All 3 and 4 year olds in Harrow have access to a funded place for a good quality, part-time early education place. Entitlement starts from the term following their third birthday.
Eligibility for a funded place depends upon a child’s date of birth. Your child must be registered in advance and in attendance within the headcount week therefore it is highly advisable to put your child’s name on any waiting list before the child is three years old.
The table below indicates when a child will become eligible for a funded place.

Maximum funding is to be given to the provider who is operating at least 38 weeks per year. Maximum funding entitlement is for 15 hours/week based on 38 weeks per year and Little Stars Pre-School operate a 39 week timetable. Claiming 15 hours funding can be over 5 days a week as 3 hours per day. At Little Stars Pre-School for example 15 hours/week has been made accessible by utilising Afternoon sessions from 12:30pm to 3:30pm delivered free to an eligible child. If your child is attending more hours or additional days then Parents must pay for these as Little Stars Pre-School provides additional services/activities within session rates set. Parents are therefore advised to study the fee structure carefully outlined by Little Stars Pre-School and if a child is eligible for funding, this will be passed to you automatically without any deductions and delivered as such.

Little Stars Pre School administers this scheme on your behalf to claim the funding from Harrow Early Years once your child has commenced before the headcount dates of the funding application period which is generally mid way through the term and this is done automatically and transparent to you. However your child must be present in the setting during a headcount week to be eligible. Parents are advised that the personal data of children in the setting (i.e data from which eligible children can be identified) is processed and stored on the Families Information Service database and also passed on to the LBH Contact point where it is also stored.

The process of initiating funding for your child, the collection, payment and making sure that amounts are processed as quickly as possible when issued, involves an extra administration burden for the Pre-school and cost as well. Little Stars Pre-school will offset any funding mid way through the term providing an additional service to offset against the fee invoices issued which are normally due in two instalments per term unlike other establishments.