Tag Archive for: childcare provider

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Apply by 31 December for Funded Childcare in January!

Apply by 31 December for Funded Childcare in January!

Today’s post is an urgent reminder: if you want your child to benefit from free, government-funded childcare hours from January, you must apply for the funding no later than 31 December. That’s the case whether you’re a new applicant or an existing one for the types of childcare support that require a code. If you miss the 31 December deadline, you’ll have no code to give your provider — meaning they won’t be able to provide free childcare hours to your child for the whole of that term. So — time is of the essence! Today, we bring you more detailed information and a reminder of how and where to apply, so you’re not out of pocket or without childcare from the term starting this January.

“If you do not apply on or before the deadline, you will not be able to take up your entitlements in that term.” ∞

Which Childcare Funding Schemes Require a Code?

There are several ways the UK Government supports eligible children with childcare funding. Of those, the most popular childcare funding schemes in England that require a code are:

  1. 30 hours of free childcare per week for eligible working families with children aged from 9 months to 4 years inclusive. That’s 1140 free childcare hours per year. (Learn more).
  2. 15 hours of free childcare per week for disadvantaged children, aged 2, from households that receive some additional Government support — e.g., benefits like Universal Credit, JSA, Disability Living Allowance, and others. The 15 hours per week, for 38 weeks of the year, represent 570 hours of free childcare per annum. (Learn more).

Another popular scheme, which provides 15 hours of free childcare per week (570 per year) to all children aged 3 and 4 living in England, is known as the Universal Entitlement. However, this scheme does not require a code.

There are also additional schemes, for example, Tax-Free Childcare and support for student parents.

Confused About Which Childcare Support Your Child is Entitled To?

It can be confusing trying to work out which, if any, childcare funding/support schemes your child may be entitled to. However, the UK Government has a useful online tool that allows you to quickly and easily check what childcare support your child is entitled to. Click the bold blue link and answer a few simple questions. Within just a few moments, the options that apply to you will be confirmed.

“We recommend parents speak with their chosen provider about when they will be able to offer them a place.”  — BestStartinLife.gov.uk

Check if a Childcare Place is Available

You will, of course, need to check whether a funded childcare place is actually available locally for your child. After researching local providers, check with your preferred childcare provider first — or with an alternative if your first choice has no availability for your child. Bear in mind that some providers also have waiting lists, so don’t leave it too late.

“If your chosen provider doesn’t have a place available, we advise that you explore other providers in your local area.”  — BestStartinLife.gov.uk

Apply for Childcare Funding & Your All-Important Code

When you’re confident you know which type of childcare support you are entitled to, and have lined up a provider, you’ll need to apply for the funding and all-important code, where applicable.

  • For childcare support for working parents, apply online on the Gov.uk website in order to obtain your code.
  • For childcare support for disadvantaged 2-year-olds who receive some additional form of support, apply via your local council to get your code.
  • For the Universal Entitlement scheme for all 3 and 4-year-olds living in England, contact your preferred childcare provider directly. No code is required, but you’ll need to provide your child’s birth certificate and sign a form.

You will need to reconfirm eligibility every 3 months, via your Childcare Account, to continue receiving the childcare funding/support. Emailed reminders will be sent to you 2 and 4 weeks before the deadlines for reconfirmation.

The Application Deadline

The deadline for applying for childcare codes is the last day of the month that precedes the start of the term. So:

  • For the January term, apply for your code no later than 31 December.
  • For the April term, apply for your code no later than 31 March.
  • For the September term, apply for your code no later than 31 August.

That said, we urge families to apply ideally at least 6 weeks earlier than the deadline, not least because some childcare providers ask for codes earlier than the deadlines specified above. Applying early will also allow time to iron out any unexpected issues that may arise.

After Applying

After applying, most families find out whether their application is successful right away — and receive their code immediately if so. However, sometimes it takes longer, which is another reason not to leave applications until the last minute.

NOTE: Failure to successfully apply by the deadline will mean that your child is unlikely to be able to receive funding for that entire term.

DON’T FORGET: You will need to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months.

Good luck with your application!

