Is the free 15 hours pre school just for one year?

[Harrythespider]

Confused about the free 15 hours preschool, DD is 4 in October and has been getting the free 15 hours at nursery since Jan this year. Trying to decide what to do next year re preschool. Will we have to start paying again in Jan 17 as she doesn't start school until sept 17 or do you get the free 15 hours right up until they start school? I was told by nursery that you only get 12 months (or 38 weeks in 12 months) regardless of when the child starts school but on the gov website it looks like they get it from the term after they turn 3 until the start school?

It's until they start school, but it may be that your nursery only does it for one year.
Don't know if they're allowed to do that or not though.

Until they start school. Mine got 5 terms and 4 terms Autumn and Spring birthdays

Your nursery is incorrect and you are right. Funding Starts the term after they turn 3 and continues until they start school. This meant that my DC1 (April baby) was entitled to 3 terms of funded early learning. DC2 (Spetember baby) will get 5 terms.

It's two years, or there about depending on the child's birthday. Your dd will get funding until she starts reception.

From the term after they turn 3 until they start school so your DD is entitled to five terms of funding.
As the amount the nursery receives is rarely sufficient to pay the necessary costs, some nurseries impose restrictions and one (although not one I've come across) may be to limit the number of terms your child can claim for at that specific nursery as they want you to revert to self funding and pay a higher hourly rate. They'd have to be in a pretty affluent area & be very popular to do that I would have thought.

Thank you! Sounds like I need to have another chat with nursery!

Yep it's until they start school. Dd turned 3 in October so got her free hours from January and currently attends a local pre-school. She won't start school till Sept '17 so will be attending school nursery from September, whilst still getting her funded hours. If we wanted we could continue sending her to her current setting instead of school nursery for free and they'd be happy to have her. So what your daughters nursery are saying doesn't sound right to me.

Is it possible that you misunderstood what they meant? I would definitely clarify it with them.

I suspect nursery were just explaining it's 38 weeks in a year, rather than its only for a year. You can stay where you are. You don't have to move your child.

You get it until your child is 5 so that means if you defer entry to school you can still claim 15 hours of eyee.