Universal 15 hours funded childcare for all 3-4 year olds
All 3-4 year olds are entitled to 15 funded hours of childcare a week for 38 term weeks of the year regardless of family income or circumstances and benefit status. This equates to 570 funded weeks of childcare per year at a maximum of 10 hours per day as applied by the Local Authority.
These 570 weeks can be accessed in different ways to suit your family’s requirements:
| Attendance Type | How Funding is Calculated | Hours Per Week |
|---|---|---|
| Term Time Only | 570 ÷ 38 term weeks | 15 per week |
| Year-round stretched over 51 weeks | 570 ÷ 51 weeks | 11.17 per week |
| Year-round stretched over 52 weeks | 570 ÷ 52 weeks | 10.96 per week |
Please note whether your funding is stretched over 51 or 52 weeks will be determined by how many weeks of the year your nursery is open for.
Term dates vary across Local Authorities and if you join the nursery midway through a term, the number of funded weeks left in the term will impact how your funding is applied.
Here is an example of how that could work:
| Term | |||
| Autumn (Sept – Dec) | Spring (Jan-March) | Summer (April-Aug) | |
| Number of funding weeks available per the Local Authority | 14 | 11 | 13 |
| 15 hours per week stretched and delivered weekly | |||
| Child is 3 years old before the start of the Autumn Term | 38 weeks x 15 hours = 570 hours per year, divided by 51 weeks = 11.18 funded hours per week. | ||
| Child is 3 years old after the start of the Autumn Term but before the start of the Spring Term | Not Eligible | 24 weeks x 15 hours = 360 hours, divided by 35 weeks = 10.29 funded hours per week. This consists of the Spring and Summer terms (i.e. until the end of the Academic Year) divided by the 35 total weeks in the Jan – Aug period. | |
| Child is 3 years old after the start of the Spring term but before the start of the Summer Term | Not Eligible | Not Eligible | 13 weeks x 15 hours = 195 hours, Divided by the 22 weeks total in the April – Aug period = 8.86 funded hours per week. |
For more information on the term duration and dates set by your Local Authority, please check your Partou Nursery page.
The 15 hours funding covers the cost of childcare only which is why you will see additional charges on your invoice breakdown for meals and snacks, consumables, and extras to ensure that we can continue to provide your child with a high quality and enriching nursery experience and nutrition. You can read more about meals and snacks, consumables, and extras charges here. If you would like to opt out of these charges and discuss what alternatives may be available to you, please raise this using this feedback form and a member of the Customer Service Team will be in touch.
Download our quick guide to universal childcare funding for 3-4 year olds