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Early Education Funding and the Provider Portal

Early Years Provider Portal

The Early Years Provider Portal is a self-service facility that can be used by all Early Years Providers to submit their information to the Council, including Headcount, Census information and provider’s information stored on the Family Information Directory (FID) .

  • Early Education Funding will be based on headcount information submitted on the Portal
  • Funded pupil numbers from the Early Years census return will be used in the calculation of your authority’s Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocation.

The Early Years Provider Portal is good because:

  • It is more secure and a reliable way of transferring information
  • Gives providers more control of the information they are submitting
  • Allows more time for providers to submit their information
  • Offers a more cost effective and efficient process
  • Allows providers to amend their information right up to the deadline
  • Providers information can be added to the Family Information Directory (FID) once inputted onto the portal

How to access the Early Years Portal

If you are using the Portal for the first time please refer to the document below.

On the Portal, providers can use the 30 hour eligibility checking tool to verify eligibility codes before offering a 30 hour place. Please refer to the document below if you are verifying an eligibility code for the first time.

Within the Early Years Provider Portal is the Self Update Module. This allows providers to update their information held by the Local Authority and for their information to be added to the Family Information Directory (FID).

From January 2019 providers will be required to use the portal to submit their Early Years Census. this works in a similar way to the Headcount data collection.  This new process will enable providers to ensure their data is up to date, accurate and secure.

Providers can also use the Portal to notify the Local Authority of Me2 funded placements of 2 year old children. Please refer to the two documents below: 

Further information

Early Years Funding Guidance

We have incorporated the Early Years Funding Guidance with the Early Years Provider Agreement. This agreement should be followed by all providers, including childminders who are registered with OfSTED as Early Years Providers to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Parent Declaration Forms

In the first week of term, the parent and provider must sign a new Parent Declaration Form for every child. Two Parent Declaration Forms are available, a Standard offer form and a Stretched offer form which are both found below.

Standard Offer Form

Stretched Offer Form

The form used for each child will depend on the type of childcare offer that is accessed. Parent Declarations must be retained by the provider and be available for audit verification.

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

EYPP funding is available to providers to fund additional support to the education of disadvantaged 3 and 4 year olds. EYPP equates to £0.60 per hour for 2022 to 2023 per eligible 3 and 4 year old. EYPP should fund additional support, training or resources to help improve the outcomes of our most vulnerable children.

To claim this additional funding you will need to ask parents to sign an EYPP Application Form for parent which gives permission for an eligibility check to be carried out. This can be found below

A parent/carer will be included in the check for EYPP eligibility when their details are added against the correct child on the headcount form on the Portal.

Disability Access Fund (DAF)

DAF funding is available to providers to enable children with disabilities to access their free childcare entitlement. 3 and 4 year olds in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care or mobility will be entitled to DAF funding.

Providers are responsible for identifying eligible children. Providers should verify DLA entitlement by obtaining a photocopy of the DLA letter. These letters should be retained by the provider as part of their records for audit purposes.

Providers can claim DAF by emailing schoolsfinance@plymouth.gov.uk with details of eligible children, including name, DOB and address.

DAF is an annual payment of £800 for 2022 to 2023.

Plymouth Providers Agreement

The Providers Agreement sets out the financial requirements associated with claiming all Early Years Government Funding. This includes (however not limited to) the Early Education Grant, any money received in relation to inclusion, SEND, deprivation and EYPP, capital and business development.

This document is for both Plymouth City Council referred to as the authority and early years providers who are referred to as providers. This includes:

  • private, voluntary and independent early years providers and childminders registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register
  • childminders registered with a childminder agency that is registered with Ofsted schools, nurseries or classes funded by the council
  • independent schools, academies and funded schools taking children age two and over and which are exempt from registration with Ofsted as an early years provider.

Providers offering the funded entitlement must sign the Providers Agreement. In doing so, providers confirm that they will be offering the funded entitlement in accordance with this Providers Agreement. Providers will return a signed Providers Agreement electronically via the Early Years Portal. If providers breach the terms of this agreement, the council reserves the right to cancel the agreement and reclaim any outstanding funding.

If you would like to receive local authority funding. Please contact Early Years earlyyears@plymouth.gov.uk

Plymouth City Council Family Information Directory (FID)

The Plymouth City Council Family Information Directory is to support parents to locate childcare in the Plymouth area, the site lists the following:

  • Full Day Care
  • Holiday Clubs
  • Breakfast Clubs
  • After School Clubs

Providers are able to give parents a variety of information about their setting as well as a description of what they provide. Provider’s information is uploaded onto the site via the Early Years Portal. 

The site also has links to the Childcare Choices website that provides parents with individual information about government support towards childcare costs and their eligibility.