Can anyone explain nursery funding?

[AnxiouslyExcited]

So all 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for a free
Funded nursery place the term after their 3rd birthday yes?

Here

So how is it, some nurseries can take children on a funded place at anytime after the 3rd birthday regardless of where in the term they are?

Some children are practically missing out on while terms having to wait until the following term yet others are getting a funded place from the Monday after they turn 3 regardless o when their birthday is?

I am in Scotland and in my area they get a funded place from just after their third birthday. Unlike England though we only get 12.5 hours a week rather than 15 hours. It will depend on the nursery and where you live

In Wales you only get funding in Welsh speaking nurseries. Basically if you work so can't do the school nursery thing you can't get funding unless you speak Welsh which the majority of people in Wales don't. I prefer the system in England tbh.

Our nursery takes them from 3 but you pay til funding kicks in, others round here start at 2.5 but again you pay until the term after they're 3. My Neice misses out by a day on her funding next sept!

It depends on the setting. School nurseries/ nursery schools can take children in at any point of the term as they have a certain amount of 'spare money' usually from the local authroity to acommadate children who start late. However in a private setting, they only get the funding for the children which are in the nursery at the time of the headcount date. Therefore if they take children after this they have to accommadate the cost themselves or charge for the place.

hope that makes sense

Kat - I have lived in different areas in Wales, and all 3 of my DSs have been funded in English speaking nurseries . But only 10hours a week, 15hours a week in the school year they turn 4.

Really!! I'm in Cardiff and the list provided by the council only had Welsh speaking nurseries on it! Makes me cross lol :)

Nearest I've been to Cardiff (with children in tow) was Vale of Glam - they definitely funded non-Welsh as there were funded children at the English playgroup DS1 went to at the time (along with all the English speaking school nurseries).

So just Cardiff then lol. If I lived closer to the vale id use their nurseries.