The Extension to the Free Early Education Entitlement Offer for 25% of 3- and 4–year-olds: Interim Guidance for LAs

This interim guidance supports local authorities to deliver the flexible extension to the free early education entitlement offer to 25 per cent of their most disadvantaged 3-and 4-year-olds.

From September 2010, every local authority must offer 15 hours of free early education to all 3- and 4-year-olds, over a minimum of 38 weeks. That offer must be made available flexibly to meet parental demand over a minimum of three days. As a step towards this, from September 2009, all local authorities will be required to make the offer available to 25 per cent of their most disadvantaged 3-and 4-year olds. This document is interim guidance for local authorities on how to deliver that offer.

Local authorities will also want to be aware of the interim guidance on creating a Single Funding Formula to fund providers for delivering the offer to 3- and 4-year olds. This will become a legal requirement from 2010.