Unveiling the National Wraparound Childcare Programme Funding: A Comprehensive Guide for School and MAT Leaders (Feb-24)

Introduction

On 27th February 2024, the DfE published further information about the National Wraparound Childcare Programme’s funding methodology. This information outlines how funding has been split across two streams, each playing a crucial role in the facilitation of the scheme and the delivery of wraparound childcare.

Funding Stream 1: Local Authority Capacity Funding (£25m)

Local Authorities in England have been allocated ‘Capacity Funding’ of £25 million over two years to facilitate the programme. This investment aims to enhance the internal capacity of LAs to deliver programme objectives effectively; for example, by funding the recruitment of designated staff member(s) to manage the programme locally.

Funding Stream 2: Programme Funding (£253 million)

Operating on-site wraparound care provides a unique opportunity for schools to offer more flexible working hours for staff. This flexibility can be particularly appealing to teachers and TAs, allowing them to better balance their professional and personal lives. It allows schools/MATs to recruit more effectively and fosters a positive working environment, promoting staff well-being and satisfaction.

Maintaining quality control

The bulk of the funding lies in the £253 million allocated to ‘Programme Funding’. This substantial amount is dedicated to accomplishing the programme’s primary objective of fostering the creation and expansion of wraparound care provision.

Local Authorities in England have already been allocated their share of this Programme Funding by the DfE. Amounts allocated to each LA are outlined, in full, in our table below.

What should potential applicants consider about the allocation methodology?

Any schools or MATs hoping to access funding via the National Wraparound Childcare Programme should consider the DfE’s intentions when allocating funding to LAs; alongside recognising the primary aims of the scheme.

The DfE’s published methodology explains that each LA’s specific funding amount was determined by school census data filed in January 2023. Consideration was given to the number of schools not already (or only partially) offering wraparound childcare; in recognition of the costs associated with creating this supply (with specific reference to staffing, food and suitable SEND provision).

When and how will the funding be given out?

Schools or MATs hoping to access funding should do so via their relevant Local Authority. It is likely that the application process will differ between LAs, with any detailed information about this unavailable at the time of writing.

We do know that the distribution of Programme Funding will be based on a ‘tapering schedule’, with a focus on providing more substantial support to wraparound care provision in its early stages. The DfE’s intention is that – as attendance increases – the fees charged for the wraparound care will gradually replace the initial programme funding (as the provision becomes self-sustaining).

The full tapering schedule for Programme Funding is shown below. A 0% taper implies that provision can be fully funded, with a 5% taper denoting a 95% funding level, and so on.

  Q1 (Apr-Jun) Q2 (Jul-Sep) Q3 (Oct-Dec) Q4 (Jan-Mar)
FY 2024-2025 N/A 0% 0% 5%
FY 2025-2026 30% 60% 90% 90%

How much funding is available in each Local Authority area?

A full breakdown of the funding allocated to each local authority in England is provided below.

