childcare voucher for pre school and up to 5 year old

[Carpediem2007]

Hi
I have been using childcare vouchers through my work salary sacrifice scheme to finance DS's pre school within an independent school and he is now in reception. He just turned 5 and we have been able to use the childcare vouchersuntil last term as he was under 5.

I don't know, and the new accountant does not know either!, if we can use them this term as he turns 5 before the end of term?
I was told that up to 5year old, education was not compulsory so independent school counted as childcare. I read somewhere that school became compulsory the term after children turned 5, so for DS that would be next September.

Has anyone been in the same situation and can explain to me when we have to stop using these vouchers to finance his school fees? We can still use them for sport, after school care and holiday scheme from 5-16.

These vouchers are taken from our salaries, not benefit, but we save tax on them so it really helped.
Thanks for your help if you have any more clue than I have.

I used the salary sacrifice vouchers (computershare) for DD's school fees last year.

I definitely used them for DD until the March in reception (she turned 5 in the January) From April I paid by monthly direct debit instead of voucher each month.

So 2 terms. If your child isn't 5 until now you should be fine to use them all year - 3 terms.

Didn't have any problem bursar was fine with it.

Was the same for the 15 hours EYFS funding - DD got 2 terms worth, the summer borns 3 terms worth off the fees.

I now use the vouchers to pay for occasional aftercare and summer child care.

That's brilliant, thanks a lot for replying.

Our voucher scheme provider makes it clear they are for up to age 16, but only specify holiday clubs/after school clubs taking them.
It says care by schools must be outside normal school hours...
www.fideliti.co.uk/EmployerChildcare.aspx

Yes your link confirms they can't be used for compulsory education - they can be used before child is legal school age - in op's case not til Sept. Just the same way as you use them to pay for preschool.

Not well known as most children enter state reception aged 4.

You can use CCVs to pay for school fees up to and including the term in which the child's 5th birthday falls.
Although you cannot use them for school fees for any child who is of statutory school age, you can use them for children up to 16 for the other activities that take place outside the normal school day, e.g. boarding fees, after school clubs, holiday clubs etc.

Oops, my mistake, I thought that education was compulsory the term you turned 5, not the term after.

My DS is not 5 until April 2013 - sorry for being a bit thick but I am just checking that this means we can use CCV for the whole of next school year for his fees as well as afterschool care?

Check 2013 term dates on LA website - if his birthday falls in the 3rd summer term then yes you can use them for reception school fees and aftercare all year plus 3 terms of eyfs grant knocked off aswell.

I thought the cut off dates were always 31/12 31/3 31/8 as with the EYFS grant?

Even so, 2 terms would be fab. The after care would be until they are 16 though?

You could well be right - would make sense to have a fixed date.

DD as a Jan birthday got 2 terms.

Yes childcare afterschool can be paid for with the vouchers until 16 plus some holiday schemes take them.

Ooh, I will be making some phonecalls tomorrow and upping my voucher amounts in preparation!

If you do get the answer re the cut off date pls post.

A lot of people don't seem to realise you can use the vouchers for reception and our school don't publicise it.

Thank you, the school as a new bursar and she did not know and did not use our childcare vouchers this term but DS just turned 5 so we should be able to use them this term for school fees and continue in September for after school club only.
A friend told me that MN knew everything :-)

I have spoken to the school and unlike the NEG funding when they are at pre-school it appears they only get the funding until the term after they turn 5 not the cut off dates as I mentioned above.

In my DS's case he will turn 5 on the first day of the Easter holidays which means that he won't get it for the summer term which is a shame, some years he would have been entitled to it. The same with the childcare vouchers.

It still means a saving of about £2k though so over a terms fees for us!

Thanks for updating.

Still a decent saving - hope your son enjoys his reception year. Mine finishes yr 1 next week only seems like 5 mins ago she was starting school.

Thanks, DS1 is just going into Y2 (at a different school - he is on the waiting list at the other school still), it is going so fast!!!

I have called Early Years just to confirm as I don't see why we should miss out on the NEG for the summer term since he wasn't entitled to it when starting preschool till the following September (he was 3 1/2 by then) as he missed the 31/3 cut off date by 2 days! I am waiting for them to call back so will post if they give any different info!

Apparently, if they are staying in nursery/preschool then the cut off dates are as I mentioned before so my DS would get the summer term funding. If they have started school then whatever term they turn 5 in that is when the funding stops!

Got a reply from school today, childcare vouchers can be used up to 1 September as DS had his birthday end of June. I found out the same by googling it :-)