Methodology for calculating PTE places
Explains the methodology DfE uses to calculate part-time equivalent (PTE) children on the early years census.
We use the total number of funded children aged 9 months up to and including 4-year-olds on the early years census in the calculation of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) allocations, based on their PTE:
- a child eligible after reaching 9 months old has a date of birth between 2024-01-01 and 2024-03-31 (inclusive)
- a 1-year-old has a date of birth between 2023-01-01 and 2023-12-31 (inclusive)
- a 2-year-old has a date of birth between 2022-01-01 and 2022-12-31 (inclusive)
- a 3-year-old has a date of birth between 2021-01-01 and 2021-12-31 (inclusive)
- a 4-year-old has a date of birth between 2020-01-01 and 2020-12-31 (inclusive)
Methodology for PTE calculation
This methodology applies to all the early years entitlements. In calculating the part-time equivalent number of children, a child attending 15 hours a week is calculated to be the equivalent of one part-time child (1.0 PTE).
We calculate the part-time equivalents (PTEs) used in the funding allocations to account for stretching the early years entitlements.
To calculate a child’s PTE for each of the entitlements, we use:
- entitlement hours fields:
- funded hours
- extended hours
- expanded hours
- entitlement weeks:
- funded entitlement weeks
- extended entitlement weeks
- expanded entitlement weeks
PTE = (entitlement hours x entitlement weeks) / 570
The following examples demonstrate how different scenarios should be recorded. The same calculations apply for extended hours/weeks and expanded hours/weeks.
Example 1 – child taking full entitlement term time only
A child taking their full funded entitlement term time only would be recorded as 15 funded hours and 38 funded entitlement weeks. Their PTE for the funded entitlement would be calculated as:
(15 funded entitlement hours x 38 funded entitlement weeks) / 570 = 1.0 PTE
Example 2 – child stretching their full entitlement
A child stretching their funded entitlement as 11.4 hours over 50 weeks would be recorded as 11.4 funded entitlement hours and 50 funded entitlement weeks. Their PTE for the funded entitlement would be calculated as:
(11.4 funded hours x 50 funded entitlement weeks) / 570 = 1.0 PTE
Example 3 – child taking less than their full entitlement term time only
A child taking 10 funded hours per week term time only would be recorded as 10 funded hours and 38 funded entitlement weeks. Their PTE for the funded entitlement would be calculated as:
(10 funded hours x 38 funded entitlement weeks) / 570 = 0.67 PTE
Example 4 – child is stretching less than their full entitlement
A child stretching their funded entitlement as 9 hours over 52 weeks would be recorded as 9 funded hours and 52 funded entitlement weeks. Their PTE for the funded entitlement would be calculated as:
(9 funded hours x 52 funded entitlement weeks) / 570 = 0.82 PTE