How do I claim my free hours?
Just find a pre-school, day nursery or accredited network
childminder who can offer the hours you want. You will be
asked by the setting to complete an application form and they
will claim the hours for you.
How can I use these free hours?
To help parents who work or study, the free 15 hours should be
spread over 3 days (or more per week). The free hours can also be
taken over lunchtimes, although any food costs are not included in
the offer.
What do I do if I need more hours?
You will have to pay for any additional hours
at the childcare provider's normal hourly rate.
Do I have to pay for extras if I'm just taking my free
hours?
You can choose to just use your 15 free hours
and providers cannot insist that you take up extras such as
lunches/breakfasts or extra hours of childcare.
Are there any restrictions?
You will need to ask your childcare provider
if they are part of the scheme, most childcare providers in
Peterborough are taking part, but childminders need to be
accredited to be able to offer the free hours. The free hours are
only available for 38 weeks of the year as pre-schools and nursery
schools/classes are generally only open for 38 weeks. For greater
flexibility, you are able to take 14 hours over two days (up to 10
hours a day) although research proves that it is better for your
child's development to attend over three days. You can claim
the extra free hour as long as you pay for additional hours because
2 hour sessions are more beneficial for your child's education.
Currently we are unable to extend this offer for children who
live outside the Peterborough City Council local authority area who
attend a Peterborough provision, this will change in 2010 when all
councils in England will offer 15 free hours. If you live outside
the Peterborough City Council boundary, your child is entitled to
12½ free hours which can still be taken flexibly within a
Peterborough provision
How old does my child need to be?
All 3 and 4 year olds who live within the
Peterborough City Council boundary and attend a Peterborough
provision are eligible for 15 free hours. The free hours start the
term after the child is 3 (and continue for 6 terms prior to
the child turning 5).
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Born
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Funding starts
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April August
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1 September
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September - December
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1 January
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January - March
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1 April
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Flexible arrangements for childcare
This extension of hours and making them more
flexible is being trialled in the Peterborough City Council area
and other parts of England as a Pathfinder project. The aim
of the government is to learn from the experience here in
Peterborough and then provide these extended and flexible hours of
childcare for the whole country in 2010.
Where to find information about 15 hours of free childcare in
Peterborough
To find out where places are available contact
the Families Information
Service on freephone 0800 29 89 121 which carries information
on all the childcare in Peterborough.