Next Term – Summer 2026
Eligible Date of Birth ranges for the term
9 month + olds – Children born between 1st April 2024 – 30th June 2025
2 year olds – Children born between 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024
3 and 4 year olds – Children born between 1st April 2021 – 31st March 2023
Claim period and full entitlement

Funding information for Schools
Schools are funded in termly blocks rather than actual weeks attended.
This is to ensure the full 38 weeks funding is received each academic year regardless of when inset days are taken. Please ensure standard weeks are entered on the Portal when claiming a full term.
The Funding Block for Summer 2026 is 13 weeks.
Please Note: the correct number of weeks should be entered for late starters and early leavers.
If you are offering the funded hours (2 year old funding additional support or 3&4 year old universal entitlement) to eligible children, you should claim a maximum of:
- 15 hours / week x 13 weeks = 195 hours
If you are offering the expanded entitlement (9 month old funding or 2 year old funding working families) or extended entitlement (3&4 year old funding working families) to eligible children, you should claim a maximum of:
- 30 hours / week x 13 weeks = 390 hours
Funding Rates
The rates that funding will be paid at can be found on the Forms and Guidance section.
Key deadlines and payment dates
| Task/Payment | Deadline/Date |
|---|---|
| Summer Term available on Provider Portal | Friday 20th March 2026 |
| HMRC Eligibility Code Parent Application Deadline | Tuesday 31st March 2026 |
| Estimate Deadline for Monthly Payments | Friday 10th April 2026 |
| Estimate Deadline for Advance Payment | Wednesday 15th April 2026 |
| Advance Payments Received | Wednesday 29th April 2026 |
| Headcount Day | Thursday 30 April 2026 |
| Headcount Deadline | Friday 8th May 2026 |
| Autumn Term Information Published | Week commencing 25th May 2026 |
| Late Advance Payments Received | Wednesday 27th May 2026 |
| Portal Closes for Summer term | Friday 12th June 2026 |
| Early Years Census Local Authority Deadline | Friday 19th June 2026 |
| Headcount Payments Received | Wednesday 1st July 2026 |
| Late Starter Payments Received | Wednesday 22nd July 2026 |
Statutory Compliance
In order to receive funding you must abide by the Early Education and Childcare Statutory Guidance and the SMBC Provider Agreement.
For information on the claiming process for this term please click here.