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Additional Childcare Information

During school term time the Offer will be made up of at least 10 hours of early education per week. Over and above this, the exact split between early education hours and childcare hours will depend on the number of hours of early education offered by each individual school.

During school term time no child can receive more than a combined total of 30 hours of funded childcare and early education provision. For example, if a school offers 15 hours of early education provision per week, then a maximum of 15 hours of funded childcare can be provided in addition to this.

Children are entitled to three holiday weeks for each full term they access the offer (maximum of 9 holiday weeks per school year). All children are entitled to 30 hours funded childcare during their chosen holiday weeks.

HOLIDAY WEEK NUMBER

KNOWN AS

START

END

1

Autumn/October Half Term

31/10/2022

06/11/2022

2

Christmas Holiday

26/12/2022

01/01/2023

3

Christmas Holiday

02/01/2023

08/01/2023

4

Spring/February Half Term

20/02/2023

26/02/2023

5

Easter Holiday

03/04/2023

09/04/2023

6

Easter Holiday

10/04/2023

16/04/2023

7

Summer/Whitsun Half Term

29/05/2023

04/06/2023

8

Summer Holiday Week 1

24/07/2023

30/07/2023

9

Summer Holiday Week 2

31/07/2023

06/08/2023

10

Summer Holiday Week 3

07/08/2023

13/08/2023

11

Summer Holiday Week 4

14/08/2023

20/08/2023

12

Summer Holiday Week 5

21/08/2023

27/08/2023

13

Summer Holiday Week 6

28/08/2023

03/09/2023

The Childcare Offer

The Childcare Offer for Wales provides up to 30 hours a week of funded Early Education and Childcare for eligible working parents of 3 to 4 year olds, for up to 48 weeks of the year.

The 30 hours

During school term time (39 weeks a year), the 30 hours are made up of Early Education (school) and funded Childcare in a registered provider of your choice. Within NPT children receive 12.5 hours of Early Education a week and a top up of 17.5 hours a week of funded Childcare. School hours cannot be replaced with Childcare hours.

Childcare providers 

You can use any childcare provider which is Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) registered and signed up to deliver the Childcare Offer. You can find a list of registered Childcare Providers here.

Childcare funding through the school holidays

For up to 9 weeks of the year, parents will be allocated 3 weeks of holiday childcare provision per full term (not the day after a half term) they are eligible for the Offer. This will be delivered in registered non-maintained childcare settings only, such as private day nurseries, childminders, out of school childcare and sessional care.

Access to the offer for eligible families

The childcare element of the offer will start the full term (not the day after a half term) after your child’s third birthday until the September following their 4th birthday when they’re offered a full time education place.

Change in my employment circumstances 

If your circumstances change, you could enter a ‘Temporary Exemption Period’ (TEP) for the Childcare Offer. A TEP of 8 weeks applies to parents whose circumstances change whilst in receipt of the Childcare Offer resulting in them falling out of eligibility. Parents are expected to inform their local authority and provider as soon as their circumstances change.