The Government provides additional funding for the education of some children from 9 months old. You must get at least one of the following for your child 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  Pension Credit
• Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year after tax not including any benefits you get

A child might also be eligible for early years pupil premium if they are 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 £655 per year if a child takes up their full 15 eligible hours of early education entitlement.

EYPP funding applies to eligible children who receive either:

• 15 hours entitlement for disadvantaged 2 year olds
• 15 hours working parents' entitlement for children aged 2 years
• 15 hours working parents' entitlement for children aged 9 months - 2 years

The children must meet the eligibility criteria to receive EYPP funding.

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 year’s practitioner works with the children individually or releases their key person so they can work with the child on an individual level.