Overview
All three and four year olds are entitled to a funded part-time nursery education place regardless of how much their families earn.
The funded places are for 15 hours a week, 38 weeks a year. If your childcare provider has space, you may be able to stretch your hours over more weeks, for example 11 hours over 48 weeks. Talk to them about this.
You can find these funded nursery places at:
- school nurseries
- children’s centres
- day nurseries and playgroups
- childminders
You do not have to do anything to get funding. The nursery or playgroup will ask you to sign a declaration/contract confirming that you intend to take a childcare place with them. The childcare setting will add you child's details to their census which they will then pass on to us to claim the funding.
If your child goes to more than one nursery class with a school, playgroup or childminder, you cannot claim more than the 570 hours per year childcare/education. Please tell your childcare provider if your child is attending in another setting and how many hours you intend to use with each setting (up to a maximum of 570 per year).
To qualify for the full 15 hours, your child must attend for at least two days a week.
Additional costs may apply for funded 15-hour sessions for 3 to 4 year-olds. While these 15 hours cover your child's eligible childcare time, extra fees may still be incurred. These additional charges may apply for services or activities that are not covered by funding, such as:
- Lunches or snacks
- Trips
- Extracurricular classes (such as music or yoga)
If you require childcare beyond your 15 funded hours, providers may charge for these extra hours at their standard hourly rate.
Fees vary depending on the nursery, and policies also differ on which items are charged. All extra costs must be clearly outlined and agreed upon before your child starts. Please contact your childcare provider for further details.
When can my child start?
If your child was born between:
- 1 January – 31 March funding will start in April, following your child’s third birthday
- 1 April – 31 August funding will start in September, following your child’s third birthday
- 1 September – 31 December funding will start in January, following your child’s third birthday
Further information
Please note: reception school place admissions are totally separate from funded childcare. Where your child attends does not impact their school allocation and as such should not influence the childcare provider/type you choose for your child.
If your child has emerging or identified Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and you would like support in accessing a childcare place, please contact the Early Support Team.
Benefits of childcare
Watch this video to hear how parents and carers feel that childcare has helped them and their child.
Early childhood education is an excellent way to shape a child’s confidence and curiosity before attending school. It provides an opportunity to learn, play and make new friends.