The Government has begun to provide additional funding for the education of some children from 9 months old. You must get at least one of the following to be eligible:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
• Working Tax Credit run-on, which is paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year after tax not including any benefits you get

You may also get early years pupil premium if your child is currently being looked after by the local authority or if your child has left care through:

• adoption
• special guardianship order
• a child arrangements order

The funding equates to £388 per year if a child takes up their full 570 hours of free early education entitlement.

We use Early Years Pupil Premium Grant to put in additional staffing to support the children’s Personal, Social and Emotional development (PSED) and their Communication and Language (CAL). Research findings from the government document ‘Best Start in Life: 2024’, says it is ‘clear that a strong educational foundation in the early years, increases the likelihood of later success’. It goes on to say, ‘The prime areas of learning, including PSED and CAL, are vital for all babies and young children because they underpin all later learning’.

Support is tailored to children's individual needs. Sometimes there may be a group of children with a similar need,  on these occasions we will put on a special project for that group e.g. building social skills through Forest Nursery, developing their cultural capital through visits in the locality, supporting language development by using the Wellcomm tools. Otherwise, an early years practitioner works with the children individually or releases their key person so they can work with the child on an individual level.