Free Funding Opportunities for 2 year olds January 2024

Welcome to Sidmouth Nursery!

At Sidmouth, we are lucky to have our very own Nursery unit where children from 2-4 years can work alongside each other to experience a broad and progressive curriculum covering all aspects of the EYFS.

Our unit is divided into 3 main areas:

• Caterpillars room – Our base for our younger children, from 2-3 years old. Children can start in Caterpillars class the term after their second birthday. 
• Butterflies room – Our base for our pre-school children who will be starting school the following September.
• Shared areas – All our Nursery children have access to our special Reading area and Sensory room. We also have an Outside area just for our Nursery children, which includes opportunities for physical play, messy play and construction.

Each base room is divided into dedicated areas to provide a wide range of learning opportunities, including role play, small world play, mark making and creative play.

Some parts of the day, the children will spend in their base room receiving targeted learning opportunities appropriate for their age and level of development. However, much of the day, the children are allowed to free flow across the unit, allowing them to learn and play together. A part of each day is also spent on the school playground giving them the space to develop key gross motor skills such as peddling trikes and balancing on scooters.

We are also very fortunate to have our own Forest School area where children can explore their natural environment and develop lots of important key skills. Forest School activities are led weekly by our Forest School Qualified member of staff.

When your child is about to move from the Nursery to Reception, you will need to apply to the Local Authority through the normal admissions process.

We welcome visits from parents/carers to our school; please contact the school office to make an appointment.

Funded childcare

If you live and work in England you may be entitled to 30 hours funded childcare support from the term after your child turns 9 months old, until they start school. 

You can usually get funded childcare for working parents if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:

• in work or starting a new job
• on sick leave or annual leave
• on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave
•  

The amount of funded childcare you can get depends on:

• your child’s age and circumstances
• your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)
• your immigration status
•  

If you are not eligible for the working parent offer you will still receive the 15 hour entitlement for all 3 and 4 year olds from the term after your child turns 3 until they start school, irrespective of your income level, benefit status, or family circumstances.

If you or your child receive some additional forms of support, you may be eligible for 15 hours early learning for 2 year olds under a separate scheme and you should speak to your local council and/or provider in the first instance. If you are eligible, you should still apply for the working parent entitlement, but you will receive 15 hours from each scheme (up to a maximum of 30 hours in total).

Disability access fund

Your child’s early years provider could get £910 or more per year to help with their education and support.

This will be paid direct to your early years provider.

You can apply to get disability access funding if your child receives Disability Living Allowance for children and one of the following:

• 15 hours free childcare for children aged 3 and 4
• 15 hours free childcare for disadvantaged children aged 2

You do not need to use all of your hours to be eligible for disability access funding.