How childcare providers can offer the Early Years Free Entitlements (EYFE)

Early Years Free Entitlement (EYFE) statutory guidance

Providers should offer families their full Early Years Free Entitlement (EYFE), providing they have space available. We encourage providers to develop a flexible offer which supports both the learning and development of children and childcare needs of families. EYFE is subject to the following standards:

• no session is longer than 10 hours 
• there is no minimum session length (subject to requirements of registration on the Ofsted Early Years Register) 
• no session runs before 6am or after 8pm 
• sessions run on a maximum of 2 sites in a single day 

Term-time offer 

Term-time only EYFE is up to 15 (or 30) hours across 38 weeks of the 3 school terms as follows: 

• Autumn term: 14 weeks x 15 (30) hours = 210 (420) hours 
• Spring term: 11 weeks x 15 (30) hours = 165 (330) hours 
• Summer term: 13 weeks x 15 (30) hours = 195 (390) hours 

'Stretched' offer 

Providers who are open all year round can offer to stretch the total 570 (1,140) hours to a maximum of 52 weeks. For example:

• 51 weeks x 11 (22) hours (approx)
• 50 weeks x 11.5 (23) hours (approx)
• 47 weeks x 12 (24) hours (approx)

This enables children to access their EYFE during school holidays. Read more about Claiming Stretched Funding via Synergy.

Providers inform Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) how they will offer EYFE in their 'Core Offer' Form. This is part of the annual agreement between BHCC and providers of EYFE. 

Further detailed information can be found in Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the Early Years Free Entitlements provider agreement.

Who can offer EYFE

In order to provide EYFE, you must deliver the full Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and be registered with Ofsted as an early years provider or be a school taking children 2 and over and therefore exempt from registration with Ofsted as an early years provider. 

You must be registered with BHCC to offer EYFE.

BHCC will fund places at any provider registered with us and with a ’good’ or ‘outstanding’ judgement from Ofsted, we will fund places for children eligible for the universal 3 and  4 year old or working parent entitlements at any provider judged ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted, but will only fund places for disadvantaged 2 year olds at settings judged less than good where there is not sufficient accessible 'good' or 'outstanding' provision. 

Detailed information regarding who can offer EYFE can be found in Section 11 of the Early Years Free Entitlements provider agreement.