

Contact: 020 8831 6267.

Oh yes our nursery is ofsteded and they participate. This is playground gossip but from a mum whose son is 3 so I guess she would know. Thanks for that number I will call them in the morning

Its called an Early Years Grant and it should fund 5 x 2.5 hour sessions a week. It starts the term after your child is 3. My DD is 3 in April and wont get hers until September 06. Its not means tested or anything else as far as im aware but it is only for participating nurseries. HTH

CD - this used to the case here - our bit of the borough was a Tory stronghold, so the Labour council withheld all funding for 3 year olds. A couple of years back the issue was raised in Parliament, and certainly we then got the funding (though as it happened I had sent ds1 to a preschool in a "poorer" part of the borough, so I got the funding as it depends on where the preschool is, not where you live). Alas it came too late to save a number of "playgroups" who had had to close as everyone sent their children to the nurseries attached to the local state schools (which were free) rather than to playgroup (which wasn't).

I had thought that this issue had therefore been resolved for everyone (not just my borough, as important as it is).

Richmond definitely gives the grant the term after your little one turns 3. It should be around £400 per term off your fees, provided the nursery/preschool participates. In my dd1 preschool, richmond borough, they deal with the official side of things and we just fill out a form and then have the amount debited off the total fees per term. Speak to your dd's nursery they should discount your fees in the january term.

Your nursery will be claiming it! Talk to them

CD I spoke to my son's nursery about this and the administrator told me that we will get the funding next term (i.e. after christmas).

Richmond only start to pay it the term after your DS/DD turns three. Your nursery will automatically do the paperwork for you and you should see a decrease in the fees from next term. HTH

We don't really have terms as such, she is at full-time nursery 4 days a week (well we pay for full time but she is picked up at 4 by our nanny) Maybe that is where the confusion arose. When does the term start then? She was 3 on 4 Sept.

We don't really have terms as such, she is at full-time nursery 4 days a week (well we pay for full time but she is picked up at 4 by our nanny) Maybe that is where the confusion arose. When does the term start then? She was 3 on 4 Sept.

The funding should kick in after Xmas. You will get 5x2.5 hrs funded. Or you can combine 2 of the sessions.

There are new guidelines coming in, not sure if 2006 or 2007, where there will be 5x3 hrs, and it will extend to 2 yr olds eventually.

You'll probably find she's eligible from January 2006 then. I think the cut-off date is 31 August.

CD - Scotland is a bit different, but if she's only just turned 3 then you will get the discount from January 2006 (I think!).

If the Nursery works in conjunction with the council to offer pre-school education then you will get a discount. I get £84 per month off of ds. He is in 3 days per week. You are entitled to 5 x 2.5 hr sessions.... using a maximum of 2 in one day.

cd, I am in R u Thames and this used to be the case. However, a group of us got togther, got Vince Cable involved (MP for us down here) and now all 3 yr olds should get the credit from the term after they turn 3 (so for you, should be from next term).

The council tried to argue that it would have to raise council tax to do it - Vince Cable actually mentioned it in parliament and practically shamed the council into giving way!!

Our grant is £7.25 but the nursery fee for the morning session (8.30 - 12.30) is £14 so we still have to pay £6.25.

Other nurseries in the area charge £7.25 a session so they are 'free'.

The terms follow state nursery terms. So a Sept born 3yo should start to get funding after Christmas. Think you need to speak to the Nursery manager - there will be a form to sign on your DD behalf so that the nursery can claim the funding. (Ours is £107 per month, based on 5 x 2.5hr sessions per week - it depends on the nursery fees as to how much the amount will be)

cd,

my dd1 has just turned 3 also

my nursery pays her fees for 5 sessions a week, but because she wasnt 3 when the school term started, they wont pay her fees til after the start of the next school term (ie after xmas hols)

they also dont pay her fees during school holidays, as they are only funded for during school term time only

hope this helps

I only applies from the beginning of the term after they have turned 3, so the new Year in your case . Also even if she is in a full time nursery you only receive it for the number of weeks equivalent to school term time, so excluding half term and school holidays. We had to fill in a form for the school to submit to the LEA and will receive a rebate of £430ish against the term's fees.

here is the news story on it

It should have changed and you should get the credit - the nursery should have the forms for you to fill in from January. Let me know if you can't get it.

When DS got it (he's just started reception this time) the terms were actually less than school terms - 11 weeks as opposed to 13 weeks. You will get 5 sessions in your 4 days but not until January. Why don't you speak to the nursery about it?

Just called the nursery, they said she will get it at xmas!

Thanks all

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