We offer government-funded childcare for eligible families, with funded hours provided through a stretched model across 50 weeks of the year.
Our team can help you understand which funded childcare option may apply to your family, how the stretched model works and what you need to do next.
Government-funded childcare can help eligible families access early education and childcare at an approved childcare provider.
Government-funded childcare can provide eligible families with funded hours at an approved early years provider. The amount of funding available depends on your child’s age and your family’s circumstances.
At Railway Day Nursery Epsom, we offer:
Rather than offering these hours only across the standard 38 weeks of the year, our funded childcare is stretched across 50 weeks, giving families a more consistent number of funded hours throughout the year.
Surrey County Council confirms that funded childcare can be offered through a stretched model, with fewer hours each week provided over more weeks of the year.
Eligible 3 and 4-year-olds can receive 15 hours of funded childcare per week, based on the annual funded entitlement.
At Railway Day Nursery Epsom, this entitlement is stretched across 50 weeks of the year, providing approximately 11 funded hours per week.
This allows the funded entitlement to be spread more evenly throughout the year.
Eligible 3 and 4-year-olds receiving the universal funded childcare entitlement.
Eligible working families can receive up to 30 funded hours per week for children from 9 months to school age, subject to the relevant eligibility requirements.
At Railway Day Nursery Epsom, the 30-hour entitlement is stretched across 50 weeks of the year, providing approximately 22 funded hours per week.
The 30-hour entitlement includes an additional 15 funded hours for eligible 3 and 4-year-olds on top of the universal 15-hour entitlement.
Eligible working families with children from 9 months to school age.
Our funded childcare follows a stretched funding model.
Instead of using the full funded entitlement over 38 weeks, the annual funded hours are spread across 50 weeks of the year.
Annual entitlement: 570 hours
Stretched over: 50 weeks
Approximately: 11 funded hours per week
Annual entitlement: 1,140 hours
Stretched over: 50 weeks
Approximately: 22 funded hours per week
Surrey County Council confirms that a stretched offer provides fewer funded hours each week over more weeks of the year, while the total annual entitlement remains within the relevant funded-hour limit.
Please speak with our team about the sessions available and how the stretched funded hours can be arranged for your child.
The funded childcare available to your family depends on your child’s age and your family’s circumstances.
Eligible 3 and 4-year-olds can receive the universal 15-hour funded childcare entitlement. You do not normally need to apply for this entitlement. Surrey County Council advises parents to speak with their childcare provider and complete the required declaration form.
Eligible working families may receive up to 30 funded hours per week. For children aged 9 months to 2 years, eligible working families may receive up to 30 funded hours. For eligible 3 and 4-year-olds, the working-parent entitlement provides an additional 15 hours on top of the universal 15 hours. Eligibility for working-parent funding depends on factors including your working circumstances and income.
Check which funded childcare entitlement may be available to your family.
If you are applying for the working-parent entitlement, you will need to use the relevant government childcare service to check your eligibility and obtain your eligibility code.
Once eligible, provide your funding details and eligibility code to our nursery team.
Your provider will give you a funded childcare declaration form. This allows the nursery to claim the funded hours for your child.
Speak with our team about the available sessions and how your funded hours can be used across our 50-week stretched model.
Funded hours can be offered in different ways depending on the childcare provider.
At Railway Day Nursery Epsom, we use a 50-week stretched model, which spreads your child’s annual funded entitlement across more weeks of the year.
This means the number of funded hours available each week is lower than the standard 15 or 30-hour weekly entitlement, but the funded hours are spread more consistently across the year.
Our team can explain:
Funded childcare eligibility and start dates depend on your child’s age and your individual circumstances.
The annual funded entitlement is limited to the relevant number of funded hours. Under a stretched arrangement, these hours are distributed across more weeks rather than being provided as the full 15 or 30 hours every week.
Surrey County Council confirms that providers may offer stretched funding with fewer hours per week over more weeks of the year.
Additional childcare beyond your funded entitlement may be available depending on your requirements and our available sessions.
Please speak with our team about your individual childcare requirements and the sessions available.
The date your funded childcare can begin depends on your child’s age and the particular funding entitlement.
For the universal 15-hour entitlement, eligible 3 and 4-year-olds can generally start from the funded period following their third birthday. Surrey’s funded periods begin on 1 January, 1 April and 1 September.
For the working-parent entitlement, eligible children can receive funded hours from the relevant funded period after they reach the required age and their eligibility has been confirmed.
If you are unsure when your child’s funding can begin, our team can help you understand the next steps.
Yes. We provide 15 Hours Universal Funded Childcare for eligible 3 and 4-year-olds, along with 30 Hours Funded Childcare for eligible working families with children from 9 months to school age.
Our funded childcare is stretched across 50 weeks of the year, providing approximately 11 funded hours per week for the 15-hour entitlement and 22 funded hours per week for the 30-hour entitlement.
Stretched funding means the annual funded childcare entitlement is spread across more weeks of the year.
At Railway Day Nursery Epsom, we stretch the funded entitlement across 50 weeks, resulting in approximately 11 funded hours per week for the 15-hour entitlement and approximately 22 funded hours per week for the 30-hour entitlement.
Eligible 3 and 4-year-olds receive a 15-hour universal funded childcare entitlement based on the annual funded allocation.
At our nursery, this is stretched across 50 weeks.
Eligible working families may receive up to 30 funded hours per week, subject to the relevant eligibility requirements.
For eligible 3 and 4-year-olds, the 30-hour entitlement consists of the universal 15 hours plus an additional 15 hours for eligible working families.
Eligible children from 9 months may receive the working-parent funded childcare entitlement if their family meets the relevant eligibility requirements.
For eligible 3 and 4-year-olds, you do not normally need to apply for the universal entitlement. You should speak with your childcare provider and complete the required declaration form.
Working families need to check their eligibility through the relevant government childcare service and, if eligible, obtain an eligibility code to provide to their childcare provider. You must also reconfirm your eligibility every three months.
Yes. Surrey County Council allows providers to offer a stretched arrangement, where fewer funded hours are provided each week over more weeks of the year.
At Railway Day Nursery Epsom, the funded entitlement is spread across 50 weeks.
This provides approximately:
If you need childcare beyond your funded entitlement, please speak with our team about the additional sessions available and the associated arrangements.
You can check your eligibility through the official government childcare service.
For the most up-to-date eligibility information and to apply for funded childcare, we recommend using official government resources.
Find out who may qualify for funded childcare and understand the different funding options available.
Our team can help you understand how our 50-week stretched funding model works and discuss the sessions available at Railway Day Nursery Epsom.
Funding is important, but choosing a nursery is about much more than cost.
At Railway Day Nursery Epsom, families can benefit from:
More than 25 years of caring for children and supporting local families.
Our nursery was rated Good by Ofsted following our inspection on 31 October 2024.
Age-appropriate care, learning and experiences throughout the early years.
We follow the EYFS and encourage children to learn through exploration, creativity and play.
Our dedicated team creates a warm and supportive environment where children can feel safe and confident.
We work closely with parents to support each child's individual needs and development.
Childcare funding can sometimes feel complicated, especially when choosing between different funding options.
If you’re considering Railway Day Nursery Epsom, our team can explain how our 50-week stretched funding model works and help you understand the next steps for your child’s funded place.
Come and visit us, meet our team and see our nursery for yourself.
