Parent information

Making the transition from full-time motherhood to striking the right balance between home and work life can be a significant challenge for families but we aim to support you and your family during this difficult time of transition and promise that we will look after your little one with loving care, plenty of cuddles and smiles.

The following information is aimed at guiding you through full or part-time childcare funding options that we offer so our families understand and can make an informed decision.

Early Years Funding
Our funding offer
How much would childcare cost me?
Helping you setting up your options
Can I get help paying for childcare?

Early Years Funding

Early Years Funding is a national scheme, administered by local authorities, which offers funded childcare hours with an Ofsted registered provider. A variety of funded hours are available depending on the child’s age and the family’s situation. Childcare providers can choose how to offer the Early Years Funding as long as the following parameters are met:

-Funded childcare cannot be longer than 10 hours in a single day

-Funded childcare must be accessed between 6am and 8pm and

-Funded childcare is available at a maximum of two childcare sites in a single day.

By offering Early Years Funding we want to make sure that families use their funding to its full potential.

Most of our families are able to maximize their funded childcare by using up to 10 hours of funding a day before purchasing additional hours and without any artificial break in the day.

Our funding offer

As an all-year-round childcare provider we stretch the early years Funding across 48 weeks instead of limiting it to 38 weeks of term time.

Stretch effect

-15 hours of funded childcare over 38 weeks (term time) equates to 570 funded childcare hours a year. Under LE’s stretched offer this equates to 11.875 hours of funded childcare a week over 48 weeks of the year.

-30 hours of funded childcare over 38 weeks (term time) equates to 1,140 funded childcare hours a year. Under LE’s stretched offer this equates to 23.75 hours of funded childcare a week over 48 weeks of the year.

Funding is available in 10-hour blocks and begins when the setting opens.

Where a parent is eligible for 11.875 funded hours a week and books 2 full days or more a week at childcare the remaining 1.875 funded hours per week will be allocated to the second day.

Where a parent is eligible for 23.75 funded hours a week and books 3 full days or more a week at setting the remaining 3.75 funded hours per week will be allocated to the third day.

Fully funded places (where no additional hours are accessed) are offered at our setting. Fully funded places will be offered on a stretched basis.

A child with funded hours can attend the setting any day during the weeks we operate:

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
From 9 months to 4 years old.
15 and 30 hours funded places.
From 9 moths to 4 years old.

We are open 48 weeks a year, we close 2 weeks in Summer (in August, we communicate the weeks at the beginning of each year) and 2 weeks in Christmas (same as schools, using Christamas day and New Years eve).

We operate stretching the 38 weeks of 15 or 30 hour entitlement to fewer hours over the increased number of weeks. The pattern of the 48 weeks over the year will be set out in our agreement.

This means if I have a vacancy to meet the hours you need and you are eligible you will receive (round to 15 mins)

> for 15 hours you will receive 12 hours a week.

> for 30 hours you will receive 23 hours and 45 minutes a week.

The first hours you access in our agreement each week will be the funded hours up to your maximum eligibility, and the days and times these hours fall will be set out in our agreement.
If you are choosing to purchase additional hours, either during term time weeks or in the holidays they will be charged at my contractual rate.

Invoicing

Invoices and receipts are itemised, breaking down to:

The free entitlement hours.
Additional private paid hours, these hours are all included.
Food charges, which includes breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner and any food needed for our celebrations like birthday parties, Chinese New Year, Halloween, Christmas, picnics, … (Alternatively you can bring your own food for the day.)
Non-food consumables charges, like nappies, wipes, bibs, sheets, depending on the age special material for music session, yoga, play ball, art and craft and preschool packs, … (Alternatively your child will be in a different area always looked after and engaged with other curriculum activities.)
Activities charges: We usualy take the children to the teathre, zoo, museum, music plays, horse riding, soft play center, parents will be asked before and depends on the planning for that month. (Alternatively your child will stay with a staff member in the setting involved in other activities which also meets the EYFS, and free outings. Some times we have to devide the group, your child will then stay with the no extra outing group, if you decide for your child not to attend.)

Opting out or in of this offer has to be on writing a month before the term you wish to opt out or in.

Childcare fees are invoiced during the last week of the month for payment during the first week of the following month.

How much would childcare cost me?

Funded hours are free. In the UK (England), we have free 15 hours for all 3 & 4-year-olds, plus an extra 15 hours (total 30) for working parents of children 9 months to 4 years old, while some 2-year-olds in need also get 15 hours.

