We are open from 9 a.m – 3.30 p.m. every school day during term time and you may book any combination of morning and afternoon sessions, with or without lunchtimes, (depending on availability). The new hourly rates are £5.00 for 3&4 year-olds and £6.00 for 2 year-olds, this is effective from 01/09/2024. 

	Times	3- 5 year olds	2 year olds
Morning Session	9:00am-12:00pm	£14.25 (£15 from 1st Sept 2024)	£16.80 (£18 from 1st Sept 2024)
Lunch Session	12:00pm-12:30pm	£2.38 (£2.50 from 1st Sept 2024)	£2.80 (£3.00 from 1st Sept 2024)
Afternoon Session	12:30pm-3:30pm	£14.25 (£15 from 1st Sept 2024)	£16.80 (£18 from 1st Sept 2024)
All Day Session	9:00am-3:30pm	£30.88 (£32.50 from 1st Sept 2024)	£36.40 (£39 from 1st Sept 2024)

 

 

Funded Childcare

From the term after their third birthday, until they start school, all 3 to 4 year olds in England can get 570 free hours per year. It’s usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year, (during school term time), but you can choose to take fewer hours over more weeks. 

Some 3 to 4 year olds are eligible for 30 hours of funded early years childcare, up to a maximum of 1140 hours per year. Again, you may wish to use up to 30 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year (term time) or some providers will allow you to ‘stretch’ the hours over 52 weeks, using fewer hours per week

Check if you’re eligible and find out how to apply

Further information regarding 30 hour eligibility can be found on the Devon County Council website: CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Eligibility

• if you are working

• your income (and your partner’s income, if this is applicable)

• your child’s age and circumstances

• your immigration status 

You can get 30 hours free childcare at the same time as claiming Universal Credit, tax credits, childcare vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare.

2 Year Old Funding 

If you receive an invitation in the post, your child may be entitled to 2 year old funding – but you will still need to check your eligibility.

Check your eligibility now

If you are eligible, you will be sent either an email or a message, (you can choose which). If someone checked your eligibility for you then you will receive a letter in the post. Please take this information to your chosen nursery, preschool or childminder as proof of your eligibility. 

Your 2 year old is eligible for funded childcare if you receive any of the following benefits:

• Income Support

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments

• Child Tax Credits and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax

• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit

• the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

2-year-olds can also get funded childcare if they:

• are looked after by the Local Authority

• have an Education, Health and Care Plan

• get Disability Living Allowance

• have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order

Parents or carers of foster children, children who are in the care of another local authority, children with additional needs or adopted children should apply online and attach supporting evidence to their application.

The Disability Access Fund (DAF)

If your child is 3 or 4 years old and receives disability living allowance (DLA), then our setting would be eligible to receive disability access funding, which is £800 per child per year to ensure that your child’s needs are met. If this is applicable, then we would speak to our Local Authority.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Inclusion Fund

To support early years providers in meeting the needs of individual children with SEND, every local authority has a SEND Inclusion Fund.

The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)  

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) can be claimed by the early education provider if a child at their setting is accessing free early education and the child is aged 3 or 4. The EYPP is focused on the most disadvantaged children. The eligibility criteria for the EYPP is therefore very tight, targeted at three and four year olds from economically disadvantaged households and those who are in care or have been in care.

Invoices

Invoices for non-funded hours are sent out within the first two weeks of each term and fees are paid via the school Parent Pay system. We understand that, for some families, paying towards the end of a full term can result in quite a considerable invoice to pay. Therefore, invoices are split into two half terms, e.g. Spring 1 and Spring 2. Invoices will need to be paid by the dates specified on the invoice, usually 2 weeks prior to the end of that half term. However, this is subject to when the invoice is issued. 

If you have any difficulty paying for a particular invoice, then please arrange to speak in confidence to Miss Garrett or Mrs Osbon.

If, by the end of a half term there is still an outstanding amount to pay, then unfortunately, any non-funded hours for the following half term will be stopped. This would not affect your child’s funded hours. If, once the invoice has been cleared, you may be able to increase your child’s non-funded hours, subject to availability.  

We would be thrilled to share the start of your child’s learning journey and currently have spaces available. If you would like to arrange a visit please contact us on:

Contact Us

Axminsterlittleacorns@acornacademy.org

AXMINSTER COMMUNITY PRIMARY ACADEMY

Stoney Lane

Axminster, Devon EX13 5BU

Phone: 01297 33005

Email: Axminsterlittleacorns@acornacademy.org or

axminsteroffice@acornacademy.org