Funded early years entitlement hours are collected for eligible pupils aged 2, 3 and 4 years in nursery provision. The total number of free entitlement to early education hours spent in education provision at the school (following the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage) are recorded.

All children become eligible for funded early education from the term following their 3rd birthday, irrespective of background or family circumstances (the 3- and 4-year-old universal entitlement).

The Childcare Act 2006 and Childcare Act 2016 set out that children are only entitled to free early education entitlements until they reach compulsory school age (the beginning of the term following their 5th birthday).

A specified subset of disadvantaged 2-year-olds also becomes eligible from the term following their second birthday. Local authorities will confirm which 2-year-old children meet the eligibility criteria, if schools do not know.

Note, in some circumstances, 2-year-olds may be eligible for both the 15-hour entitlement for disadvantaged 2-year-olds and the expanded entitlement. In those circumstances, parents must use the disadvantaged entitlement first, then the working parent entitlement up to a maximum of 30 hours in total. For example, a parent eligible for both entitlements and using 25 hours of provision would record 15 hours of disadvantaged entitlement and 10 hours of the working parent entitlement.

The table shows the dates of birth and year groups of children for whom funded entitlement hours are required. Where a child falls into the cohorts listed below but is not in receipt of any funding via the funded early education entitlements, a value of zero is recorded for funded entitlement hours.

We will fund local authorities for the early years entitlements using data collected via the January censuses.

Funded entitlement hours contain only the hours the pupil is in education provision and following the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage. Such education will follow our statutory guidance for local authorities on early education and childcare. It excludes any hours where the pupil is not receiving education and any additional hours that are funded by other means (such as the parent).

Pupils aged 4 at the start of the academic year in ‘reception’ and above are funded as full-time equivalent pupils via the schools block of the dedicated schools grant. Therefore, funded entitlement hours are not relevant or required for those pupils, as they are not funded via the early years block.

For dual-registered pupils, record the funded entitlement hours spent in education at each school. The main registration records funded hours in education at the main registration, with the subsidiary recording funded hours in education at the subsidiary registration.

It is important that the funded entitlement hours recorded on the census accurately reflect the hours at the setting to 2 decimal places. It should be noted that this is a decimal of hours and therefore does not record hours and minutes. For example, where a pupil has:

• 10 and a half hours, this is recorded as 10.50
• 10 hours and 20 minutes, this is recorded as 10.33

Where funded universal entitlement hours are stretched, see the information on stretched funded universal, extended or expanded entitlement.

Where unusual circumstances affect data items as of census day and week, refer to the section on unusual circumstances.

Funded extended entitlement hours [used for funding]

This information is not required from city technology colleges or non-maintained special schools.

Extended funded entitlement hours are collected for 3- and 4-year-old children with working parents who are in education provision (that is, following the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage) at the school and on roll on census day.

As with the funded entitlement hours, extended funded entitlement hours become available – where the parent has an eligibility code – from the term following a child’s 3rd birthday until they reach compulsory school age (the term following their 5th birthday).

Extended funded entitlement hours are available for pupils aged 3 and those pupils aged 4 who are in year groups ‘E1’, ‘E2’, ‘N1’ or ‘N2’ only.

Pupils who are in ‘reception’ (or above) are not recorded as receiving the extended funded entitlement as they are in full-time education.

As with funded entitlement hours, extended funded entitlement hours are recorded to 2 decimal places. Note that this is a decimal of hours and therefore does not record hours and minutes.

For example, where a pupil has:

• 10 and a half hours, this is recorded as 10.50
• 10 hours and 40 minutes, this is recorded as 10.67 of extended funded entitlement hours per week (up to a maximum of 15 hours)

The extended funded entitlement hours field must not include any funded universal entitlement hours.

Updated 21 August 2025 09:35