ds does less than 15 hours but I'm being charged is this right?

[springchik]

My ds2 attends preschool for 9 hours a week. Have just been told that we can only claim for 10 weeks and will be charged for last week and the week 25th to 31st march. When I queried this the preschool leader said that the grant only covers a certain amount of weeks not all year. But this is a preschool not a nursery so that shouldnt make any difference as it has all the usual holiday. Is this right?

bump

The funding is spread out over 38wks.
(It can be spread over more than this if the child is claiming less than 15hrs per week and the LA is offering the 'stretched' offer, but not every LA is offering this).

Each LA sets its maximum no of weeks that the setting can claim for per term. This number varies across the terms as obviously some terms are shorter than others. Spring is the shortest term. Our LA has its maximum no of weeks set as 11wks for the spring term, although 10wks is perfectly feasible.

As long as your LA 'makes up' the time elsewhere and your child gets his full 38wk entitlement, then technically what the preschool are saying, IMO is correct.

They can't make your ds attend though ...if you just want your ds to access funded hours only then you should be under no obligation to take him and pay.

hth

I should have added that yes, IME it is unusual practice. Preschools and playgroups usually only operate within the funded terms set out by the LA.

many pre schools get round it by not opening for the surplus days - if they are good they tie it in with inset days of it's feeder school, otherwise they are entitled to charge for the extra sessions.