Funding
Early Years Funding
Helping make childcare more affordable 💛
At Headstart, we accept funded early education hours for eligible children. We offer a range of ways to use your funded hours, allowing you to choose the option that works best for your family and your child.
Funded hours can be taken during term time or stretched across the year, depending on your eligibility and the funding arrangement you choose.
🌱 15 Hours Funding - 2–3 Years
Eligible 2–3-year-olds may be entitled to 15 funded hours per week.
Funding can be taken term time only or limited stretched spaces across the year, giving you flexibility in how you use your hours.
Ways you can use your funded hours
You can choose from a variety of session patterns, including:
☀️ Full-day sessions - Term-time funded sessions – Use your funded hours across a full day, with any applicable voluntary payment discussed with you in advance.
🌈 Morning sessions – Term-time funded sessions - 8:30am – 11:30am
🌸 Afternoon sessions – Term-time funded sessions - 12:00pm – 3:00pm
💛 Two full days + one half day – Term-time funded sessions - 9:00am – 3:00pm on two days, plus one half-day session.
🌿 Split sessions – Term-time funded sessions - 8:30am – 11:30am and 12:00pm – 3:00pm – Children can return home for lunch between sessions.
🎨 15 & 30 Hours Funding - 3–5 Years
Eligible 3–5-year-olds may be entitled to 15 or 30 funded hours per week, depending on their eligibility.
Your funded hours can be taken term time only or stretched across the year, giving you flexibility to choose an arrangement that suits your family.
Ways you can use your funded hours
☀️ Full-day sessions - Funded hours can be used within our full-day childcare - 8:00am–6:00pm
📚 Term-time funded sessions - For families using their funding term time only, funded hours can be used between 9:00am–3:00pm.
🌸 Afternoon sessions - Term-time funded sessions – 12:00pm – 3:00pm
💛 Two full days + one half day - Term-time funded sessions – 9:00am – 3:00pm on two days, plus one half-day session
🌿 Split sessions - Term-time funded sessions - 8:30am – 11:30am and 12:00pm – 3:00pm – Children can return home for lunch between sessions
💛 Need help understanding your funding?
We understand that childcare funding can sometimes feel complicated, so our friendly team are here to help.
If you’re unsure which funding you may be eligible for, how your funded hours can be used, or which session pattern would work best for your family, please speak to our nursery office.
📚 Helpful Funding Guides
To make things easier, we’ve put together some helpful information guides below, including how to apply for funding, available session times and our current prices.
Please take a look through the guides below for everything you need to know about making the most of your funded hours.
📖 How to Apply for Funding
🕐 Funding Session Times
💷 Funding & Price Guide
💙 Tax-Free Childcare
You may also be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare, which can help with the cost of your childcare.
For more information about eligibility and how to apply, please visit the official government website:
If you still have questions after reading the guides, please don't hesitate to get in touch — we're always happy to help.