Local authority Total allocated Rank

Barking and Dagenham

£846,169.34

111

Barnet

£1,295,508.99

76

Barnsley

£1,585,464.60

58

Bath and North East Somerset

£992,919.42

98

Bedford

£621,931.73

126

Bexley

£716,747.72

117

Birmingham

£7,438,663.05

1

Blackburn with Darwen

£1,400,351.97

66

Blackpool

£608,712.66

127

Bolton

£1,795,847.63

51

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

£934,133.14

101

Bracknell Forest

£227,115.95

151

Bradford

£3,197,543.54

22

Brent

£862,698.76

107

Brighton and Hove

£828,379.39

112

Bristol, City of

£1,822,744.15

48

Bromley

£512,480.14

136

Buckinghamshire

£2,163,605.56

40

Bury

£1,038,705.70

92

Calderdale

£1,089,234.11

87

Cambridgeshire

£2,871,287.66

28

Camden

£1,019,832.80

95

Central Bedfordshire

£1,576,036.11

59

Cheshire East

£875,914.57

106

Cheshire West and Chester

£1,356,714.85

72

Cornwall

£3,681,642.61

19

County Durham

£4,388,935.14

13

Coventry

£1,537,493.44

61

Croydon

£1,030,106.57

93

Cumberland

£2,711,992.44

30

Darlington

£541,069.39

132

Derby

£1,381,952.37

69

Derbyshire

£7,146,950.64

3

Devon

£5,591,267.28

8

Doncaster

£2,167,597.03

39

Dorset

£2,471,252.35

34

Dudley

£1,242,327.00

81

Ealing

£1,028,216.19

94

East Riding of Yorkshire

£2,025,018.54

42

East Sussex

£2,680,248.65

31

Enfield

£1,251,684.38

79

Essex

£6,939,115.35

4

Gateshead

£1,379,547.86

70

Gloucestershire

£4,266,300.33

15

Greenwich

£532,943.60

135

Hackney

£913,638.59

104

Halton

£1,486,732.66

62

Hammersmith and Fulham

£539,714.38

133

Hampshire

£5,888,811.79

7

Haringey

£599,968.36

128

Harrow

£464,643.92

139

Hartlepool

£596,617.13

130

Havering

£510,831.91

137

Herefordshire, County of

£1,392,211.77

67

Hertfordshire

£4,875,653.04

10

Hillingdon

£1,069,868.54

88

Hounslow

£1,134,905.72

84

Isle of Wight

£638,626.96

124

Isles Of Scilly

£31,074.28

152

Islington

£636,949.53

125

Kensington and Chelsea

£396,043.82

143

Kent

£6,049,138.03

6

Kingston upon Hull, City of

£1,732,498.43

53

Kingston upon Thames

£236,481.21

150

Kirklees

£3,115,839.13

23

Knowsley

£1,069,226.55

89

Lambeth

£918,467.75

103

Lancashire

£6,213,603.59

5

Leeds

£3,386,650.89

20

Leicester

£1,902,430.03

46

Leicestershire

£3,054,945.83

26

Lewisham

£965,540.58

99

Lincolnshire

£5,483,275.79

9

Liverpool

£2,567,109.95

33

Luton

£760,563.79

114

Manchester

£3,027,729.97

27

Medway

£1,436,841.05

63

Merton

£382,477.28

145

Middlesbrough

£857,470.77

108

Milton Keynes

£1,430,800.78

64

Newcastle upon Tyne

£1,372,760.44

71

Newham

£1,119,559.05

85

Norfolk

£7,420,906.69

2

North East Lincolnshire

£1,055,568.55

91

North Lincolnshire

£1,354,671.91

73

North Northamptonshire

£1,821,402.34

49

North Somerset

£598,929.84

129

North Tyneside

£1,001,594.27

97

North Yorkshire

£4,328,414.86

14

Northumberland

£3,108,231.10

25

Nottingham

£1,778,220.13

52

Nottinghamshire

£3,990,920.18

16

Oldham

£1,988,157.50

43

Oxfordshire

£3,114,473.44

24

Peterborough

£926,057.18

102

Plymouth

£935,102.62

100

Portsmouth

£658,260.60

123

Reading

£532,972.79

134

Redbridge

£804,201.41

113

Redcar and Cleveland

£1,003,346.95

96

Richmond upon Thames

£302,930.11

147

Rochdale

£1,223,108.47

82

Rotherham

£2,375,344.23

35

Rutland

£269,767.27

148

Salford

£1,606,979.24

57

Sandwell

£1,384,495.83

68

Sefton

£1,261,867.70

78

Sheffield

£2,678,425.19

32

Shropshire

£1,846,554.63

47

Slough

£486,167.19

138

Solihull

£251,695.48

149

Somerset

£3,266,048.80

21

South Gloucestershire

£1,248,067.67

80

South Tyneside

£1,294,896.55

77

Southampton

£1,180,550.76

83

Southend-on-Sea

£410,124.87

142

Southwark

£1,115,854.00

86

St. Helens

£850,136.07

110

Staffordshire

£3,718,329.08

18

Stockport

£853,497.81

109

Stockton-on-Tees

£1,418,495.79

65

Stoke-on-Trent

£1,343,094.70

74

Suffolk

£4,457,795.44

12

Sunderland

£1,654,862.86

55

Surrey

£2,248,019.17

38

Sutton

£439,295.65

140

Swindon

£1,064,665.98

90

Tameside

£1,949,243.01

44

Telford and Wrekin

£895,449.04

105

Thurrock

£713,554.49

118

Torbay

£431,209.26

141

Tower Hamlets

£1,564,694.32

60

Trafford

£685,371.99

120

Wakefield

£2,257,646.17

37

Walsall

£1,699,316.00

54

Waltham Forest

£388,791.28

144

Wandsworth

£684,561.61

121

Warrington

£718,825.32

116

Warwickshire

£2,314,366.01

36

West Berkshire

£733,365.15

115

West Northamptonshire

£2,128,276.72

41

West Sussex

£4,872,942.36

11

Westminster

£706,764.34

119

Westmorland and Furness

£1,915,622.69

45

Wigan

£1,796,681.22

50

Wiltshire

£3,757,285.09

17

Windsor and Maidenhead

£665,772.91

122

Wirral

£1,616,268.25

56

Wokingham

£349,365.89

146

Wolverhampton

£1,319,730.01

75

Worcestershire

£2,728,733.52

29

York

£579,287.21

131

Total

£274,079,734.75

(out of 152)

What steps should schools and MATs take now?

If you work at a school or MAT that is currently considering the National Wraparound Childcare Programme, or if you have already decided to apply for funding, please do get in touch with us to understand how Childcare Bookings for Schools can support your plans.

Our service allows schools and MATs to outsource all of the booking, payment and financial admin associated with wraparound childcare – for free – meaning the community’s needs are met without any negative impact on the school office or budget. Our industry expertise and suite of template resources means we are well equipped to support both new and established provisions.

Ready to help you

This advice is just the tip of the iceberg. We have helped countless schools think through in-house care.  Most have gone on to do so, but for some, it’s not the right time for them, and that’s fine.  Either way, we would be delighted to help you think it through and share much more strategic and practical support to make the process of in-housing care painless and straightforward. 

If you’re considering this, and you’d like an initial chat, why not get in touch?

About the Author

Dan McCaffrey is the Managing Director of Childcare Bookings for Schools. A former primary teacher and previous owner of Pioneer Childcare (the UK's 5th largest wraparound provider), he shares practical insights learned (the hard way!) from the front lines of school-run childcare.

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