Fees and Funding
All three and four year olds in England are entitled to 570 hours free early education or childcare per year.
15 hours free childcare
This is also known as universal free hours. In Bristol it is offered in two ways:
- 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year
- 12 hours a week for 47.5 weeks of the year
You can claim from the term after your child’s third birthday until they reach compulsory school age.
If your child’s third birthday is between:
- 1 April and 31 August you can claim from 1 September
- 1 September and 31 December you can claim from 1 January
- 1 January and 31 March you can claim from 1 April
30 hours free childcare
From September 2017 some working families can apply for an extra 570 hours free childcare per year. This is also known as extended free hours.
If you’re eligible for the extra hours you will need to apply for a code to give to your childcare provider to reserve your place.