Funded Early Learning and Childcare for 3- and 4-year-olds
The number of funded hours and start dates depend on your child's date of birth.
Details of when your child will be eligible to start is detailed below.
Date of child's birthday | Start date |
|---|---|
1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021 | Year 2 |
1 March 2021 to 31 August 2021 | Year 1 |
1 September 2021 to 31 December 2021 | Year 1 |
1 January 2022 to 28 February 2022 | Year 1 |
How to register
In January you will receive a letter and registration form for your 3-year-old which you will need to complete and take to the provider of your choice with your child's birth certificate and proof of address by Friday 2nd February 2024. If your child is already accessing Early Learning and Childcare your provider will give you an appropriate form. Parents who wish to change provider for August 2024 should re-register with a new provider.
How places are allocated
Places at council nurseries are allocated based on priority groupings, from 1 (highest priority) to 13 (lowest priority):
- Year 1 and Year 2 children with additional support needs including, Looked After Children/Care Experienced.
- Children who have deferred entry to school and are applying to the same nursery.
- Year 2 children residing in families within the nursery zone where both parents/carers or lone parents require the place for work/training purposes.
- Year 1 children residing in families within the nursey zone where both parents/carers or lone parents require the place for work/training purposes.
- Year 2 children residing in families within the nursey zone with siblings already in the school/nursery.
- Year 1 children residing in families within the nursey zone with siblings already in the school/nursery.
- Year 2 Children within the nursery zone.
- Deferred entry within the Nursery Zone that are transferring from another nursery.
- Year 1 Children within the nursery zone.
- Children out with the nursery's zone who are applying to the same nursery they attended in their first year and who have siblings in the school/nursery.
- Children out with the nursery's zone who have siblings in the school/nursery.
- Children out with the nursery's zone who are applying to the same nursery they attended in their first year.
- Children out with the nursery's zone.
Please use the Near Me app to check if your address is within the Nursey Zone you are applying to.
What happens next
Providers will write to tell you their decision. Parents/carers registering in February 2024 will be informed by the end of May/start of June 2024.
Should your Local Authority nursery be oversubscribed an officer will contact you directly to discuss options.
Following registration, if your details change you must contact the provider(s) as soon as possible so that any changes can be made.
