Question about free nursery at 3

[CMIL]

Hey ladies,

I want just wondering about those 15 free hours at 3 for our children. Should I be getting my sons name down now or does it not work like that?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Toddler section might be better for this question.

 

[Tasha]

How old is your son? And do you want him to have the funded place at a private nursery or like a local school?

 

[Windmills]

If it's a local school you just have to phone and find out when they do the applications

 

[CMIL]

He is 9 months. I am assuming you can use the free 15 hours in any way you like in which case I would probably try to get him into the school where he would be going when he was a little older.

 

[Windmills]

Oh you definitely don't need to do it yet. Yes the 15 hours is generally 5 free morning or afternoon sessions at the nursery in a school. My Mum is a nursery teacher in a school, and she doesn't take applications til the year before. You've got a good while yet!

 

[Tegans Mama]

We are going to see a prospective school for Tegan on Monday and she is 2 and a half, will be starting in September.

Most places are pretty strict about how you use the free hours, either 5 x 3 hour morning sessions or the same but in the afternoon.

 

[Tasha]

School dont generally take applications until jut before, like if your son was due to start this coming September it may of been the September just gone that applications became available or like the one my daughter will be going to, they became available at Christmas. But some places differ, my friend lives in a village and her son was on the list from just before his first birthday, check with your local schools.

 

[mum2beagain]

keiras name was down at 1yr at the local childrens centre we then moved and really struggled to get her in i would ring around and see what the local ones to you advice hun

 

[indy and lara]

You are free to use your hours for either a school based nursery or a private nursery however there are a lot of restrictions.

If you plan to use a school nursery then you will probably apply the year before your child is 3. School nurseries do not generally let you pick and choose how you use your hours. We (I'm a teacher) do 5 x 2.5 hours in afternoon for 3 year olds and morning sessions for 4 year olds. We could never let parents pick am or pm sadly as it would be a nightmare for planning and running the nursery.