Inclusive Early Years Fund (IEYF)

Inclusive Early Years Fund (IEYF) - is DFE funding for early years settings in order to strengthen inclusive practice and improve support for children with additional needs through whole setting approaches. It is not linked to individual children and must be used to support sustainable, inclusive provision.  All early years settings are expected to provide high‑quality provision as standard that is inclusive and accessible for all children.

For more information, see the Oxfordshire IEYF August 2026 guidance document (docx format, 27 KB) 

Eligible providers, including school nursery classes and group-based providers, will receive an email confirming the amount of funding allocated. Payments will be made automatically by bank transfer on or before 30 September 2026. Funding has been calculated using the total number of funded places for 3- and 4-year-olds and must be spent by 31 March 2027.

When you receive the email, please follow the link to complete a short form asking how you plan to use the funding. This must be submitted by November 30 so that the LA can report to the DFE in line with DFE funding conditions. 

For further questions please contact the SENDCO Helpdesk