Nursery Places at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderAre you looking for a childcare place in Streatham? If you have a baby, toddler, or child under five and live nearby, consider Little Cedars Day Nursery in Streatham for your weekday childcare. We are rated as a Good Provider by Ofsted, offer a home-from-home and nurturing environment for your child, and support various childcare funding schemes for eligible families. We also offer a stretched (51-week) provision that spreads free childcare hours over the whole year.  As well as providing a childcare service to families in Streatham, we may also suit those living nearby in places like Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury, and Colliers Wood. Choose an option to get in touch today:

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675
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Apply Now for the ‘30 Hours’ Childcare Scheme for Working Families – for Children 9 Months+

Apply Now for the ‘30 Hours’ Childcare Scheme for Working Families – for Children 9 Months+

[May 2025]: Applications are now open for the final “30 hours” expansion of the Government’s free childcare scheme for working families. The new, expanded childcare hours are for eligible children, aged 9 months up to 3 years by 1st September 2025, attending nursery from that month. It doubles the previous number of hours available under the scheme, potentially saving eligible families as much as £7,500 per annum per child. The extended childcare hours will also allow parents — particularly mothers — improved potential to get back into work or take on more hours. Either would increase both household income and the greater economy. Most importantly, though, increasing access to high-quality early years childcare will give children the best start in life, enabling them with the skills and tools necessary to thrive once they leave early years settings to begin school.

Don’t delay — if your child is eligible, you can now apply for the September 2025 term but you only have until the 31st of August in which to do so. That deadline will be here before we know it, so act quickly if you want to benefit from the expanded childcare funding from September 2025.

The changes will make a “massive difference to children and working parents”— Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary.

Here’s a snapshot:

  • Who can apply? Eligible working families with a child aged 9 months up to 3 years by September 1st 2025.
  • How many funded hours will be available? 30 hours per week over 38 weeks per year term time (1140 childcare hours over the year).*
  • When can families start to apply? From 12th May 2025 for a September ’25 term start.
  • When is the application deadline? Apply no later than 31 August 2025 if you want your child to start nursery in the September 2025 term.
  • What About Children Aged 3 and 4? 3-and-4-year-olds of eligible working families have been able to access the 30 hours of free childcare per week (1140 hours per year) since it was phased in late last year (September 2024). Previously, only half those hours had been available under the scheme for this age group.
  • Does the funding cover everything? No. The government funding does not cover additional items like extra childcare hours over the allowance or nappies, meals, and the cost of trips. Your chosen provider will be able to provide more details specific to their particular setting. To clarify for government-funded places at Little Cedars Day Nursery, meals, other consumables, and extra hours will need to be paid for separately.
  • What if we’re not a working family? If you’re not a working family that’s eligible for the new 30 hours extension, it’s worth noting that all children who live in England already qualify for 15 hours per week (570 childcare hours per annum) under their ‘Universal Entitlement’. That is a separate scheme that’s explained here, does not require parents to be working, and is not means tested.

* Some settings may allow some flexibility, for example, by spreading out the same number of annual hours over more weeks of the year. For the academic year 2025-26, Little Cedars will accommodate families in this way via a 51-week provision starting in September 2025. Click here to learn more.

This is a plan “to break the unfair link between background and opportunity across this country, which starts by ensuring our children start school ready to learn.” — Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary.

Eligibility

The key rules around eligibility for working families state that both you and your partner if you have one must:

  • Click the link below for an overview of the 30 Hours childcare funding scheme available to eligible children, from 9 months of age, from September 2025.Work at least 16 hours or more per week at the National Minimum Wage∞ or more;
  • Earn an adjusted net income∞ of less than £100k per annum;
  • Have a National Insurance number.

If the above factors do not apply to you, you may still be eligible for childcare funding if you are disabled, a carer, on maternity/paternity/adoption leave, or receive certain benefits or assistance from the government. Check your eligibility more comprehensively in Step 1 below. More details and an excellent overview are also provided in an official video provided by the Department of Education (viewing time: 2½ minutes).

To-Do List

  1. First, check that your child is eligible via the Childcare Choices website.
  2. If eligible, apply for the funded childcare on the Government website by 31 August 2025 if you want your child to start in the September 2025 term. If applying for a different term, you will need to apply during the term preceding it (terms begin on the 1st of January, April and September). Once approved, you will be issued with a code that your childcare provider will require in order to access the funding.
  3. Contact your preferred childcare provider at any point to check if they have a place available for your child under the scheme. Be aware that some have waiting lists.
  4. Log into your Gov.uk childcare account every 3 months to ensure your code is kept up to date. You need to reconfirm your details and check for continued eligibility in case your circumstances have changed.

You will not be able to receive the funded childcare without a valid code!

Funded Nursery Places at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderLittle Cedars Day Nursery is a wonderful childcare setting in Streatham, close to Tooting Common, that offers a first-class service to local families and their children. The setting supports most government-funded childcare schemes and thereby provides affordable childcare for Streatham, Furzedown, Tooting and Balham families. Through the government funding schemes, free childcare is available to eligible children aged from 9 months to school age and this includes a number of places available under the extended ’30 hours’ scheme for working families. It’s the perfect way to give children the best start in life while also allowing parents, especially mothers, to rejoin the workplace after maternity leave, boost working hours if they want to, and elevate household income.

