# Free nursery hours



## Mouseycat (Oct 25, 2011)

Hi all
Just after some general advice please, our LO turns 2 this year and I'm starting to look to get them into nursery for the free 15 hours a week from September, (as they would really benefit from this interaction) so far I've only found private nurseries willing to offer this to my LO at this stage, most state run ones are from 3/4 onwards, which I didn't realise? And of course they are saying that we have to pay for 51 weeks as opposed to 38 weeks, as financially it doesn't make sense for them to offer only 38 weeks when they have parents who want 51 weeks!!  And as they're privately run, my LO wouldn't take priority as a previously looked after child on any waiting list. I spoke to SW who wasn't much help.
Many thanks
MC


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## Barbados Girl (Jul 7, 2012)

Your LA should have a Family Information Service. Try contacting them for help.


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## Mouseycat (Oct 25, 2011)

Thanks BG
Will give them a call


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## GERTIE179 (Apr 20, 2005)

Hi Mouseycat,

If you feel its right for your lil one then this thread may help you. In our area we could only claim that 2yrs funding from a specialist council led nursery and was re-assessed every 12 weeks. Think that has changed now but it is still limiting where you can use it.

Yes a private nursery has to continue to pay staff and premises all year round so they have to calculate fees that way.

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=325438.msg5883658#msg5883658


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## Anjelissa (Jan 11, 2007)

Hi MC,

I'm not sure if this helps, but something we discovered when deciding on a setting for our lo is that some of them operate a 'stretched' funding over 52 weeks (which takes it down to 11 hours pw).
Apparently this is only offered by 'participating providers', so not all are obligated to do this.
This would mean there is no extra to pay though (unless of course you do need more than 11 hours per week).
15 hrs a week is called the 'standard offer' and 11 hours a week is the 'stretched offer'.
You should be able to find out which nurseries/pre-schools operate this scheme from your LA.

Another point is that when we received back our acceptance letter for the 2 year funding we were also sent a list of all the settings in our area that we could choose from under the funding. Hopefully you'll receive something similar.  

Ang x


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## Mouseycat (Oct 25, 2011)

Thanks Gertie and Ang, interesting about the stretched hours


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## katie c (Jun 15, 2009)

does seem the free 15 hours at two thing is a bit misleading   and comes with a whole bunch of conditions.

little master c is at a creche at mr c's work, and they dont accept them. i asked for an update today, and they said their legal team was still looking into it. she said that because they are for children with some sort of vulnerbility it could mean the council insists the creche take other children, other than just the employees who use it. which opens up a whole can of worms safeguarding-wise and means they may have to turn away employee's children if the spaces are taken.

dont know if its true but sounds credible. we wouldn't move him elsewhere as the creche is sooooo convenient but its a shame. i genuinely though they got to two and you just got it.


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## Lorella (Jan 10, 2013)

So did I Katie. My local nursery, joined to the village school takes children from 2 so just presumed she could start there at 2 with her 15 free hours. Am going to view it next wk so thanks for starting this topic Mouseycat. Will now ask whether they provide this rather than just presume. 
Xx


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## littlepoppy86 (Feb 14, 2014)

It definitely isn't what it says on the tin. I like many just assumed yup, free hours per week can just add to whatever I'm paying for and deduct 15hours...

Mine like many others is 15hours term time and you have to take the 15 over a week. So everyday a half day session. If you want two full days you would only get the contribution for two half day sessions...

Very misleading I personally thought..
X


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## -x-Lolly-x- (Feb 3, 2012)

We've been lucky, most local nurseries accept the funding here, but it's term time only which is the same for everyone... well, so I assumed. Hadn't heard of stretched hours, very interesting. We could pretty much choose little pink's sessions, 5 mornings a week, 3 half day sessions or 2 full days (paying wrap around for lunch and tea). We've gone for 3 half day sessions which. We've gone for 3 half day sessions on the days I hope to return for work. Didn't realise it varied so much. Why can't anything be simple?!!


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## mummy to little pea (Nov 8, 2013)

We have also been lucky here also, we were able to get pea in to our local private nursery. We do 10 hours a week continuous over the full year and this is what the government said i can do anywhere.

got of gov.uk website 
What you need to know

Available in England only
*All 3 and 4-year-olds in England are entitled to 570 hours of free early education or childcare a year. This is often taken as 15 hours each week for 38 weeks of the year.]
Some 2-year-olds are also eligible.*

have a look at this website
https://www.gov.uk/find-free-early-education

put in your postcode and continue forward and it will give you a full list of all eligible nursery in your area

good luck hon x

/links


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## AoC (Oct 28, 2008)

It was complicated, but it worked out okay in the end.  In our area, there are some childminders who are qualified and registered to deliver the 2 year old funded places, too.  We used a combination of childminder and private (community) nursery using 'stretched' hours over the year.  The LA helped us work out how to split the funding - so did the settings, actually.

When Bug hit 3, we moved him to the nursery attached to our village school, with childminder doing pickup, and he's thrived there.

Childcare is a complete nightmare - so confusing, and so many variables.  There aren't any school nurseries around here, for example, that run all day.  And some of the private ones close at 5pm.  Not much good if you're working 9-5 somewhere else....


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## Lorella (Jan 10, 2013)

Great we link Mummy to little Pea - thank you. 
Pleased to see my chosen nursery is on the list. 
X


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## Mouseycat (Oct 25, 2011)

Thanks all, as with most things in adoption land, it's never as clear as cut as we'd like  S
Thanks to M2P for the useful link !  We're going to see a Childminder and private nursery next week to see if we like them and costing and how we can use the 15 free hours, so good to know about the stretched hours !
MC x


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