Schools Funding Formula

Schools Funding Formula

EYE Payment Agreement Compliance Review

SfYC Officer(s):

Provider Details

1.1Name of Free early Education Funding contact: / 1.2Name of person who is responsible for financial matters in the organisation:
1.3Name of person who completes the annual census forms:
1.4Name of person who completes the headcount claim forms: / 1.5Total number of child places the setting offers / registered for:

Preparation: Pre-Visit Assessment

Summary

Date of Headcount selected / Term Selected
No. of 2, 3 and 4 years claimed for / Total No. Of Hours
Form completed correctly? / Form signed and dated?

EYE Grant Payments

Reviewing officers to complete the following template prior to the review taking place for the stated claim period (Summer, Autumn or Spring)

3 and 4 year olds / 2 year olds / Total
No. claiming at headcount
No. late claims
Original headcount claim payment
Final Payment
Late claim payment
Total No. claiming
Total EYE payment
Variance
Funding
Current rate £
Flexibility banding –(see question 9)
Staff Qualifications –(see question 9)
Date of and last Ofsted outcome
Other grants - Check whether there are any monitoring requests outstanding.
Start Up
Sustainability
Training
Inclusion
Other
Additional comments/action to be raised with the provider:

Headcount Forms

Officer to randomly select completed headcount form submitted by the provider in the last year and complete the following information. This information will be used to check against the provider’s own records. The individual form should also be taken to assist with checking individual children’s details against the provider’s records.

Check for xxxxxxx Term

Child’s name / Hours in this claim / Total hours in eligible year (Q4) / registration form (Q5) / Parent Signature check / DOB / Birth cert or equivalent / Address / Register checks / Comments
Comments:
Additional funding (e.g. adjustment payments, SEN):
Register checks against claim forms:

Provider Knowledge

No / Risk to HCC /
Question
/ Yes / No /
Comment
H / Does the Provider have a copy of the EYE Payment Agreement on site and/or on premises or knows where to access it online?
TEST
  • Request to see its existence or check provider representative knows where to access the document online.

H / Confirm the identity of the person who is responsible for providing the management and administration of Free Early Education Funding if different from the core information on the header above.
TEST
  • Who is the authorised signatory and have they signed the form.
/ Enter name of person:
(a) administering
(b) authorising
H / Do they understand conditions of the agreement sufficiently enough to implement them?
TEST – example questions:
  • Are you aware of the statutory EYE Entitlement a child is eligible to access per week (for 2, 3 and 4 year olds) ie how many hours?
  • How many weeks funding is a parent allowed to access?
  • Are any conditions placed upon entry?
  • When is a child eligible to receive funding?
  • If the setting offers stretch hours, how many weeks is the stretched offer, how many hours per week/how many “spare hours”?

Record Keeping and Claims

No / Risk to HCC /
Question
/ Yes / No /
Comment
H / Headcount forms
Based on the Headcount Form reviewed as part of the pre-assessment check compare Council records with Provider’s records for individual children
TEST:
  • Take a sample of 10% on the Headcount Form or a minimum of 5 children’s details and check against names on the register.
  • Check the days shown as attending on register supports the hours claimed on the headcount for each child in the sample.
  • Check if setting maintains an additional record of hours claimed by child each funding period.

H / Registration records
Is it possible to track a child audit trail from registration records to registers.
TEST: same 10% as above:
Sample of children’s registration records checked
  • Do they identify individuals, dates of birth and attendance?
  • Is there evidence that suitable identification document was used (Birth Certification, Passport, NHS Health Card).

H / Parent declaration forms
Does the appropriate person with parental responsibility sign the Council’s specified Parental Declaration Form to confirm use of the service for the period claimed for?
TEST: for each child in the same
  • Is the child eligible for the EYE funding claimed?
  • Has the Parent/Carer signed the Parental Declaration Form?
  • Note and compare signature with any official documents with Parent’s signature.
  • Comment on findings.

H / In Period Claims (previously Late Claims)
Identify a late claim in sample in order to check eligible children joining the Provider after the relevant Headcount Day.
TEST:
  • Check the details of any child joining the setting after Head Count Day.
  • Check the register for date the child joined.
  • Did you check with parent for attendance at another setting to claim funding?

H / Children leaving the setting
Do providers inform the Council when a child ceases to attend their establishment?
TEST:
  • What happens when a child leaves the setting?
  • Note any funding passed to other settings
  • Note any refund made to the Council.

H / EYE rate paid
Flexibilty:
Confirm the start and finish times for children accessing EYE.
Quality:
Do staff have the level of qualification declared?
TEST:
  • Select a sample of 2 staff records and/or check key staff record for evidence of a copy of qualifications and experience on file.
  • Do all staff listed on quality part of the EYSFF return have a payroll record:
  • Examine payroll records to verify the existence of employees;
  • Check that data is complete on employee records such as NI numbers and addresses.

Insurance

No / Risk to HCC /
Question
/ Yes / No /
Comment
M
/ Check insurance:
  • Employers £10m
  • Public liability £5m
  • Professional indemnity £100,000
/ Dates of insurance cover (to be recorded in synergy)

Charging parents

No / Risk to HCC /
Question
/ Yes / No /
Comment
M / Are there adequate arrangements in place to ensure that parents are not charged for free hours.
TEST:
  • Request copy of invoice format and an example from the sample above of a parent who will have paid for additional hours.
  • Check that Parents have paid for no excess by way of invoice raised for the hours. (Apart from additional care requested by the parent).
If the invoice information is not satisfactory further test information to be requested:
TEST:
  • Does the charging policy clearly state that no top-up fees will be charged for Free Early Education Fundedhours?
  • Does the Admissions policy clearly state that there are no conditions attached to children attending EYE Funded hours.
  • Is the above clear in parent information provided.

Reviewing Officer Summary and Comments

COMMENTS/FINDINGS/RECOMMENDATIONS
  1. Must be implemented immediately to comply with statutory guidance on the delivery of Free Early Years Education and the Hampshire County Council Terms and conditions for funding:
  1. Important changes to ensure free entitlement is being administered correctly:
  1. Recommendations to improve control framework or improve service effectiveness and efficiency:

Managers Independent Review

Date completed report reviewed / Name of manager undertaking review /
Comments

1

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