Begin your application to Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham, come for a visit with your child or send us your questions today. We can’t wait to meet you!

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675

Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham is rated as a Good Provider of childcare and early years education by Ofsted. It may also be a convenient choice for families living nearby in Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

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38 Weeks, 42 Weeks & All-Year-Round Childcare in Streatham

38 Weeks, 42 Weeks & All-Year-Round Childcare Options in Streatham
At Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham, we offer a range of three main options for weekday childcare and early years education. Some families require all-year-round childcare for their under-five child. Others may prefer (or, if funded through Government schemes, only be eligible for) “term-time” cover over 38 weeks of the year. Between those two options, Little Cedars Nursery also now offers a ‘midway’ solution that provides childcare cover for 42 weeks. In today’s post, we clarify how the options work and differ over the course of the year, including in calendar form so that parents can see the differences graphically. See our overview below and click the calendar image for a larger view. If you have any questions, use one of the contact options at the end of today’s post and we’ll be happy to help.

Calendar showing the academic year with options of 38, 42 and all-year-round childcare at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham.

All-Year-Round Childcare

Our all-year-round childcare option does pretty much “what it says on the tin” and provides weekday childcare and early years education right across the year. Apart, of course, from that week or so when we’re closed over Christmas/New Year and on inset days and public holidays. So, it’s a great solution for busy parents.

38 Weeks of Childcare

Our 38-week childcare option is particularly well-suited for those families whose childcare is funded through one of the key Government childcare schemes. These typically fund a child over 38 weeks of the year. However, do talk to us (or your childcare provider if not Little Cedars Nursery) if you would like to explore the possibility of stretching the hours out over more weeks of the year.

The term dates and holidays for the 38-week option match very closely with those of most schools*, so are often referred to as ‘term-time’ places. So, if you have an older child at school as well as a child at nursery or preschool, your under-five child’s timetable should synchronise well if they attend using the 38-week option.

* Term dates sometimes differ a little from school to school. Check yours here.

The 38-week option also ties in with the legal minimum number of days that childcare settings like ours are required to be open each year (190 days when the nursery must be open to children plus 5 inset days for staff training and development).

42 Weeks of Childcare

Little Cedars Nursery has also introduced a childcare timetable that’s somewhere between the all-year-round and 38-week options. With our “42-week” childcare option, under-fives at Little Cedars Nursery are looked after over four more weeks of the year than provided by the 38-week option. This will give greater flexibility for families, particularly where parents simply cannot take as much time off work as there are school breaks. For example, childcare is provided during the school half-term break in February, during one week of normal school closures between spring and summer term in early April, and during two weeks of the school summer holidays in late July/early August. Take a look at the calendar provided above to see how the three options differ across the academic year.

Days when children don’t attend, common to all three options, are:

  • Inset days when we’re closed to childcare provision while staff attend training and development sessions.
  • Bank holidays and public holidays when, like virtually all businesses, the nursery is closed.
  • The week or so between the start of Christmas and the New Year, when the nursery is closed.

Check Out our Competitive Fees

You can check out our competitive childcare fees here. There are a few things to note therein:

  • Fee-paying places have slightly longer sessions, with morning sessions starting at 7:45 am and afternoon sessions finishing at 6:15 pm. In contrast, term-time Government-funded places begin a little later at 8:00 am and the afternoon sessions finish at 6:00 pm.
  • Lunch hour occurs between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm.
  • For some children receiving government-funded hours, additional fees may be required for meals.
  • The standard £85 daily fee and £46 half-day fee are reduced, in effect, for those attending all year round.
  • Fee-paying siblings of children already attending the nursery are eligible for a 13% discount.

Fees and details are correct at the time of writing (31 October 2024).

High-Quality Weekday Childcare at Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

Little Cedars is a nursery & preschool offering high-quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rates Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderDo you have a baby, toddler, or child under five in or around the Streatham area? If so, do consider us today for your childcare provision. As you can see above, we have several options that will suit a variety of different family situations. We also support many Government-funded free childcare schemes for eligible families. What’s more, we’re way more than just a childcare provider; we nurture every child to bring out the best in every area of their learning and development, enabling them to thrive and be ‘school-ready’ by the time they leave us to begin primary school.

Little Cedars Nursery is located in Streatham and is just a stone’s throw from Tooting Common. So, we will suit families requiring childcare nurseries in Streatham, Streatham Common, Streatham Hill, and Streatham Park as well as those looking for good nurseries near Tooting, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.

Contact us today, book a free guided tour of the nursery, message us or ask us a question — we’ll be happy to help:

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675
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Little Cedars is a Good Nursery — It’s Official!

