Administering the Free Early Education Entitlement (FEEE)

Resources for childcare providers

The Early Years Team support providers commissioned by Cheshire East to deliver the free early education entitlement.

Get your PVC banner to promote childcare choices and the new entitlement

Data collection and submission

Parental declaration form

Parents must complete the parental declaration form (MS Word, 289KB) before claiming the early education entitlement.

Parents should sign the form each subsequent term under step 6 (continuation of free entitlement funding claim), confirming there are no changes to the claim - for example the number of hours to be claimed remains the same. If any of the details change, including the child’s address, parents need to complete a new form.

Parents can split the funding between providers; providing the hours claimed do not exceed the permitted hours. Step 2 (parent/carer details) should be completed for children claiming the working family entitlement and/or Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP).

Step 4 obtains parental consent enabling settings to claim Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) and the Disability Access Fund (DAF).

EYPP  is available to improve teaching and learning facilities and resources to impact positively on an eligible child’s progress and development. This is an additional amount paid directly to the provider with the  FEEE payment.

Children receiving Disability Living Allowance and accessing the free entitlement are eligible for the Disability Access Fund (DAF). The purpose of  DAF is to support providers to make reasonable adjustments and build the capacity of their setting to support children with disabilities.

Provider portal

To claim funding childcare providers are required to submit their data online, using Cheshire East’s Provider Portal. Prior to the start of the term providers submit each funded child’s data via the Portal to receive an interim payment, 70% of final payment paid prior to the start of term. During the term the funding data is maintained, adding new starters, amending the leaving date and funded weeks of leavers to receive the remaining 30% of the final payment at the end of the term. To submit your data online:

• Provider Portal user guide (PDF, 940KB)
• Provider portal

Additional FEEE  documents

• Early Years expansion grant 2025-26 end of financial year statement of grant usage (PDF, 100KB)
• FEEE weeks data deadlines and payment dates 2025-26 and 2026-27 (PDF, 50KB)
• Early Years lunchtime in schools (PDF, 130KB)
• Frequently asked questions for childminders (PDF, 208KB)
• The Early Education and Childcare Entitlements Statutory Guidance - frequently asked questions about charging (PDF, 297KB)
• Early Years Pupil Premium tracking grid (MS Word, 55KB)
• Early Years Census - section 3 guidance notes (MS Word, 70KB)
• Charging information for parents (MS Word, 60KB)
• Invoicing guidance (MS Word, 70KB)
• DocuSign signing guidance (PDF, 230KB)
• Tax free childcare poster (PDF, 210KB)
• Privacy notice - how we use pupil information (MS Word, 50KB) 

Data protection

• Data protection for early year providers

Free early education and childcare for 2 year olds

Two year old children from families meeting a strict economic criteria, or children who are cared for, can apply for free early education and childcare.

Further information can be found on our funding childcare for 2 year olds page, including leaflets for parents. Alternatively, parents can contact our Family Information Service.

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