Confused about Parent declaration form for Early Education Funding

[ConnorTraceptive]

DS (2.6) currently goes to a private nursery two mornings a weeks and today they have asked me to fill in a Early Education Funding form for when he turns three.

However DS has a place reserved at a local LEA pre school which he is eligible to go to in march but they don't have spaces until september so he will stay at the private nursery until then. He'll be 3.3 when he starts pre school and I will no longer be sending him to the private nursery.

So my question will I affect his funding at the local pre school if I fill out this form for his current nursery or does it not make a difference.

Sorry I have absolutely no understanding of how any of this works

[LadyMuck]

You can fill it out one term at a time. That said it seems rather early to be filling out the form if he is only 2.6. If he is a summer birthday then the funding usually only kicks in in the term after he turns 3 (well there are actuially set dates, but I think of it in terms!), so he won't be funded until september when he'll be at the preschool anyway.

You don't therefore need to sign the form, and I suspect that the nursery is asking this early in order to work out your intentions!

[LadyMuck]

But actually you don't have to worry even if you do fill out the form - they can't claim for your ds if he isn't actually there from September.

[ConnorTraceptive]

Ah I see thank you lady Muck.

I haven't told them my intentions yet so I think you may be right. Perhaps I should just let them know that he won't be there from september.

Although if a space does become available sooner (unlikely) at the pre school then I'll be taking him out before.