Government Funded Childcare
High-quality early education gives children the opportunity to learn, play, build confidence and prepare for school. Government-funded childcare helps families reduce the cost of nursery fees while ensuring children benefit from a rich early years education.

At The Ark Children Centre, we offer funded childcare for eligible children and work closely with families to help them understand the different funding schemes available.

Whether you are applying for the first time or renewing your eligibility, our friendly team is always happy to help.

Funding Options Available

15 Hours Funding for Eligible 2-Year-Olds

Some children aged two years are entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare each week if their family meets the Government's eligibility criteria.

You may be eligible if you:

• Receive certain qualifying benefits, including Universal Credit
• Meet the Government's income requirements
• Have a child with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• Have a child receiving Disability Living Allowance
• Have a child who is looked after by the local authority
• Have a child who has left care through adoption or special guardianship

If you are unsure whether you qualify, please contact us. We will be happy to explain the eligibility criteria and support you through the application process.

Universal 15 Hours Funding for 3 and 4-Year-Olds

Every child aged 3 and 4 years is entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare each week.

This universal entitlement supports children's learning and development, helping them build the confidence, independence and skills they need before starting school.

Funding usually begins from the term after your child's third birthday.

30 Hours Funding for Working Families

Eligible working families may receive up to 30 hours of funded childcare each week for children aged 9 months to school age.

To qualify, parents generally need to:

• Be in paid employment
• Meet the Government's income requirements
• Apply through their Government Childcare Account
• Reconfirm their eligibility every three months

If your eligibility changes, our team will discuss the options available and support you throughout the process.

About Our Funded Places

We aim to provide flexible childcare that supports the needs of modern families while giving every child the best possible start in life.

Opening Days

Monday to Friday

Opening Hours

7:30am to 6:00pm

Weeks Open

51 weeks of the year

Age Range

Children aged 9 months to 5 years

Funded Session Options

To support the varying needs of families, we offer a choice of funded session patterns, subject to availability.

Our funded sessions include:

• Full Day: 7:30am/8:00am – 5:30pm/6:00pm (10 hours)
• Morning Session: 7:30am/8:00am – 12:30pm/1:00pm (5 hours)
• Afternoon Session: 12:30pm/1:00pm – 5:30pm/6:00pm (5 hours)
• School Day: 9:00am – 4:30pm (7.5 hours)

The most appropriate session arrangement will depend on your child's funded entitlement, the days you require and nursery availability. We will be happy to discuss the options with you and help you choose the arrangement that best suits your family's needs.

Term-Time Funding
Government-funded childcare at The Ark Children Centre is currently offered on a term-time basis only.

We do not currently offer stretched funding.

Our team will be happy to explain how your funded hours can be used and discuss the sessions available to help you choose the arrangement that best suits your family's needs.

Waiting List

Places can fill quickly, particularly for September admissions and funded sessions.

If your preferred sessions are unavailable, we will place your child on our waiting list and keep you updated as soon as a suitable place becomes available.

To avoid disappointment, we recommend contacting us as early as possible.

How Funding Works

Our aim is to make funded childcare easy to understand and completely transparent.

Continuous Funded Sessions

Children attend their funded sessions as agreed with the nursery. If you require childcare beyond your funded entitlement, additional hours can be booked at our standard nursery fees, subject to availability.

No Compulsory Top-up Fees

Parents are not required to pay compulsory top-up fees to access their funded childcare place.

Government funding covers the funded childcare hours only.

Optional Charges

Parents may choose to purchase additional services if they wish, including:

• Extra childcare hours
• Optional outings or special activities, where applicable

Any optional charges will always be explained clearly before they are applied.

Funding Eligibility Checks

Funding eligibility is determined by the Government.

Where applicable, parents must provide a valid eligibility code before funded childcare can begin.

Families receiving Working Parent Funding are required to reconfirm their eligibility every three months through their Government Childcare Account.

If you need any help with this process, our team will be happy to assist you.

What Government Funding Covers

Government funding is intended to cover your child's early education only.

Optional charges may apply for services that are not included within the funded entitlement, such as:

• Meals and snacks
• Additional childcare hours outside your funded entitlement
• Optional outings or activities

Parents are welcome to provide their own healthy meals and snacks if they choose not to purchase meals provided by the nursery.

Children attending funded sessions receive the same quality of care, learning opportunities and experiences regardless of whether families choose any optional services.

Parents are never required to purchase meals, additional services or pay any compulsory charges in order to access their funded childcare place.

What Government Funding Does Not Cover

Government-funded childcare is intended to cover your child's early education and care during their funded hours.

It does not usually include optional items or services such as:

• Meals and snacks
• Nappies and wipes
• Formula milk
• Sun cream
• Additional childcare hours outside your funded entitlement
• Optional outings, activities or special events

Parents are welcome to provide their own meals, nappies or other personal items where appropriate if they prefer.

Access to a funded childcare place is never conditional on purchasing additional services or paying any compulsory charges.

If you choose to purchase optional extras, these will always be discussed with you in advance, and there is no obligation to do so.

Optional Charges

To help parents make informed decisions, we are open and transparent about any optional charges.

Meals

Meals are optional for children attending funded sessions.

Parents may choose to:

• Provide their own healthy meals and snacks, or
• Purchase meals from the nursery.

Meal charges are:

• £2.50 per half-day session
• £5.00 per full-day session

Breakfast, fruit, milk, lunch and tea/snacks are included within these meal charges.

Additional Childcare Hours

Where families require childcare beyond their funded entitlement, additional hours are available, subject to availability.

Additional hours are charged at:

£10.00 per hour

Late Collection

A late collection charge of £5.00 for every 15 minutes applies where children are collected after their agreed collection time.

Nursery Trips

From time to time, the nursery may organise outings or special activities.

Any charges for trips will be communicated to parents in advance and participation is entirely optional.

Applying for Funded Childcare

Applying is straightforward, and our team is here to help if you need support.

Step 1

Check your eligibility through the Government Childcare Service.

Step 2

Receive your funding eligibility code (where applicable).

Step 3

Contact The Ark Children Centre to discuss availability and arrange a visit.

Step 4

Complete our nursery registration forms.

Step 5

Provide your eligibility code and any required documentation before your child's funded place begins.

If you need assistance at any stage, please speak to a member of our team.

Parents will also be asked to complete a Charging Consent Form to confirm whether they wish to purchase nursery meals or provide meals from home during funded sessions.

Need Help with Funding?

Every family's circumstances are different, and we understand that choosing childcare is a significant decision.

If you would like to find out more about funded childcare, arrange a visit or discuss your eligibility, our friendly team will be pleased to help.

We look forward to welcoming you and your child to The Ark Children Centre.