Early Education Funding (EEF) for 2, 3 and 4 year olds

Information for providers 

A brief overview of information for providers. For more information, read the guidance notes pages.

• Information for parents

Please note that all funding claims will need to be completed electronically through our Establishment Portal. 

Funding can start the term after the child turns 9months (for Under 2s funding) 

Funding can start the term after the child second birthday for 2-year-olds funding or the term after the child’s third birthday for 3 & 4-year-old funding: 

Types of funding: 

2-year-old funding for families who claim specific benefits. 

• Some 2-year-olds are eligible for 570 hours from the term after they turn two (refer to chart above for start dates).
• Criteria: For more information on eligibility and how parents can apply go to the parents' Early Education Funding page. 
• Parents will need to apply for the funding online where they will receive a code. Once a parent has a valid code, they won’t lose their 2-year-old entitlement, as they will not need to reconfirm it.  This code is taken to the preferred provider for validation before they are offered a place. The code reference will be in the following format- XX-XXXX-XXXX. Please note this code differs from the newer criteria for working parents that will be introduced in April 2024. 
• Some parents will receive a letter through the post informing them they may be eligible for 2-year-old funding and encouraging them to apply online. Parents should take the letter, to a provider who is rated Good or above by Ofsted and the provider can complete a code check via the Establishment Portal which in turn will create a permanent code.
• The hourly funding rate from April 2024 is £7.83
• From April 2024 all 2-year-olds that meet the criteria for Early Years Pupil Premium will receive the additional EYPP rate. Please note providers must run an eligibility check via the Establishment Portal to claim this. 
• If a family who have already been claiming this funding would like to receive the extended 570 hours of funding per year as a 3&4-year-old, then providers should encourage them to apply for working parent entitlement the term before they turn three. Any difference in invoicing costs should be communicated to the parent before the start of their 3&4-year-old funding. 

If the parent is not entitled to these criteria, then please see the criteria set out below as an alternative

3 and 4-year-old funding

Universal entitlement 

• All 3 and 4-year-olds in Oxfordshire are eligible for the universal 570 hours free early education the term after they turn three (refer to chart above).  
• There are no eligibility criteria or codes required to use this funding. 
• The hourly funding rate from April 2024 is £5.30

Working Parent Entitlement for Under 2s, 2-year-olds and 3 & 4-year olds 

• Parents must meet the eligibility criteria found on the Working Parent entitlement page. 
• Parents apply for this entitlement through Childcare Choices. 
• Eligible children can take up a place from the term after they turn 9months (refer to charts above). 
• Parents need to have received their 11-digit code from HMRC before the entitlement date i.e. by 31st August 31st December and 31st March.  Parents are advised to apply in plenty of time e.g. by July (for a September start) , November ( for a January start) , and February ( for a April start ) .
• Codes must be validated on the Establishment Portal by providers to confirm the correct start date. This must be completed before offering working parent funded place to a family.  
• Parents must reconfirm their code is eligible via HMRC every 3 months through their government gateway account. 
• A child cannot claim funded hours for the first time nor start a funded place at a new provider if they are in their grace period.
• The hourly funding rate from September 2024 for Under 2s is £10.73
• The hourly funding rate from April 2024 for 2-year-olds is £7.83
• The hourly funding rate from April 2024 for 3- & 4-year-olds is £.5.30

Working Parent entitlement for 3 and 4-year-olds

• Some 3 and 4-year-old children of working parents may be eligible for an additional 570 hours (these are additional to the universal hours and can total up to 30 hours per week). Information and eligibility criteria can be found at Childcare Choices
• The rate of funding and the rules of this funding is the same as working parent entitlement above. 
• The hourly rate of funding from April 2024 is £5.30. 

Early years Pupil Premium (EYPP) and deprivation supplement 

• The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) gives extra funding to support eligible Under 2, 2 and 3 and 4-year-olds up to 15 hours per week (the EYPP cannot be applied to the extended entitlement hours for 3 & 4-year-olds. 
• From April 2024 providers are paid a rate of £1.15 per hour. This is broken up as 68p per hour for EYPP and 47p per hour as a deprivation supplement. 
• The deprivation is also applied to the extended 15 hours (if age 3 and 4 and eligible) at the rate of 47p per hour. 
• For further information and how to apply and criteria, see Early Years Pupil Premium funding.

Disability Access Funding (DAF)

DAF is available to children:

• Currently in receipt of Disability Living Allowance
• receiving free early education as am Under 2, 2 or 3&4-year-old

To be eligible for DAF, the child must be named on their current DLA award letter (children whose siblings attract DLA but don’t themselves would not be eligible). 

From April 2024 the DAF funding is a non-transferable lump sum payment of £910 per year and the parent must nominate which provider will receive the funding. For example, if you claim for DAF in spring term 2024 then the earliest next claim will not be until spring term 2025, providing that child still claims early education funding. 

Please note that four-year-olds in primary school reception classes are not eligible for DAF funding.

SEN inclusion funding

Inclusion funding is intended for funded 2, 3 and 4-year-olds with low level or emerging special educational needs. This funding is a limited amount, totalling £38.50 per week, term time, for specific children. The aim of the funding is to enable schools and settings to provide early interventions that will enhance the child’s progress. It can be claimed by Oxfordshire providers in receipt of Early Education Funding.

From April 2024 this funded will be extended to include 2-year-olds. Oxfordshire is currently reviewing any funding for Under 2s , however currently this is not available for Under 2s. 

The funding can be used flexibly e.g. to purchase additional resources, pay for staff training or pay for additional adult support, if it is being spent effectively and is making a difference.

Before claiming ‘Inclusion Funding’ for each individual child, the school or setting must have taken the following steps:

• Have identified that the child has low level and/or emerging special educational needs by using Oxfordshire Guidance for Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support to complete the initial screening tool and relevant SEND descriptors.
• Have discussed the child’s strengths and needs with the parents and explained how ‘Inclusion Funding’ will be used to support their child’s progress.
• Have written and shared an individual support plan or pupil profile with parents and relevant professionals (if involved) which clearly outlines the next steps/outcomes you are aiming to support the child to achieve. (See example of a completed individual support plan)
• Have a clear process in place for monitoring the child’s progress.
• Ensure the individual support plan or pupil profile is reviewed at least 3 times a year with parents and other relevant professionals.
• Have a record, kept in the child’s file that records what the funding has been spent on and the impact for the child in terms of their well-being, learning and/or development. Inclusion funding form (docx format, 35Kb)
• For LA auditing purposes, provide evidence that the above steps have been followed.

Coming soon 

• Starting from April 2024, existing childcare support will be expanded in phases. By September 2025, most working families with children under the age of 5 will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support.
• The changes are being introduced gradually to make sure that providers can meet the needs of more families. This means that:
• From April 2024, working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours childcare support.
• From September 2024, 15 hours childcare support will be extended to all children from the age of 9 months to 3-year-olds.
• From September 2025, working parents of children under the age of 5 will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week.
• Like the existing offer, depending on the provider, these hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time), or up to 52 weeks for a reduced number of hours per week.