Free Places & How to Pay

Free nursery places for 2, 3- and 4-year olds

Qualifying 2-year olds and every child from the term after their 3rd birthday are entitled to up to 15 hours free nursery provision a week* until the term before they start school. These sessions are funded by the Local Authority and are known as the ‘Free Universal Entitlement’.

In addition, working parents/ carers of 3- and 4-year olds who meet the qualifying criteria are eligible for an additional 15 hours free nursery provision a year until they start school. These sessions are also funded by the Local Authority and are known as the ‘Free Extended Entitlement’. You may have seen this referred to as 30 hours entitlement.

Parents/carers can get help with their application for the both entitlements via Wow Kids.

Apply now

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

All year round: Under the Universal Entitlement, the first 11 hours per week are free of charge for 47.5 weeks of the year. The free hours per week are doubled to 22 for those qualifying for the Extended Entitlement.

Term time only: Up to 15 hours per week (Universal Entitlement) or 30 hours per week (Extended Entitlement) for 38 weeks of the year. In order to help us balance demand these places are restricted to 3- and 6-hour sessions only (9.00 am-12.00 pm, 12.15 pm-3.15 pm, 9.00 am-3.00 pm).

Free Places only:

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

All year round: Up to 11 hours per week (Universal Entitlement) or 22 hours per week (Extended Entitlement), 47.5 weeks of the year. Parents/carers may choose from any of our available sessions, with a maximum of 10 hours free in any one day.

Term time only: Up to 15 hours per week (Universal Entitlement) or 30 hours per week (Extended Entitlement) for 38 weeks of the year (9.00am-12.00pm, 12.15pm-3.15pm, 9.00am-3.00pm).

Tax-free childcare

This is a Government scheme available for all working families, including those who are self-employed. For every £8 you pay in, the Government will add £2 (up to £2,000 per child). This can be used to pay for sessions in addition to the Free Entitlement. More information can be found on the government website.

Childcare Vouchers

We accept vouchers from all the major and local suppliers, including Accor, Care4, Care2 Learn, All Save, Kiddi Vouchers, Early Years, Fideliti, Co-op to name but a few. Please get in touch if you have vouchers from another source and we can make the necessary arrangements

Tax Credits

· Child Tax Credit - you do not need to be working

· Working Tax Credit - you may be able to claim extra amount to help cover the costs of approved childcare

You can apply for Working Tax Credit even if you’re on leave or about to start a new job. If you already claim tax credits call HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to update your claim. You must renew your claim every year.

Financial support for young parents and students

You could get weekly payments through Care to Learn if you’re under 20 at the start of a publicly-funded course, for example at school or sixth form. You can also apply for Learner Support to pay for childcare if you’re 20 or over and in further education, for example studying for an NVQ, BTEC or PGCE. A Childcare Grant is available if you’re in full-time higher education to pay for childcare costs for children under 15.

Want more information?

The Government’s new Childcare Choices website is now live and is a useful source of information if you are looking for support with your childcare costs. Childcare Choices brings together all the government childcare offers in one place for the first time. The new Childcare Choices website makes it easy to find out what’s on offer.

Use the Childcare Calculator to see what offers are available to support you and your family.

Childcare calculator

Free Places & How to Pay

Free nursery places for 2, 3- and 4-year olds

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

Free Places only:

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

Getting help with childcare costs

Tax-free childcare

Childcare Vouchers

Tax Credits

Financial support for young parents and students

Want more information?

Got a question?

Free Places & How to Pay

Free nursery places for 2, 3- and 4-year olds

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

Free Places only:

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

As part of a fee-paying nursery place:

Getting help with childcare costs

Tax-free childcare

Childcare Vouchers

Tax Credits

Financial support for young parents and students

Want more information?

Got a question?

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