Frequently Asked Questions – Stretched Offer

• Is it ok if a parent wants to split the funding between two providers where one of them is open all year (stretched claim) and the other is term time only?

  Yes, this is allowed. We usually suggest that the all year round (stretched) provider calculates the funding required for the academic year based on the number of weeks that they are open. This will leave a balance of hours for the other (term time) provider to claim dependent on the number of weeks that they are open. If the funding is calculated in this way it should prevent any weekly/termly funding conflicts.

  However, if the term time provider charges more for any fee paying hours (in addition to the child’s entitlement) the parent may wish for the term time provider to calculate the funding they require and the balance of hours would then be available for the stretched (all year) provider to divide over the number of weeks that they are open.

  Providers cannot claim more than the Dfe caps of 15/30 hours (as applicable) in any given week.

• Are providers able to offer a different number of hours per week in term time to holiday periods, so a child can access more funded hours per week during term time and fewer funded hours per week during holiday periods (staying within entitlement)?

  Yes this is allowed.  The provider may have a 38 week model and a stretched model and should clearly say how many spaces are available for each option.

  They may have less space in the holidays due to staffing and therefore offer less hours during the holidays.  Attending the holiday hours cannot be a condition if the provider is offering a term-time funded model.

  Any other requests from parents for a different pattern of hours can be considered by the provider. Some providers accommodate shift workers so these patterns of attendance need to be calculated for the termly claim whilst staying within the 15/30 hours per week (as applicable).

• What are the minimum and maximum hours for the stretched offer?

  Provision must be offered within the national standards on flexibility as set out in the Early Education and Childcare Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities.

  • Not before 6.00 am or after 8.00 pm
  • Maximum of 10 hours per day (subject to the requirements of registration on the Ofsted Early Years Register)
  • No minimum session length
  • Funding can be shared with more than 2 providers, but a maximum of two sites can be funded in a single day.

  Where children are stretching funding we usually suggest a weekly claim of 11/22 hours (as applicable) dependent on the number of weeks that a provider is open.

• Is it ok to have some parents claiming a stretched offer but most parents claiming a term time only offer?

  Providers are able to set their own funding models. They may choose to have

  • Stretched only (anything over 38 weeks and up to 52 weeks of the year)
  • Term time only (over 38 weeks of the year)
  • Combination of term time and stretched
  • Holiday clubs and play schemes.

  Whichever model they choose must be made available for all funded children regardless of the funding entitlement that they are accessing.