Single Early Years Funding Formula Briefing

April 2009

For private, voluntary and independent settings offering free places for 3 and 4

year olds

Aims for the session

Help you:

• Understand the background to the SEYFF, and how/why we’ve got here

• Be aware of the implications of the SEYFF and how the new funding process will work

• Be aware of the additional support available

Format of the session

• Presentation

• General questions and answers

• ‘Surgery’ for individual questions/issues

Background

• Historically, PVI and maintained sectors have been funded differently

• Increasingly new requirements apply to both e.g. EYFS, flexible and extended entitlement, graduate leader

•By April 2010, all LAs will have a SEYFF in place

•Herts – pathfinder – implementation in April 2009

Hertfordshire’s Process

• Survey of actual costs

•‘Theoretical’ cost model

•Development of formula

•Early Years Consultative Group

•Endorsement from Schools’ Forum and county councillors

• Additional £3 million

The Result

• All PVI providers gain (475)

• Most nursery classes gain (275)

• Most nursery schools gain (15), but of those that lose, some lose a lot

• Other Fours schemes would all lose (34)

Key Changes in the SEYFF• Move away from flat rate funding• Factors include per child (basic), per child (other

factors), per setting• No fixed hourly rate• Annual budget set in advance• Based on actual numbers in the previous year• No in-year adjustments • Funding is for the whole year (39 weeks rather

than 38 so funds INSET days)• Less forms

Key features that won’t change

• Most funding still based on child numbers• Additional funding for extended/flexible

entitlement, graduate leaders, 2 year olds’ pilot still separate

• Termly headcount forms still needed• Early Years Census, Annual Declaration still

required• Sustainability for small rural providers: change

expected in 2010/11

Process and Paperwork

- Budget share sent out in March- Annual budget plan required- Support available from Pre-School

Learning Alliance- Workshops on annual budgeting,

organised by PSLA- Termly payments made mid-April, mid-

Sept and mid-Jan- Termly headcount form

Issues we expect

- Annual budgeting

- Changes in numbers: when is it exceptional?

- Setting charges for ‘additional services’: no hourly rate

Next Steps….• Immediate next steps – see slide on Process and

Paperwork

• New edition of the Early Years Handbook

• April/Sept 2010: extended/flexible entitlement goes nationwide

• April 2010: SEYFF goes nationwide

• Expect some changes to Hertfordshire’s SEYFF to fit in with the nation-wide scheme