Extras

Early Years Funding is intended to cover the delivery of childcare only. It does not cover the cost of meals and snacks, non-food consumables, or additional hours. To cover costs not included in the Early Years Funding we request parents pay a non-mandatory Extras fee for every funded hour booked. The Extras fee varies per child age and is detailed on the LE’s fee sheet.

If a family brings their own food (such as packed lunches) into the setting please be aware to avoid allergen risks and storage/handling issues.

LE will not exclude children who want to participate in group activities.

Parents can choose not to pay the Extras and or additional hours in accordance with the Funding Terms and Conditions.

There is no registration fee.

Deposit

You pay an amount of money as a deposit to reserve your child’s place for an agreed date in the future. The deposit holds your child’s space and will be fully refunded to your bank account at the end of the first month with us.

If a deposit is charge against fee paying hours, this deposit will be deducted from the first invoice.

Costs

The funding only covers the cost of childcare for 38 weeks, not the 48 weeks we are open and not all the extras that make Little Explorers the wonderful and exciting learning experience for your child.

The cost for a child attending funded hours:

Funded hour: 0 £/h

Then we have the extra charges (if you haven´t opt out) only for the funded hour, and they are different depending on the child age:

9 months to 2 years old:

Food: £0,3
Consumibles:£0,2

2 years old to 3 years old:

Food: £0,5
Consumibles: £0,7

3 years old to 4 years old:

Food: £1,2
Consumibles: £0,9

Few examples:

This will be the cost for a child who attends 3 days a week:

No funding: £1235

With 30 hours funding:

Funded hour: 0 £/h

9 months to 2 years old: £308,72

Private hours: £257,27
Food: £0,3
Consumibles:£0,2

2 years old to 3 years old: £380,76

Private hours: £257,27
Food: £0,5
Consumibles: £0,7

3 years old to 4 years old: £473,40

Private hours: £257,27
Food: £1,2
Consumibles: £0,9

So a child who has 30 hours a week with us and we have to assign the 30 hours he has for 38 weeks over 48 weeks, for the funding. That is why we claim the 30 hours, but as it’s spread over 48 weeks we only can apply in the invoice 23,75 hours a week. Now for those 23,75 hours, the funding doesn’t cover any expense of the child, no food, no consumables, no extra activities, … that’s why you have the extra charge. The extra charge is applicable only for the funded hours for 48 weeks. During the holidays doesn’t apply. That way makes 48 weeks from the 52 a year.

Private hours:

Apart from those funded hours we have the private hours, which in our child´ s case adding 6,25 hours to the 23,75 makes him 30 a week. These private hours are charged at £9,5 and go all along the year.

If the family circumstances change and our child loses the 30 hours funding, he can have the 30 hours a week at a private rate, £9,5. Everything is included, no food or consumables cost.

This will be the cost for a child who attends 4 days a week:

No funding: £1646

With 30 hours funding:

Funded hour: 0 £/h

9 months to 2 years old: £720,36

Private hours: £668,91
Food: £0,3
Consumibles: £0,2

2 years old to 3 years old: £792,40

Private hours: £668,91
Food: £0,5
Consumibles: £0,7

3 years old to 4 years old: £885,02

Private hours: £668,91
Food: £1,2
Consumibles: £0,9

This will be the cost for a child who attends 2 days a week:

No funding: £823

With 30 hours funding:

Funded hour: 0 £/h

9 months to 2 years old: £43,33

Private hours: £0
Food: £0,3
Consumibles: £0,2

2 years old to 3 years old: £103,99

Private hours: £0
Food: £0,5
Consumibles: £0,7

3 years old to 4 years old: £182

Private hours: £0
Food: £1,2
Consumibles: £0,9

If you have any questions about our Funding Fee Policy, please do not hesitate to discuss them with us.

Helping setting up your options?

There are various ways in which the government and your employer can assist you with the cost of childcare, whether or not you are returning to work.

Information on all the Early Years Funding eligibility criteria can be found here: http://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Funding is dependent on your own very individual situation, how old your child is, where you live, whether you’re working, or whether you get discounts from your workplace. When you visit us, we can also help you understand your options and work out what your net fees will be after any childcare funding is taken into account.

Types of Early Years Funding

Supported Two-year-old funding (2YO)

A child will be entitled to 570 funded hours a year from the term after both the child has attained the age of two and the child or parent meets the eligibility criteria.

Where a child is in receipt of Supported Two-year-old funding they will continue to receive their funded place until the point when the child becomes eligible for the Universal Funding, even if the child or parent ceases to meet the eligibility criteria during this time.

