Expansion of early education entitlements and wrap around provision in primary schools 2023-25

Introduction

In the spring budget 2023, the Chancellor set out large-scale childcare reforms with the aim to increase availability, reduce costs and increase the number of parents using it.

There are multiple phased elements across 2023-2025 to the programme which include:

• Extending Early Years entitlements for working parents
• Supporting providers with a supplementary grant from September to March 2023 and expected rise in rates from April 2024
• Childminder grants
• Support for families on Universal credit
• Alongside these elements, there are changes to the EYFS beginning in September 2023.

There will also be changes affecting primary schools, with support to expand wrap around care (breakfast and afterschool clubs) in 2024

Regular updates

The scale and speed of the changes means that the DfE are frequently updating guidance and messaging. We recommended that you visit this page regularly, where we will publish all the new updates and events in Ealing to support your transition to meet these new changes.

Guidance

Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework (effective 4 September 2023)

Resources

Please look at our EY expansion and wrap around introductory presentation (July 2023) for a more detailed introduction to the changes and phased introduction of changes from 2023-2025.

Transforming childcare support up to 2025: DfE stakeholder information pack (July 2023)
This pack contains an overview of key messages, communications materials and answers to frequently asked questions to support you to communicate about the changes to childcare policy announced in the Spring Budget.

Support in Ealing

The council is committed to offering you support and guidance and has appointed Leah Forgacz-Cooper, early years project manager, Family information service, to co-ordinate this support.

Steering group

We also need your assistance

We will need the early education providers and schools to assist in the approach and delivery of these changes.

In September we will be forming a steering group in which we would like representatives from the sectors to co-create and oversee the changes with us, not only related to the expanding entitlements but also issues such as staff recruitment and retention.

Survey

Help us to help you!

Please complete our Ealing provider survey for the expansion of early years entitlements 2023-25

We want to hear from you about:

• What the extension to early years entitlements will mean for you
• What challenges you think there will be
• What opportunities do you think can come out of the expansion.

We would like to know your current occupancy and vacancies and whether recruitment and retention is difficult for you.

We would also like to hear your views on supporting children with SEND, what’s going well, what can be done differently?

All settings that complete and return the survey by Friday 8 December will be entered into a prize draw to win a voucher.

If you have any questions please contact Leah Forgacz-Cooper forgaczcooperl@ealing.gov.uk .

Early years supplementary grant (EYSG) payments for 2023-24

On 7 July 2023, the DfE announced further funding for providers to support our local entitlements.

The EYSG provides funding for all early years funding streams and covers the period September 2023 to March 2024.

The DfE have now confirmed the actual funding stream amounts for the EYSG September 2023 to March 2024.

You will see from the grid below that the published figures are in line with our original estimates shared.

If you have any questions please contact Leah Forgacz-Cooper forgaczcooperl@ealing.gov.uk

EYSG funding for Ealing September 2023 to March 2024:

We are currently working hard to update our local processes and will be releasing updates shortly which will include updated financial arrangements to be implemented from September 2023.

Thank you for your patience during this time.

EY supplementary grant update - July 2023 (pdf)

In regard to funding rates from April 2024, we are awaiting our allocation confirmation from the DfE and will be consulting with you about these in the autumn term 2023.

For further information please contact Leah at Email:forgaczcooperl@ealing.gov.uk