Early Years Education Funding

Sticky Fingers Pre-school are registered to receive DfES Nursery Education Grant funding for 9 months, 2, 3 and 4 year olds. We are a non-profitable organisation allowing all income to be used to provide a stimulating
environment that supports the development of each child through their ages and stages of
development.

If you would like any additional information or support with claiming funding, please contact one of our settings.

09.01 Waiting list, admissions, fees and funding policy

Working Families Entitlement (30 hours)

From September 2025, all eligible working families can apply for 30 hours of childcare from the term after their child turns 9 months old until they are school age. If you are entitled to claim 30 hour funding (9 months - 4 years) through the working parent entitlement this must be claimed before the start of the term in which you would like your child to enrol. If this is claimed after the terms cut off date, funding will not start until the following term.

Please see the funding table below for more information about the recommended times for applying:

You can find more information about funding and apply for free childcare on: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-childcare-if-youre-working

This needs to be reconfirmed every 3 months.

2 year old funding

For families living in England and receiving some additional forms of support, your child may be eligible for 15 hours funding from the term after their 2nd Birthday (See the funding table above).

You can find more information and to check your child's eligibility on: https://www.southampton.gov.uk/children-families/early-years-and-childcare/parents-carers/help-paying-for-childcare/funded-early-years-education/eligibility-criteria/

For ALL families in England Children aged 3-4 years

All children in England are eligible for 15 hours free childcare for 38 weeks (up to 570 hours per year) from the term after their 3rd Birthday until they go to school (See the table above). This can be used flexibly with one or more providers. Some providers will allow you to ‘stretch’ the hours over 52 weeks, using fewer hours per week.

Fees

Families of children over the age of 2 (from 9 months at our Newlands and Portswood settings) who are not yet government funded or paying for additional sessions will be charged at the preschools hourly rate. These will be invoiced half termly and we will follow our non-payment of fees procedure when required.

Tax Free Childcare

For families paying fees who are working, you may be eligible for Tax- Free childcare meaning that

for every £8 you pay towards childcare, the government will give you a £2 top-up.

This needs to be reconfirmed every 3 months.

You can find more and apply for Tax-Free childcare on: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare