Five-star rated on-site chef
Fresh, balanced meals are prepared daily by our on-site chef to support healthy eating habits and dietary requirements
A safe, nurturing setting
Your child enjoys a safe, nurturing setting with qualified staff who genuinely care for their wellbeing and development.
Fresh, nutritious meals
Fresh, nutritious meals prepared daily by our on-site chef, so your child is always well-fed and ready to learn.
Policy Statement
Little Owls Nursery is committed to providing access to government-funded childcare through the Funded Early Education Entitlement (FEEE) scheme.
​
This policy outlines how your funded hours are allocated, stretched, and applied to nursery fees, ensuring transparency and consistency for all eligible families.
What is available?
Universal Funded Childcare (Available to all 3- and 4-years old children)
From the term after your child’s 3rd birthday and until they start school, you can get 570 hours of government-funded childcare a year. It’s known as the 15 hours funding since it relates to 15 hours of funded care a week for 38 weeks of the year (term time).
​
How do I get it?
-
Request a copy of your Parent Agreement Form (PAF).
​​
-
Complete your PAF in full and email it back to finance@littleowlsnursery.co.uk
Supported two-year-old funding (Eligibility dependent)
If you are in receipt of certain benefits such as Income Support or Universal Credit, or your child has Disability Living Allowance or an education, health and care (EHC) plan, you may be able to get 15 funded hours for your child.​​
​
How do I get it?
-
You will need to contact your local authority and go through the application process.
Working Families Funding
Children aged 9 months to 4 years plus whose parents meet the eligibility criteria can receive 30 hours term time care for 38 weeks of the year (1140 hours per annum).
​
You must be working and earning at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national living or minimum wage, but less than £100,000 a year net adjusted. If you are a couple, then this applies to each of you. If one of you doesn’t work, or one of you earns over £100,000, you won’t be eligible.
​
How do I get it?
-
You need to apply for the working families funding through the government’s website (see below). Applying for working families funding childcare usually takes people around 20 minutes. You’ll need your National Insurance number (or your Unique Taxpayer Reference if you’re self-employed).
​​​
-
If you are a couple, you will need this information for each of you. If your application is successful, you’ll receive a code.
​​
-
Email finance@littleowlsnursery.co.uk to request your Parent Agreement Form (PAF).
​​
Complete your PAF in full and do not forget to include your eligibility code and national number. Email the Completed PAF to finance@littleowlsnursery.co.uk.
​
Government web pages:
All-Year-Round Stretched Model - 15/30 Hour Funding
Government funding is available during term time only over 38 weeks of the year. At Little Owls we only stretch both universal and extended funding across 51 weeks, so families can benefit from consistent monthly billing over the year.
Please note: Funding covers the cost of childcare only and does not include the essentials and extras that make Little Owls such an exciting and enriching experience for your child. To ensure we give your child the very best start in life. Please refer to our fees section for more details.
​
Funded hours are distributed evenly across the year based on the number of days your child attends. Parents can claim up to 15/30 funded hours per week for up to 38 weeks of the year. When these hours are stretched over the full 51 weeks (See tables below). Funded hours are available for up to 10 hours per day 7am to 5pm. Attendance outside these hours are chargeable. We do not share funding with other providers. If you choose to withdraw you child from Little Owls Nursery mid-term your funding cannot be transferred to another provider.
15 FEEE Hours Stretched = 11.17 per week
(15 FEEE Hours × 38 weeks ÷ 51 weeks)
30 FEEE Hours Stretched = 22.35 per week
(30 FEEE hours × 38 weeks ÷ 51 weeks)
We Claim (Add to Section 4b on the PAF)
(Funded Hours × 51 weeks ÷ 38 weeks)
15 FEEE Hours Stretched = 11.17 per week
(15 FEEE Hours × 38 weeks ÷ 51 weeks)
30 FEEE Hours Stretched = 22.35 per week
(30 FEEE hours × 38 weeks ÷ 51 weeks)
We Claim (Add to Section 4b on the PAF)
(Funded Hours × 51 weeks ÷ 38 weeks)
Meals
At our nursery, we believe that healthy, balanced nutrition is an essential part of your child’s day. All meals are freshly prepared each day in our fully equipped kitchen by our experienced Chef, using high-quality ingredients to provide a variety of tasty and nutritious options.
​
Children enjoy five well-balanced meals throughout the day: Breakfast, Morning Snack, Lunch, Afternoon Snack, and Tea. Each menu is carefully planned to support growth and development, and we are happy to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies to ensure every child feels safe and included.
​
For parents claiming funding, meal charges are a voluntary addition to childcare fees annualised over 12 months for convenience, based on your child’s weekly attendance.
Alternative to Nursery Provided Meals - Packed Lunch Policy​
To protect children suffering allergies, some life-threatening causing Anaphylaxis, we have strict control measures in place to ensure children are always protected. Menus are created with considerable care and consideration identifying each ingredient for every meal served. We also apply strict procedures in the way in which food is served to children with allergies.
​
We encourage children to sit together and share their meal experiences. We recognise parents are not always able to control risks of cross contamination of foods when preparing packed meals at home. When bringing food from home parents are often unable to provide a full list of allergens contained in their child’s packed meals. This increases the risk of exposure to vulnerable children with severe allergies with no way of identifying the cause of a severe reaction. For this reason, we do NOT accept packed meals from home. Please ask for our Meals and Nutrition policy for full details.
​
Parents may choose to opt out of nursery-provided meals under the following strict conditions:
Retail-Prepared Meals Only
All meals must be purchased from a retail store and must include packaging that clearly lists all ingredients.
All Lunch boxes must be healthy and in line with the following:
​
-
Every Day - Fruit to be included (e.g. small apple, orange, banana, dried fruits)
-
Every Day - Vegetables to be included (e.g. carrot sticks, cucumber, celery)
​
-
Every Day - Meat or other non-dairy source of protein (e.g. chicken, turkey, beef, tuna, lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus, and falafel)
​
-
Every Day - A starchy food (e.g. wholemeal or 50/50 bread, pasta, rice, wraps, rice cakes, cous, potatoes)
​
-
Every Day - Dairy (e.g. cheese, yoghurt)
​
-
Every 3 Weeks - Oily fish to be included once every 3 weeks (excluding vegans/ vegetarians)
​​
-
Water is available for children throughout the day.
​​
Lunch boxes must NOT contain
-
Snacks such as crisps or sweets
-
Confectionary such as chocolate, chocolate coated biscuits
​​
-
Foods that are high in fats and salts such as sausage rolls, cooked sausages, corned meats, meat pies
​​
-
Anything containing nuts
​​
-
Grapes and small berries, which are a known choking hazard for children
​​
-
Fizzy or sugary drinks
​​
The nursery will refuse any lunches that do not comply with this policy, and the lunch box will be substituted with a nursery meal. The parent will be notified of this by email.
​
Please note the nursery does not have facilities to store or refrigerate packed meals provided by parents and therefore meals must be provided in a timely manner.
​
Specified Delivery Times
​
-
Breakfast & Morning Snack must be delivered 7am
​​
-
Lunch & Afternoon Snack must be delivered at 11:00am.
​​
-
Tea must be delivered at 3:30pm.
​​
Meals should not be brought in earlier than these times and only on the days the child attends.
​
If parents fail to provide their child meals or fail to provide meals in a timely manner, parents will be charged emergency meal charges. Providing ad-hoc meal’s is time-consuming as we also have to manage allergens. If parents fail to provide meals on a regular basis parents will have to transition to nursery provided meals.
Breakfast, Snacks, Lunch
Daily Charge £6
Breakfast, Snacks, Lunch, Snacks, Tea
Daily Charge £12
Monthly Meal Charges 15 Funded Hours
(Daily meal charges × 51 weeks) ÷ 12 months
Monthly Meal Charges 30 Funded Hours
(Daily meal charges × 51 weeks) ÷ 12 months
Consumables
Providing essential consumables such as nappies, wipes, creams, and non-prescribed medications (e.g., Calpol or Nurofen) within a nursery setting offers significant value to both families and the nursery itself. When these everyday essentials are supplied on-site, it removes the daily burden on parents to remember, pack, and replenish items from home helping reduce stress during busy mornings and ensuring children always have what they need. This approach also promotes consistency in the quality and availability of care products used throughout the day.
​
From a cost-effectiveness perspective, purchasing consumables in bulk allows the nursery to secure better value than individual families typically could, making it a financially efficient model. Parents benefit from predictable fees without the added expense of frequently buying nursery-specific supplies.
Overall, offering consumables directly through the nursery enhances convenience, maintains high standards of care, and supports families through a more streamlined, reliable, and cost-effective system.
​
For parents claiming funding, consumables charges are a voluntary addition to childcare fees annualised over 12 months for convenience, based on your child’s weekly attendance.
​
The calculation is: (Daily consumable charges × 51 weeks) ÷ 12 months.
​​
We are permitted to set charges that reflect the costs of managing consumables, this includes storage, handling, and compliant waste‑disposal processes. For example, the cost of nappies goes beyond the product alone, as legislation requires all nappy waste to be disposed of by licensed waste‑management contractors which contributes significantly to the cost of managing nappies.
​
Formula Milk
​
Only parents claiming funding are required to provide Formula milk.
​
Nappy preferences
​
If parents prefer a specific nappy brand i.e. pampers, this will have to be provided by parents.
​
If parents fail to provide consumables on a regular basis parents will have to transition to nursery provided consumables.
Monthly Consumable Charges (£9 Daily Charge)
Opting Out of Consumable Charges
​
If families choose to opt out of paying for consumable, we kindly ask for their support in providing and managing all required consumable items for their child each day.
​​​
If parents want to claim free funded hours only without any additional payments, Parents are required to Provide the items below. Please label all of your child’s belongings and bring only 1 x Backpack with the follow items each day. Parents must take all their child’s belonging back home each day. Please be advised there is a £9 daily charge if any items on the list below are not provided. Bulk buy items will be rejected as we do not have the storage space to accommodate.
​
We truly appreciate your cooperation and support in helping us maintain high standards of care and hygiene for every child.
Parent Agreement Form – Guidance 2026/27
Please ensure you have read and understood this document before completing the Parent Agreement Form (PAF) for your child’s Funded Early Education Entitlement (FEEE).
Understanding the FEEE Offer
Depending on your child’s date of birth and your family circumstances, you may be entitled to receive 15- or 30-hours funding per week for 38 weeks a year. The following offers are available in Essex:
​
-
FEEE1W* – Working Parent Funding Entitlement from the term after a child turns 9-months-old.
​
-
FEEE2W* – Working Parent Funding Entitlement from the term after a child turns 2-years-old.
​
-
Early Learning for 2-Year-Olds (FEEE2) – Funding Entitlement for eligible families who receive specific Government Support, from the term after a child turns 2-years-old.
​
-
FEEE3-4 – Universal Funding Entitlement available to all children from the term after a child turns 3-years-old.
​​
-
EFE* – Extended Funding Entitlement for Working Parents available to eligible Working Parents from the term after a child turns 3-years-old.
*Working Parent Funding Entitlements MUST be approved the term prior to claiming the funding. Further details of application approval deadlines can be found in the Working Parent Funding Entitlement (FEEE1W, FEEE2W & EFE) section of this document.
Further guidance on the offer, including a full guide for parents, can be found here:
https://www.essex.gov.uk/topic/help-with-childcare-costs
The below table confirms the age ranges for each term and hours available depending on the funding entitlement type:
Working Parent Funding Entitlement (FEEE1W, FEEE2W & EFE)
From the term after a child turns 9-months-old, up until they start school, eligible Working Parents can apply for the Working Parent Funding Entitlement via Best Start in Life
Applications must be approved the term prior to claiming the funding. If your code is approved after the following deadline dates, you will be unable to claim the funding until the following term at the earliest:
The Working Parent Entitlement code must be renewed every 3 months with Childcare Choices to ensure you remain eligible to receive the funding.
Headcount Day
Each term has a pre-determined Headcount Day. Your child’s funded hours cannot be transferred after this day, and the funded hours cannot be amended after this day. This is because your Provider will be required to submit their claim for the hours to Essex County Council based on the funding agreed as of Headcount Day:
Understanding the PAF
Please complete the PAF, adding the funded weeks and hours each term in section 4b. Your Provider will retain a copy, however we recommend parents keep their completed form also, so that you can easily update the claim each term and return to your Provider promptly.
Please note, your Provider will be unable to claim funding for your child without the PAF.
The purpose of the PAF
-
The PAF is the authorisation provided by parents for Providers to confirm the funding that they claim from Essex County Council.
-
By signing the PAF, the parent/carer is authorising the chosen Provider to claim for an agreed number of funded hours from their funding entitlement.
-
The PAF is used to confirm the number of funded hours from the child’s entitlement that parent/carers are claiming with one or more Provider, and that the entitlement does not exceed the maximum offer for the term.
-
The PAF is used to confirm any stretched funding offer that has been agreed between the parent/carer and provider.
-
The PAF is used to confirm the eligible entitlement eligibility code.
-
If relevant, the PAF is used to confirm which Provider should claim DAF on your behalf.
-
The PAF is used to collect the parent/carer information to enable the provider to check if the child is eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP).
Stretched Funding
FEEE is offered during term time only, a total of 38 funded weeks per Financial Year. Some Providers will offer to stretch the funding meaning you can take fewer hours per week, over more weeks per year.
As your Provider is only able to claim the funded weeks each term, the number of hours they claim will be higher than the attendance per week to give them the additional hours needed to cover the holiday periods. You must discuss the stretched offer with your Provider to confirm how many funded hours per week they need to claim.
If your provider opts to stretch the funding each term, the Funded hours are calculated as follows:
Weeks attended for term x hours attended per week = Total attendance hours per term
Total attendance hours per term ÷ funded weeks per term = Funded hours per week
Your Provider may opt to stretch the funding for the full Financial Year to give a set number of hours per month for monthly billing. The following calculation will be used for this:
Funding Entitlement per week (15/30 hours) x 38 funded weeks = Annual Entitlement (570/1140 hours)
Annual Entitlement ÷ Weeks open per year = Attendance Hours per week
Completing the PAF
Section 1: Provider Details
Add your Providers name and reference number. Please ask your Provider for their reference number if needed.
​
Section 2: Child and Parent/Carer Details
Add your child’s information and your details. You will be required to provide evidence of your child’s date of birth when joining the setting for the first time, such as a Birth Certificate.
If you are claiming the Universal 15 hours only for 3–4-year-olds, please leave the Working Parents Entitlement Code field blank.
​
Section 3: Two-Year-Old Funding
For FEEE2 children ONLY. Provide the Eligibility Code, starting TYF881, and Eligibility date taken from your 2-Year-Old Funding application.
​
Section 4a: Stretched Funding
To be completed if you have agreed with your Provider to stretch your funding.
​
Section 4b: Attendance Details
Each term that you are attending you will need to date and sign against the attendance details for that specific term. PLEASE RETAIN A COPY OF YOUR PARENT AGREEMENT FORM AFTER RETURNING IT TO YOUR PROVIDER FOR THIS REASON.
Add the name of maximum 1 or more providers where you are claiming funding in the Setting Details column. If you are only claiming with one Provider, please leave the second-row blank.
If you are claiming Term Time Only: Enter the number of funded Universal and /or Extended (if claiming EFE) hours per week your child will be claiming with the named Provider.
If you are taking a Stretched offer: Enter the number of Funded Hours that your Provider will be claiming. Please discuss this with your Provider if you are unsure.
Enter the total number of any paid hours you are taking with the named Provider.
​
Section 5: Voluntary Chargeable Extras
Tick yes or no against the 3 items listed to confirm whether you have agreed to the charges.
​
Section 6: Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)
Please read the information regarding EYPP. Tick the consent box to confirm if you are happy for your details to be checked.
​
Section 7: Disability Access Funding
Please only complete this section if your child is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance.
​
Section 8: Declaration
Please ensure you have read and understood all items in the Declaration. All boxes (excluded the attainment data consent box) must be ticked to enable your Provider to claim the Funding. Enter your name, signature (or state Returned by Email if emailing the form to your Provider), email address and date returned. Your Provider will add their details on receipt of your completed form.
Need assistance or have questions about our funding?
Whether you need help understanding your eligibility, submitting an application, or discussing flexible payment options, call our team for reliable guidance.