Early years funding: termly data collection in 2024 to 2025
Guidance for local authorities about the 2024 summer and autumn termly data collection for the new early years entitlements
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This guidance is for:
- local authorities
- early years providers
- schools
It is for all local authorities that fund early years provision in England.
Guidance
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Read the ‘Early years data collection for the 2024 to 2025 financial year’ to find out how, in the 2024 to 2025 financial year, we will allocate funding to local authorities for the new early years entitlements for eligible working parents of 2-year-olds and under using termly headcounts, rather than relying solely on the annual census headcount
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Read the ‘Early years data collection 2024 to 2025: autumn term headcount’ guide to find out about the additional data we are collecting about the early years entitlement for families receiving specific forms of additional support and children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) - this is being collected for policy monitoring purposes
The guidance sets out:
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how local authorities should collect and submit data relating to the take-up of the government-funded hours for the new early years entitlements in the 2024 summer and autumn terms
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confirms the final funding allocation methodology for the new entitlements in 2024 to 2025, whereby local authorities will be funded on a revised allocation profile to better match how they fund providers across the year
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how local authorities should collect and submit data relating to the early years entitlement for families receiving specific forms of additional support (formerly known as the 2-year-old disadvantage entitlement) and children with SEND in the 2024 autumn term
Local authorities will be required to collect data from early years providers which are normally included in the early years census, and should work closely with these providers to ensure all children in scope for this data collection are included in the return.
Online form
Local authorities must submit their data return for the termly data collection via this online form. This form should be used for the 2024 autumn term return.
You can find the link to the form in our attached guidance ‘How to submit your data using the early years entitlements digital form’.
Online form guidance
Local authorities should review this guidance before submitting the online form. This will cover the technical aspects of the online form including how to set up a DfE Sign-in account.
Further information
You can find further information about early years funding for the 2024 to 2025 financial year, including rates and calculations on the early years funding: 2024 to 2025 page.
Updates to this page
Last updated 21 October 2024 + show all updates
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We have opened the online digital collection form for the 2024 autumn term data return and provided updated guidance on how to use it.
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We have added guidance for the 2024 to 2025 autumn term headcount that includes instructions for children aged 2 and under with special educational needs and disabilities.
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We have opened the online digital collection form and provided guidance on how to use it.
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First published.