What is Flexible Free Entitlement (FFE)?

All 3 and 4 year olds (and some qualifying 2 year olds) are entitled to 15 hours per week of free early education for 38 weeks of the year (known as the FFE). Children become elegible for the free hours at the start of term following their 3rd birthday. They remain elegible until they reach compulsary school age (the term follwing their fifth birthday, though in practice most children now start school before this). Free early education places are available at a range of early year settings, including nursery schools, children's centres, Playgroups, pre-schools and certain registered childminders. A parent is able to split the 15 hours between 2 providers if they wish.