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As you are aware, you will now have received notification of the updated funding rates for 2026 – 2027, following the Schools Forum meeting held on the 28 January 2026, these are scheduled to be presented to Cabinet for approval in March 2026.
The local authority is continuing to receive queries / concerns from parents regarding how providers are applying charges when accessing the government’s early years entitlement funding.
We have also been made aware that Ofsted are being approached by parents who are concerned that the additional charges being made in relation to their child's early entitlement funded hours are not inclusive or are impacting the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage. In some instances, this is now leading to regulatory calls/visits from Ofsted.
Please be reminded that*
- Mandatory charges must not be applied to the funded hours
- Charges should be published
- Invoices should be broken down / itemised
- Clarity is provided around voluntary consumables / extra optional activities
- Children are able to take up their funded hours in continuous blocks - there should be no artificial breaks
- Updates to information reflect the expansion
- Updates are included following Ofsted changes
*The above points are not an exhaustive list.
Can we please remind providers to ensure your provision aligns with the requirements outlined in both the Department for Education (DfE) Statutory Guidance and your Provider Agreement when delivering the funded hours.
Provider’s policies and procedures must be clear and transparent for parents, along with any optional services and charges. There must not be any mandatory charges for parents in relation to the funded hours. Whilst providers are able to charge for extras, these must be voluntary for parents in relation to the funded entitlement hours - regardless of whether your provision delivers the funding as a term time or stretched (over the holiday period) option. Providers must ensure that children receive the same quality when accessing learning, activities or care regardless of whether or not, a parent / carer chooses to purchase additional hours, meals or optional services; as stated in the Statutory Guidance:
Providers should deliver the free entitlements consistently, so that all children within a setting accessing any of the free entitlements receive the same quality and access to provision, regardless of whether they choose to pay for voluntary hours, voluntary extra services, meals or consumables.
Adhering to the specifications outlined in the DfE’s Statutory Guidance and having a consistent approach to the delivery of the government’s early years entitlements, will reduce the risk of potential challenges or disputes from parents, whilst also preventing possible Ofsted regulatory calls or visits.
If you have any queries around applying charges, please do not hesitate to make contact with us via the relevant generic e-mail address:
Cs.enquiries.childminders@derbyshire.gov.uk
Cs.enquiries.groupcare@derbyshire.gov.uk
Cs.enquiries.schools@derbyshire.gov.uk
Further to previous notifications, the Department for Education (DfE) require providers to:
- publish information on the setting’s website or on the local authority’s Families Information Services website – to support parents make an informed choice of provider;
- ensure invoices and receipts are clear, transparent, itemised and broken down separately – allowing parents to see they have received their early years entitlement completely free of charge and understand that any fees paid are for additional hours or optional services.
IMPORTANT: We will be liaising with Derbyshire providers shortly to request the completion of two quick questionnaires with an aim to support providers meet this statutory duty.
To apply for funding for a full academic year (38 weeks) you must:
- Submit your application by Friday, 13 February 2026.
- Ensure places can be available by Monday, 13 April 2026.
If you are interested in either expanding your current wraparound offer or creating new provision, please email the Sufficiency Team for further information: CS.SufficiencyService@derbyshire.gov.uk
The local authority continues to work towards the government ambition for all primary school aged children, who want it, to be able to access wraparound provision by September 2026 from 8.00am to 6.00pm.
The Department for Education has confirmed that the Wraparound Programme Funding can now fund ‘partial places’ as long as:
- there is at least 30 minutes provision before the school day
- after school provision finishes no earlier than 90 minutes from the end of the school day
- families can access childcare at least three days per week
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The HUB is a bank of resources available to childcare providers and schools. Here you will find a comprehensive library of the resources developed to support early years and wraparound providers long-term sustainability: HUB Resources |
The links below direct providers to business finance support:
The links below direct providers to resources which support the development of marketing strategies:
The provider portal will be open: Tuesday 10 - 26 February 2026
Please ensure data is submitted accurately on to the system and all children’s hours are included, as outlined on the child’s completed FE1 parent/carer declaration form.
IMPORTANT: Please be reminded of the importance of accurate data being submitted onto the provider portal, as inaccurate data, consequently, will not pull through eligibility.
