Free nursery places for 3 year olds? Where?

[ButtonMoon]

Spoke to a playgroup today where DD is due start in Sept (3 mornings a week) to find out that the place will not be funded. She is 3 next month and is entitled but they say your child has to attend at least 4 mornings a week to get funding and they only run for 3 mornings!!!!???? Something about not following a particular curriculum too....they are more play based. Just don't get it.

Nursery Education Grant is only payable to approved groups - sound like thay are not an approved group - ask your local council as they provide the funding

Agree - sounds like they are not approved for the scheme. DD attends a private day nursery 2 full days a week (4 sessions, plus extra hours). Come Septmeber (the term after she was 3) she will get funding for the 4 seesions she will attend.

google Nursery Education grant and check out your council - seems that the provider has to be Ofsted registerd

eg in Birmingham these are the rules:

Children at private or voluntary schools, nurseries, pre-schools and playgroups

If you are sending your child to a school or nursery run by a voluntary or private provider, and not to a state nursery, grant may be available to meet the cost of part-time education.

The nursery education provider has to register with Birmingham Local Education Authority to be able to claim the grant. They also have to agree to the terms and conditions of the grant, one of which is that they will be inspected by Government inspectors (OFSTED) to ensure quality standards are being met.

If they are not approved , does that mea that they are no good? Are they approved by OFSTED to get into this scheme?

NEG only payable to providers who follow the Foundation curriculum:
info here

ButtonMoon,

check with your council - the free places is generally 5 sessions a week over so many weeks (can't remember the exact numbers) but govnt guidelines say that you can have fewer sessions over more weeks. if you google something like "free nursery places" or surestart you should get the govt link (think that its on the department of work and pensions or dept education site)