Please provide information on Local Authority funding for free entitlement for two, three and four-year-olds during the financial year 2022/23.
1. Did you have an underspend in the early years block for funded places at the end of 2022/23?
If yes, please give amount of underspend.
Yes, an underspend of £552,000.
2. What actions, if any, were agreed relating to this underspend?
The underspend was used to support Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) children transition into primary school in September 2023.
3. Has your early years block been subject to an in-year adjustment by the Department for Education (DfE)? If so, was this a positive or negative adjustment and how much was it?
There is always an in-year adjustment from the DfE in July to reflect the Spring CENSUS data. We record the estimated adjustment in our year end accounts and is therefore included in the underspend reported at question 1.
4. Does your answer to Q1 or 2 above factor in this adjustment?
Yes.
5. Has your 2022/23 early years block been subject to an adjustment by the Department for Education since 1 April 2023 and now? If so, was this a positive or negative adjustment and how much was it?
In July 2023, we received £458,061. There is always an in-year adjustment from the DfE in July to reflect the Spring CENSUS data. We record the estimated adjustment in our year end accounts and is therefore included in the underspend reported above.
6. Does your answer to Q1 or 2 above include any adjustment?
Please see the answer to question 3.
7. Under the pass-through regulations, what percentage of your budget for funded three and four-year-olds did you pass through to providers in 2022/23?
We passed through 96.96% of the hourly rate to providers.