Little Cedars is a Good Nursery — It’s Official!

Little Cedars is a good nursery — and that’s now official! The Ofsted Report for the nursery was published on 15th July 2022, based on Ofsted’s inspection of the childcare setting in mid-June.

“… a family atmosphere, where all children play happily together.”

We’re delighted to confirm that Ofsted rate the nursery as ‘Good’ in every single category. It’s wonderful to have official recognition of the high quality childcare service that we offer at the Streatham nursery. Parents of children at the nursery/pre-school will also, no doubt, be pleased to receive independent confirmation that their children are receiving high quality childcare and early years education provision, with good safeguarding measures being in place. So — approval across the board.

A ‘Good’ Ofsted Rating in EVERY category

A Good Ofsted rating for Little Cedars Nursery in StreathamHere’s how Ofsted rate Little Cedars Nursery:

  • The quality of education is officially ‘Good’
  • Behaviour & attitudes are officially ‘Good’
  • The opportunity for personal development is officially ‘Good’
  • The quality of leadership & management is also officially ‘Good’

Click here to download the full Ofsted Report for Little Cedars Day Nursery, Streatham or read the key findings below.

What Ofsted Says About Little Cedars Day Nursery

As you’ll see, the inspector sang the praises of staff and their relationships with children. They were clearly impressed with the way they reassure, encourage, keep them safe and nurture appropriate behaviours.

“Children have good relationships with staff and each other … They offer lots of cuddles and reassurance, which helps children feel safe and secure.

In regard to the early years curriculum, the Ofsted Inspector said:

“Children make good progress and enjoy an ambitious curriculum of well-planned activities based on their learning needs and interests.”

They also commented about the nursery’s wonderful outdoor area and its benefits:

“… children develop good physical skills and gain lots of exercise and fresh air in the large outside play area.”

The Inspector also remarked on the pleasure, knowledge and hands-on experience that children get from the nursery’s pet chickens, chicks, rabbits, lizard and stick insects, remarking that it, “enables children to actively learn about nature and gain hands-on experience of caring for living things.”

What About Children With Additional Needs?

In regard to supporting children with additional needs, the Inspector said:

“Children who have additional needs are making good progress from their starting points. Managers and staff offer highly effective support and work closely with parents and other agencies … enabling targeted support that helps children reach their full potential.”

What Else Does Little Cedars Day Nursery Do Well?

The Ofsted report has a long list of things the Inspector said Little Cedars does well. A few examples follow:

“Staff … work cooperatively as a team and show high regard to promoting inclusive practice. This creates a family atmosphere, where all children play happily together.”

Parents also gave the Ofsted Inspector wonderful feedback about the nursery/pre-school:

“Parents give positive comments about the quality of care. They value the support from the manager and staff when completing assessments and comment that the staff are kind and friendly.”

Also, in regard to children whose first language is not English:

“Parents say that their children have learned to speak English quickly … Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well … Consequently, children are making good progress and their understanding and use of English [is] rapidly improving.”

The Inspector also sang the praises of creative play activities at the nursery, helping them “to develop their free creative expression.”

Effective Safeguarding

The Ofsted Inspection also found the arrangements for safeguarding to be effective. It was clear that the training in this area is regarded as high quality and sustained, with good procedures and regular risk assessments in place to keep children safe. Children’s safety and wellbeing is, after all, at the forefront of our minds at all times.

Why Ofsted Reports are Important

Ofsted reports are important because they are undertaken by highly knowledgeable, independent professionals and also factor in feedback from a variety of stakeholders. So, they take account not only of the views of the Ofsted inspector who visits on the day, but also feedback from parents, staff and even children from the setting. The inspector also appraises the nursery/pre-school setting in action, additionally ensuring that records, staff vetting, qualifications, safeguarding and quality of teaching are all up to scratch. Little Cedars passed in every area, with flying colours.

A Good Nursery/Pre-school in Streatham for your Baby, Toddler or Under-5 Child

Little Cedars Nursery and pre-school: high quality childcare in Streatham, near Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury & Colliers Wood.

Little Cedars is a nursery & pre-school offering high quality childcare in Streatham, near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood.Ofsted rate Little Cedars Day Nursery as a Good ProviderChoose a good nursery/pre-school for your child in Streatham, which is also very near to Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Streatham Common and Furzedown. We’re also very conveniently located if you’re looking for a good weekday childcare service near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Tooting Common, Balham, Norbury or Colliers Wood. Contact us to arrange a guided visit with your child, to apply for a nursery or pre-school place, or to ask any questions. Please choose a contact method from the buttons below and we’ll be very happy to help:

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675
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