Who can apply

Early years or childcare providers who are registered on the Ofsted early years register can apply. Schools or academies who deliver 2, 3 and 4 year old funded places may also apply. This excludes 4 year olds who aren't in receipt of early years funding.

Targeted support

A 2, 3 or 4 year old funded child (excluding 4 year olds in a reception class) who has emerging SEND needs. The intention is to implement strategies and provision that are additional to or significantly different from what is normally provided as part of quality first teaching.

How much you can apply for

Funding is paid at £8.00 per hour. The grant is intended to enhance the hourly rate already received by the provider in one of the following ways:

• £5.41 (plus deprivation rate) early education funding (EEF)
• £7.64 two year entitlement funding (TYE)

How do I work out how much I can apply for?

• Rate - £8.00
• Hours - The hours in a week when the child needs extra support. This isn't the hours they attend.
• Weeks - The panel meets monthly. Your calculation needs to start from the Monday following the meeting until the end of term. If you're applying mid term, you can also apply for the following term unless you know the child will leave sooner.

In summary your calculation needs to be: rate £8.00 x hours x weeks = total

How many weeks you can apply for

Funding is allocated on a termly basis, so if you apply at the start of term you can apply for a full term. If you apply to a panel mid-term you can apply for the rest of the term plus the following term.

• Each funded child can access a maximum of 38 weeks of funding.
• Each child who accesses wraparound/stretched hours will be considered for a maximum of 48 weeks of funding per year. This will vary between providers.

Funding periods

Summer

• 12 weeks - 21 April to 18 July 2025
• Holidays 6 weeks - 21 July to 31 August 2025

Autumn

• 15 weeks - 1 September to 19 December  2025
• Holidays 1 week - 27 October to 31 October 2025

Spring

• 11 weeks - 5 January to 27 March 2026
• Holidays 1 week - 16 February to 20 February 2026

Professional involvement

If external support and advice has been gathered, this must be included within the application process.

Strategies and recommendations from reports should be included as part of the Assess Plan, Do, Review (APDR) and recorded in the early years graduated response document.

How to apply

You can apply for the grant by filling in our online application form.

You must make sure you have consent from the parent or carer of the child before applying. You'll need to confirm this on the application form.

You need to upload the following documents as relevant:

• support plan
• integrated review action plan (both pages)
• early years needs analysis 
• early years focused plan
• provision planner / map
• early years graduated response document
• supporting information from professionals
• other evidence

Continuing existing funding

If a child that has already received funding needs this for a further term, please fill in our online continuation form. 

You'll need to upload:

• reviewed early years graduated response document which shows the impact of previous funding. 
• updated early years developmental progress tool.
• costed provision map.

To make sure there's no gap in funding you need to submit this to the last panel meeting of the term that the child is currently funded for. See the submission dates for more details.

Application outcomes

An application may have the following outcomes:

• Successful - request granted in full.
• Partially successful - some elements of the request granted.
• Unsuccessful - resubmit with further or missing information.
• Unsuccessful - professional as support requirements can be met by the setting making a reasonable adjustment.

Appeals against unsuccessful applications will be discussed at panel and reviewed by a service and strategy manager.