The Extras fee is not charged when Supported Two-year-old funding is accessed.

Only one type of Two-year-old funding can be claimed at a time.

Universal Three- and- Four-year-old Funding (3-4 YO)

All three- and four-year-olds are entitled to 570 funded childcare hours a year. Regulation requires us to validate a child’s age. Parents will need to provide evidence of a child’s birth date (normally a passport or birth certificate) and copies may be taken and retained as evidence of compliance.

Working Families Funding (9 months till 4 YO)

Working Families Funding is for qualifying working parents with a child aged 9 months to 4 years old. A child will be entitled to 1140 funded hours a year from the term after they have attained the relevant age and the eligibility criteria, set by the government, has been met.

Parents must apply for a positive determination of eligibility from HMRC via Childcare Service Account i.e. a valid eligibility code. This eligibility code must be provided to us before the Early Years Funding can be claimed. The parent is responsible for re-validating the eligibility code every three months when reminded by HMRC. Failure to do so may result in the Working Families Funding being withdrawn.

Special Educational Needs and/or Disability (SEND) Funding

Every local authority has a SEND inclusion fund to support providers in meeting the needs of individual children with SEND. SEND Funding is paid directly to the provider by the local authority. When deciding on the value of SEND Funding, the local authority must consider the number of children with SEND in the local area, their level of need, and the overall capacity of the local childcare market to support these children.

LE will use SEND Funding to support the child with any learning and developmental delay or special educational needs or disability by accessing specialist resources and equipment.

Disability Access Funding (DAF)

DAF is available to children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and Early Years Funding. Local authorities are responsible for checking that the DAF eligibility criteria are met. It is a one-off annual payment directly to the provider. If the child changes provider during the year, the DAF will remain with the original provider. If a child attends more than one provider, then the parent must allocate the DAF to one provider. This funding cannot be shared across providers.

LE will use any DAF to support making reasonable adjustments/adaptations to enable the child to have equal access to the provision in the same way as any other child or for resources that will be beneficial to the child.

LE will liaise with the child’s parents and engage with any relevant professionals to ensure that DAF is spent appropriately.

Where we have more than one child accessing DAF we may use the money for all children to support an adjustment or purchase resource that will benefit more than one child.

Any resources purchased as part of DAF remain the property of LE and can be used to support future children to access the provision. If a child moves provision, it is LE’s discretion whether to transfer any resource purchased using DAF to the new provider.

DAF will not be used for additional staffing costs.

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

EYPP is additional funding that LE can claim to help improve outcomes of eligible children. The local authority pays the EYPP directly to the provider.

EYPP is available to support children whose parents meet the eligibility criteria and are in receipt of Early Years Funding. Local authorities are responsible for checking that the EYPP eligibility criteria are met.

Eligibility criteria can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/get-extra-early-years-funding

LE will use EYPP funding to support positive impacts on the child’s development.

Deprivation Funding

Deprivation Funding is paid directly to LE by the local authority.

Depravation Funding is available to support children whose parents meet the eligibility criteria and are in receipt of Early Years Funding. Local authorities are responsible for checking that the Deprivation Funding eligibility criteria are met.

The eligibility criteria is set by the local authority (which varies per local authority) and may take into account: –

Child’s postcode

Eligibility for Support Two-year-old Funding

Eligibility for EYPP

Deprivation Funding is not child specific and can be used to support all children within the setting.

LE will use Deprivation Funding to close the gap in attainment of children in the setting.

Tax-free childcare (TFC)

The rules for TFC are similar to those of the 30 hours funding, for example you (and your partner) need to be working and earning more than national minimum wage but less than £100,000 a year.

If you’ve checked your eligibility and decided that the TFC scheme is right for you and your family, you can apply in about 20 minutes. You’ll need your NI number (or if you’re self-employed your Unique Taxpayer Reference) and if you have a partner you’ll need theirs too.

You can’t use TFC if you’re already claiming Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, or Universal Credit. So, if you applied for Tax-Free Childcare and were accepted, your

Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit would stop at once and you wouldn’t be able to receive them again.

The TFC scheme was set up by the government to replace the Childcare Vouchers you could get from your employer.

If you joined the Childcare Voucher scheme before 2018 you can continue to use it, but you can’t use the TFC scheme at the same time.

Little Explorers is a government-approved provider, we are registered with Ofsted, inspected by them regularly to ensure we provide the best quality of care and education.

