Early education places
The Government funds local authorities to ensure a free part-time early education place is available for every three and four year old in settings that have been inspected by Ofsted and found satisfactory in terms of quality.Three and four year old children are entitled to early years education, comprising five, two and half hour, sessions per week for 11 weeks each term. Parents do not contribute towards this minimum entitlement but may be charged fees for any services or childcare that is additional to the free place.
Free places can be provided by a variety of providers in the maintained, private, voluntary and independent sectors including registered childminder networks, schools, nurseries and playgroups. Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council offers nursery education for children beginning in the September following their third birthday. There are nursery units based at most infant and primary schools offering five half-day sessions per week. These are for two and a half hours per session either in the morning or afternoon.
Eligibility dates
All children, in the nationally prescribed term following their third birthday, are entitled to six terms of free early education before reaching statutory school age (the first term following their fifth birthday). This equates to three terms for both three year olds and four year olds.
The term times are set out as follows:
Children born between 1 April and 31 August (inclusive) will be eligible to a free place from the autumn term following their third/fourth birthday.
Children born between 1 September and 31 December (inclusive) will be eligible to a free place from the spring term following their third/fourth birthday.
Children born between 1 January and 31 March (inclusive) will be eligible to a free place from the summer term following their third/fourth birthday
How to apply
If your child attends a nursery unit attached to a Solihull primary school, they automatically access their free entitlement.
If your child attends a private, voluntary or independent setting they will apply on your childs behalf to the local authority for their grant, you will be asked to complete a declaration form and provide a copy of your childs birth certificate. If your child attends for longer than two and a half hours a day, five sessions a week, you will be charged fees for the additional services and childcare, discuss this with your childcare provider or the CIS.
Other available benefits
From April 2003, existing tax credits (including working families tax credit and childcare tax credits) were replaced by two new tax credits; Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. Here is a brief explanation of what they are and how to apply.
Child Tax Credit is a payment to support families with children. You can claim Child Tax Credit if you are responsible for one child (or young person) or more. You do not have to be working to claim. Child Tax Credit is paid in addition to Child Benefit and any Working Tax Credit.
Child Tax Credit is paid directly to the person who is mainly responsible for caring for the children in the family. All families with children with an income of up to £58,000 a year will be able to claim this credit.
Working Tax Credit is a payment to top up the earnings of working people on low incomes, including those who do not have children. It is available to employees and self-employed people, and includes support for the costs of qualifying child care. Working Tax Credit is paid in addition to any Child Tax Credit that you may be entitled to. The amount you receive will be based on how many hours you normally work and your income (or joint income if you are part of a couple).
As part of Working Tax Credit, you may qualify for extra help towards the costs of registered or approved child care. This is known as the child care element within Working Tax Credit. To get this you must be working at least 16 hours per week. The childcare element of the Working Tax Credit is worth up to 70p in tax credit for every £1 per week you spend on approved child care, up to a limit of £135 per week if you have one child and up to £200 per week for two or more children.
The child care element is added to the amount of Working Tax Credit that you qualify for.
To see if you are entitled to Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit or both, you can go to www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/taxcredits to check your eligibility. If you find you are entitled to tax credits, you will be able to make your claim online immediately. Alternatively you can get a claim pack by phoning Helpline 0845 300 3900 8.00am - 8.00pm or for general information 0800 500 222.
Contact Details
If you would like any further information about nursery grant please contact the Early Years and Childcare Service
Telephone: 0121 788 5357
Email: earlyyears@solihull.gov.uk
Solihull School Admissions
For admission to a local school nursery
0121 704 6693