NEF Funding and Staggered Start

[Dennie]

I was wondering how many settings offer funded 3 year olds, or even 2 year old funded children a staggered start? I know schools do this with reception children, due to the large September intake, but I am getting different information from my LEA.

 

Our existing children always come back for the first day of term, but during that first week home visits take place for new starters. Then new starters begin during the following week from Monday onwards. The business department told us this was fine, but advisers at the LEA have said 570 hours is 570 hours so if we don't open to new starters in the first week we are not giving the full 38 weeks entitlement. I know children are entitled to 38 weeks (and we are only open for 38 weeks) but the settling in phase, meeting with new parents and home visits are key to the child feeling happy in the new setting. How many of you phase children in and if so, do you offer replacement sessions to give them the quota, or is that just too much of a nightmare?

[Cait]

How long does your settling in phase go on for? The preschool sometimes have children who only attend for a couple of sessions a week for the first term, and their funded hours are adjusted for that, and changed the following term when they increase.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Cait

[Dennie]

Hi Cait. Settling in is just for the first week. I'm only concerned about the children who take up 5 sessions x 3 hours. We used to find people took up 2 or 3 sessions but now our new starters seem to want their 5 funded and more right from the start.

[Cait]

Well, you could argue that they will be absent at some point over the course of the year and you would still get funding if they were off with, say, chicken pox.

[Cait]

Or just deduct the missing hours from your claim so that if you have an audit they can't find fault. My county will ring up and check if a claim looks less than it should be, so you could explain then if they do.

[Dennie]

That's very true about being off sick, not to mention people taking holidays. As long as LEA are informed they can adjust according as we've informed them of our intent.

[larnielass]

In my area we have been advised that staggered starts should take no longer than 2 weeks. If any children have not started by then, it could affect our funding claim.