You open an online account through the government website which you use to pay

for your childcare. For every 80p you pay in, the government will top up an extra 20p.

So, for every pound you pay for your childcare, you’re getting a 20% contribution from the government: this is equivalent of the tax most people pay – 20% – which is how the scheme got its name.
The government will top up the account with 20% of childcare costs up to a total of £10,000 – the equivalent of up to £2,000 support per child, per year (or £4,000 for disabled children).
The scheme covers all your children, including adopted children, provided they live with you and are under the age of 12 years, (or 17 for children with disabilities).

Payment options

I accept bank transfer (BACS), cash, childcare vouchers, tax free childcare payments, Care to Learn or a combination of these methods. I do not accept cheques.

Packed lunch guidance

The DfE ‘Early Years Foundation Stage Nutrition guidance’ (04.2025) has shared some more information about packed lunches / parents sending in food from home.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67f8e61c04146682e61bc84c/Nutrition_guidance_for_early_years_providers.pdf

In addition to parents choosing to send food because their child has a dietary need or for cultural reasons, if a child is funded we offer them the option of bringing food from home.

In the guidance, DfE state:

Food brought in from home

Families may wish to provide food from home and some children may need to bring their own meals and snacks for medical or cultural reasons. Having a food and nutrition policy in place and communicating this to parents and/or carers can help them to understand your regulatory obligation to provide healthy, balanced and nutritious food to children and encourage healthier food choices for packed lunches. It is important to ensure that food provided from home aligns with the healthy options offered by the setting, so that children receive consistent messages about nutrition.

Food safety

All foods brought from home should be checked for potential allergens so that the risk of cross contamination is reduced.

All food served to children must be prepared in a way to prevent choking. There are posters about safe food preparation and minimising chocking on the Foundation Years website to share with parents –

https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2021/09/food-safety-advice-on-choking-hazards-in-settings/

Providers should communicate with parents and/or carers about best practices for packing lunches and other food brought in from home, including tips on keeping food safe and fresh.

Parents and/or carers should be encouraged to:

Ensure the food is suitable for their child’s individual developmental needs and prepared in a way to prevent choking.
For perishable items that should be kept cool, pack food in insulated sealed bags. If ice packs are unavailable, the ‘4-hour rule’ can be applied. This rule allows food to be stored outside of chilled conditions for up to 4 hours, but this should only be done once during the entire storage.
Clearly label their child’s name on the lunch bag and detail the contents.
Pack foods that can safely be kept at room temperature if there is no refrigerated area for storing food brought from home. The Food Standards Agency provides advice on Listeria which has examples of ready-to-eat foods that should be eaten within 4 hours of removing them from the fridge.

Listeria guidance from FSA – https://www.food.gov.uk/listeria

Providers do not have to provide refrigeration for packed lunches of children. Likewise, providers are not required to reheat food brought in by children.

You will find more safety guidance in the Safer Food Better Business for childminders guidance –

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/safer-food-better-business-for-childminders

Special dietary requirements

To support children with allergies, early years providers should inform, ‘all parents and/or carers of the potential risk of foods brought from home for other children’.

Our policy

If parents choose to bring their own food. The EYFS requirements relating to food provision do not prevent parents from bringing their own packed lunches or snacks. Your packed lunch policy will need set out what food is permitted in the setting, for example –

Please parents read through this DfE ‘Food safety’ link –

https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/food-safety

Please parents read through the ‘What it says in the EYFS framework’ section of the DfE guidance – for example, that you must ensure food eaten by children in the early years setting is healthy and nutritious and that this is a statutory requirement.
Please parents read through the ‘Food preparation’ section of the DfE guidance – for example, they must cut food to protect their child against choking risks – for example, slicing grapes and other circular food into strips, not circles or cubes.
Please parents read through the ‘Food and drinks to avoid’ section of the DfE guidance – for example, not sending their child with foods high in salt, saturated fat or sugar.
Share your allergy information with parents – for example, to help prevent allergic reactions for children who may have airborne food allergies, we cannot accept any food that contains nuts.
Please parents read through the ‘Safe weaning’ and ‘Preparing bottles’ sections of the DfE guidance if age or stage appropriate and relevant.
Please parents read through the ‘Hygiene’ section of the DfE guidance – for example, parents need to send food in an appropriate bag with a freezer block. Then you will inform parents where food will be stored, share information about how to prepare food safely and let you know whether we will re-heat food
Read through the ‘Menu’ and be inform that your child’s food for the day must include –