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