If you do not submit your information by this deadline, you will not receive your funding during the normal payment timescale. Financial Services are not able to make bespoke payments where submissions have been missed.
The portal will also be open: Tuesday 10 - 26 February 2026 for ‘Adjustments’ submissions to enable you to include any changes which occurred during the January / February 2026 periods.
IMPORTANT: Can we please remind providers that ‘Adjustments’ submissions are for children who increase/decrease their hours or start/leave a provision following the closure of Actuals. Adjustments should not be used as an alternative to Actuals.
Once all the information has been submitted, please remember to click ‘Send Claim’. You will see a green tick when your claim has been submitted.
If you experience any difficulties in submitting your data, please refer to the useful guidance information on the SchoolsNet - Funding and contracts tile in the first instance.
If you continue to experience difficulties, please e-mail:
cs.enquiries.groupcare@derbyshire.gov.uk; cs.enquiries.childminders@derbyshire.gov;
cs.enquiries.schools@derbyshire.gov.uk and an Officer will make contact with you.
Due to the volume of queries being received, please allow the Officer time to respond, ensuring you include your name, name of the setting, contact details and relevant information to your query.
Following each submission period, please check that the hours you have claimed are correct. You can do this by following the step by step guidance on the document ‘View Payments and Previous Claims’, which can be found on SchoolsNet via the following link: Funding and contracts.
Providers are continued to be reminded that the early years funding follows the child, this means there is NOT a required notice period for the funded hours.
Where a child leaves, providers will be paid to the end of the funded week of the child’s last day of attendance. The child can access their early years entitlement with another provider at the start of the next funded week. This is outlined at 10.9 in your signed Early years' provider agreement - Derbyshire County Council and also included in the terms and conditions of the FE1 parent/carer declaration form:
However, providers are able to set their own notice period for parents taking up any additional non funded hours. This is also reflected in the third point within the terms and condition of the declaration, parent / carer contract (FE1 form):
If my child only attends for an early years’ entitlement place, I understand that there is not a required notice period and that should my child leave, the following will happen:
- my provider will be paid to the end of the funded week of my child’s last day of attendance.
- my child can access the early years entitlement with another provider at the start of the next funded week.
I will inform the provider of my child’s last day of attendance in advance, if possible. If I am paying for additional childcare hours, I understand my provider may have a notice period that I will adhere to.
Providers are continued to be reminded of the process, prior to this annual funding supplement being paid:
- the DAF box should only be ticked for children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
- the DLA letter must be seen and a copy retained securely by the provider.
- the 9-digit reference number (displayed on the child’s DLA letter) must be submitted on the provider portal (child’s ‘Notes’ tab).
- the 9-digit reference number should also be included on the FE1 / Parent Declaration Form.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: If the DLA reference number is not entered on to the provider portal, as evidence for this funding, DAF funding will not be paid.
NO reference number - NO payment.
 DAF is currently payable as a lump sum of £938 once a year per eligible child. Children do not have to take up the full 570 hours of early education to receive Disability Access Funding.
It has come to our attention that Providers may find it helpful to translate the FE1 form to another language for those parents whose first language is not English.
Therefore, please see the explanation below, which shows you how to translate specifically chosen pieces of text:
Local authority notification:
Should you need to close your provision due to flooding, illness, snow, or an unforeseen circumstance, please ensure you notify the funding team via the relevant in-box:
CS.enquiries.childminders@derbyshire.gov.uk
CS.enquiries.groupcare@derbyshire.gov.uk
CS.enquiries.schools@derbyshire.gov.uk
Along with the quality team via: CS.EYS@derbyshire.gov.uk
Ofsted notification:
For closures of three days or more please be reminded that there is also a requirement to notify Ofsted.
IMPORTANT: Please remember to access the SchoolsNet - Funding and contracts tile where you will find a suite of step-by-step guidance and information to help you submit funding data on to the provider portal.
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If you are a contracted provider and would like to receive text reminders when the provider portal is open / closed, please ensure you notify us (and Ofsted of course!) of your mobile number.
Where the local authority has received a mobile number from your setting, this will automatically be included in the ‘Texting’ notifications.
Please let us know via email if you wish to be removed from this Service.
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