Preparing for the Spring Funding Period
As we head into the Christmas break, nurseries across the country are winding down for a well-deserved rest. But January will be here before you know it—and with it, the Spring funding period.
The January rush
Every January, early years settings face the same challenge: collecting parent declarations, verifying eligibility, and preparing headcount submissions while also welcoming children back after the holidays. It's a lot to manage in a short window.
The settings that handle this smoothly are the ones that prepare in advance.
What you can do now
1. Review your current families
Before the break, take stock of which children will be claiming funded hours in the Spring term. Have any circumstances changed? Are there new starters who need to provide eligibility codes?
2. Chase outstanding declarations
If you're still waiting on parent declarations from the Autumn term, now is the time to follow up. Parents are more likely to respond before the holiday chaos begins than in the first week of January.
3. Check your processes
How long did your last funding submission take? If it involved spreadsheets, paper forms, and manual data entry, consider whether there's a better way. The Spring term is a good time to try new approaches.
4. Verify eligibility codes
For 30-hour and extended entitlement claims, parents need valid eligibility codes. Remind parents to check their codes haven't expired and to reconfirm if needed.
A calmer January
The Funding Portal was built to make funding periods less stressful. Digital parent declarations mean no chasing paper forms. Automated headcount calculations reduce manual work. Status tracking shows exactly where each claim stands.
If you'd like to see how it works, try our demo with these credentials:
- Username: admin@nurseryfunding.local
- Password: Admin@123!
Wishing you a restful break
However you're managing your funding this term, we hope you get a proper break over Christmas. The children—and the paperwork—will still be there in January.
From everyone at Early Tree, have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.