Early Years Funding | Hilden Grange

Early Years Entitlement

Hilden Grange School is a registered to provider of Free Early Education for 3 and 4 year olds.

Children may join our Nursery as Rising 3s (i.e. from age 2 ½+ starting in the term in which they turn three; subject to key physical milestones being met) and transfer to Reception in the September following their fourth birthday.

All children (from the term following their 3rd birthday until the term of their 5th birthday) are eligible to receive a maximum of 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year, regardless of parental income. Parents are only able to claim for the number of full weeks in our academic year as designated by Kent County Council (KCC). Our academic year runs for a maximum of 35 weeks.

Parents must choose a minimum of 5 sessions and these can be at any time during the week. A session is either a morning or an afternoon and our sessions are as follows:

Morning session: 8:30am to 11:30am
Afternoon session: 12:30pm to 3:30pm
Full day session: 8:30am to 3:30pm

Please see the below table of when a child is eligible for the funding.

A child born in the period	Will become eligible for a free place
1 January to 31 March (inclusive)	The start of Term 5 following their birthday (after April holiday)
1 April to 31 August (inclusive)	The start of Term 1 following their birthday (after Summer holiday)
1 September to 31 December (inclusive)	The start of term 3 following their birthday (after Christmas/New Year holiday)

Funding options

Early years entitlement at Hilden Grange

Additional Information About Our Early Years Entitlement

Our Head of Admissions will make the claim on your behalf for all or part of your 15 hours entitlement based on the completion of a KCC Parental declaration which will be sent to you in advance of the start of term.

Please see our fees page on our school website for the cost of our Nursery sessions.

Parents who do not use their full 15 hours may claim the difference through another registered provider.
Eligible children are included in a ‘head count’ which is sent to the Kent Early Years and Childcare Unit. Further information is available from the Childcare Advice Line on 03000 412323.

Parents will receive a termly invoice for fees which are paid to Hilden Grange School by Direct Debit. A credit for the Early Years’ Free Entitlement to a maximum of 15 hours per week is applied to this invoice.

The school reserves the right to withdraw from the scheme at any time and will endeavour to give one term’s notice of its intention.

We also accept payment of Nursery fees via childcare vouchers and the UK Government Tax Free Childcare Scheme; please contact our Finance Department for further details.

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