Thinking about setting up a new nursery and applying for Early Education Funding?

Thinking about setting up a new nursery?

Becoming a childcare provider

All children deserve the care and support they need to have the best start in life. Children learn and develop at a faster rate from birth to five years old than at any other time in their lives, so their experiences in early years have a major impact on their future life chances. A secure, safe, and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high-quality early learning provide the foundation children need to fulfil their potential (Early Years Foundation Stage 2024).

Some parents feel their child’s needs are best met by attending a provision that is based in a preschool or nursery setting. A preschool or nursery provides high quality childcare through planning Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) play based activities and experiences that inspire, stimulate and develop children’s individual learning and interests.  Through offering these experiences and planned observations of the child, this will support the child’s physical, emotional, language and mathematical development.  Furthermore, working closely alongside the parents, settings can provide bespoke childcare.

Before you start

Providers must register with Ofsted.

Providers must meet the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. The EYFS promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s ‘school readiness’ and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.  

The EYFS document will ensure you meet the necessary requirements.

How to register with Ofsted

In order to become a childcare provider you will need to be registered with Ofsted.  Information about registering as a childcare provider can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Information is provided on the Childcare Registers if you are caring from children from birth to 31 August after their fifth birthday.

Education Sufficiency, Access and Attendance Team

The Education Sufficiency, Access and Attendance team may be able to provide guidance on the number of children that could potentially take up a nursery place in the area you are considering opening a new early years provision in.

The Early Years Forward View document reviews the sufficiency of early education and childcare provision throughout Milton Keynes. It also sets out the local authority’s main legal duties and powers in relation to the market. It is designed to enable the local authority to assess the volume and location of available places and identify areas with a shortfall in childcare provision. 

As a result of major housing growth and the composition of Milton Keynes, the document highlights projected shortfalls of early education provision in a number of areas across the borough. The document is intended to aid providers in mapping demand in Milton Keynes and subsequently stimulate the market growth required to ensure sufficient places are available.

For further information contact:

Offering Early Education Funding (EEF) - Information for Early Years Providers

Applying for EEF

Early Years Providers in Milton Keynes can apply to offer EEF.  The current offer is:

  • 15 hour Working Parents entitlement from 9 months to 3 years of age (criteria applies)
  • 15 hour entitlement for 2 year old parents in receipt of certain Government benefits
  • 15 hour Universal entitlement for all 3 and 4 year olds (no criteria apply) *
  • 15 hour Extended entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds (criteria applies) *

*can be used together 

To apply for funding, please contact  nursery.education@milton-keynes.gov.uk 

The Provider Guidance gives full information about EEF.  

EY Provider Guidance April 2024

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

The EYPP is additional funding for children receiving EEF (universal 15 hours only). It aims to support providers to narrow the gap between the most and least advantaged children. An hourly rate of 68p per hour for each eligible child is paid (around £387 per year for the full 570 hours per year). 

EYPP funding is paid if the family gets at least one of the following: 

  • Income support
  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
  • Universal Credit – household income must be less than £7,400 a year after tax not including any other benefits received

Or if the child:

  • Is being looked after by the local authority 
  • Has been adopted from care
  • Has left care through special guardianship
  • Is subject to a child arrangement order (previously known as residence order)

For further information contact:  nursery.education@milton-keynes.gov.uk

Disability Access Fund (DAF)

The DAF helps providers to support children with SEND, for example, making reasonable adjustments to the setting, purchasing specialist equipment and/or seeking specialised training that helps to meet a child’s needs.  EEF children in receipt of DLA (Disability Living Allowance) are eligible.  A single payment of £910 (24/25) per financial year is paid. The provider retains the funding if a child leaves, it does not have to be repaid to MKCC or transferred to the child’s new provider.  Where a child uses their EEF at more than one provider, the parent must choose which provider should receive the DAF. 

For further information contact:  nursery.education@milton-keynes.gov.uk

Disclaimer: Milton Keynes City Council accepts no responsibility for the actual content of any materials suggested as information sources in this publication, whether these are in the form of printed publications or on a website. Their use should not be interpreted as an endorsement of particular companies or their products. 

The websites referred to in these materials existed at the time of going to print. Please check all website references carefully to see if they have changed and substitute other references where appropriate. Also, check all signposted training (whether MKCC or independent) meets the needs of your setting.