Early Years Funding Cambridge

We are registered with the Cambridgeshire local authority to provide early years funding to eligible children of all ages attending Smiths Children Montessori. 

Children age 9 months to 24 months

Starting September 2024

15 hours of early years funding from September 2024 is offered to eligible parents. We provide 15 hours of funding stretched at the rate of 11.4 hours per week, over 50 weeks of the year. There is a total of 570 hours of funding available during the year, equal to £6099.

Starting September, 2025

30 hours of early years funding from September 2025 is offered to eligible parents. We provide 30 hours of funding stretched at the rate of 22.8 hours per week, over 50 weeks of the year. There is a total of 1140 hours of funding available during the year, equal to £12,498.

Children age 24 months to 36 months

Starting April, 2024

15 hours of early years funding from April 2024 is offered to eligible parents. We provide 15 hours of funding stretched at the rate of 11.4 hours per week, over 50 weeks of the year. There is a total of 570 hours of funding available during the year, equal to £4560.

Starting September, 2025

30 hours of early years funding from September 2025 is offered to eligible parents. We provide 30 hours of funding stretched at the rate of 22.8 hours per week, over 50 weeks of the year. There is a total of 1140 hours of funding available during the year, equal to £9,120.

Children from 36 months

15 hours of universal early years funding is offered to all parents. We provide 15 hours of funding stretched at the rate of 11.4 hours per week, over 50 weeks of the year. There is a total of 570 hours of funding available during the year, equal to £3,078.

Starting April, 2024

30 hours of early years funding is available for eligible working parents from April 2024. We provide 30 hours of funding stretched at the rate of 22.8 hours per week, over 50 weeks of the year. There is a total of 1140 hours of funding available during the year, equal to £6,126.

Instructions: Check your eligibility with Childcare Choices. Childcare choices is a government website for parents to find out how and when to register for early years funding, beginning April 2024. Once eligibility is confirmed you will be issued with a 'reference code' that you will need to prove eligibility and provide to the nursery your child attends.

Useful Links

Childcare support is expanding, apply for April

Help paying for 30 hours childcare

How to Apply for 30 hours childcare

How to use tax-free childcare

Early Years Funding Rates

The 2024/25 Cambridge Local Authority (LA) Funding rates 

The rates for the 2025/26 financial year are as follows:

Age group Three- & four-year-olds Two-year-olds Under twos

Hourly rate for 2025/26 £5.66 £8.15 £11.00

Current hourly rate (2024/25) £5.40 £8.00 £10.70

Change +£0.26 +£0.15 +£0.30

National increase +£0.26 +£0.25 +£0.31

Percentage of increase passed through 100% 60% 97%

Early Years Pupil Premium: £1 per hour (increased from £0.68) per hour for all eligible children

Disability Access Funding: £938.00 per year for each eligible child

Funding Applications Deadlines

For the entitlements under the working-parents offer (i.e. the 30-hours funded childcare etc), the deadlines to apply for your eligibility code so that funding can begin at the start of the next term are:

• Deadline 31 December for the term starting 1 January.  

• Deadline 31 March for the term starting 1 April.  

• Deadline 31 August for the term starting 1 September.  

Some guidance recommends you apply at least 8 weeks ahead of the deadline.  

When You Can Access the Entitlement

The term in which your child can start using the funded hours depends on when they reach the required age.

For example:

• If your child turns 9 months between 1 Jan–31 Mar, you can access the hours from the term beginning 1 April.  

• If they turn 9 months between 1 Apr–31 Aug, then the entitlement starts 1 September.  

• If they turn 9 months between 1 Sep–31 Dec, then the entitlement starts 1 January (of the following year).  

Reminders

• Parents must apply online via the relevant government portal (e.g. for the 30-hours code).  

• Once approved, you will receive an 11-digit code which you must provide to the childcare provider (your nursery) along with NI number and your child’s date of birth. 

• Parents must reconfirm their eligibility every 3 months (even if they are already using the hours) to keep the code valid.  

• If they miss the application deadline, they may not be able to use the entitlements for that term and may have to wait until the next term.

Our Fees, Funding and Discounts for the current year

Fees and Sessions

Tax Free Childcare

Childcare Vouchers

Sibling Discount

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