But although the maintained nursery sector has been accessing the electronic Learning Credit (eLC) scheme since its launch in 2002, private nurseries claim that they have not been made aware that they are eligible.
The DfES has given each local education authority in England money from the 100m Standards Fund to deliver eLCs to schools and nurseries for the current academic year. All Government-funded nurseries and private and voluntary providers with six or more children in receipt of the nursery education grant are eligible.
Margaret Randles, a Busy Bees director, said she had not heard of it and questioned how the Government had chosen to publicise the scheme to potential beneficiaries. The Childcare Corporation said it was aware of the scheme but did not know it was open to private nurseries.
The money, distributed via the local education authority, can be used to purchase educational software approved by the Curriculum Online electronic portal.
A spokesperson for the DfES said, 'LEAs only consider the allocation of funding to nurseries where the calculated amount is 50 or more based on a per pupil allocation of 9.73 for the 2004/2005 financial year and Pounds 9.70 for the 2005/2006 financial year.'
The DfES contacted LEAs and EYDCPs in spring 2004 about distributing eLC funding for this year. It should have been distributed by June, but nurseries have until 31 August 2005 to spend the money.
If private and voluntary settings think they are eligible they should contact their LEA and speak to the team responsible for the Standards Fund to find out if they qualify.
For more information see www.curriculumonline.gov.uk.
To be eligible private and voluntary early years providers must meet the criteria for inclusion in the Education Authorities' Directory of all non-maintained providers. They must be a registered provision that has received a 'satisfactory' or 'better' Ofsted inspection and have three and four- year-olds in receipt of the nursery education grant who are eligible for free nursery education. Providers must also have computers or electronic whiteboards.
