Apply for your child's Nursery place
Why Your Child Should Attend Nursery from the Age of 2
A Head Start for Your Little One
Nursery is more than just a place to drop off your child while you work. It's a nurturing environment designed to foster your child's growth and development. Starting nursery at the tender age of two can provide numerous benefits that will set them up for success in the future.
Key Benefits of Early Nursery Enrolment:
Social and Emotional Development: Social and Emotional Development: Nursery provides a safe and supportive space for children to interact with other children and adults. This helps them develop essential social skills like making friends, sharing, cooperation, and empathy.
Cognitive Development: Taking part in a variety of play based activities and experiences at nursery stimulates a child's brain and promotes good thinking skills, active learning and cognitive development. This includes developing skills to be creative thinkers, problem-solvers, critical thinkers and increasing language skills and vocabulary.
Preparation for School: Going to nursery can help your child develop all the skills and confidence they will need to enjoy school and support their eventual transition to primary school. They will become familiar with new routines and expectations and become more confident and independent in a nurturing and supportive environment. Adults will support your child to develop their communication skills to interact with new people and develop resilience in new situations.
Foundation for Future Learning: A strong foundation in early childhood education can have a lasting impact on a child's academic success. Nursery opens the doors to future learning and development to help them fulfil their true potential.
Applying for Nursery Places
Early learning for two year olds
Find out if your two year old is eligible to receive 15 hours of funded childcare/early learning per week, 38 weeks per year.
Funded childcare is available for eligible two year olds, for 15 hours a week during term time.
Your child will have the chance to have fun, play, learn socialise and make new friends. If your child is eligible, they can take up a place at the start of the term following their second birthday.
Sandwell's Early Years Team will send you a ‘Golden Ticket’ if they think you are eligible. Just take the ticket to a nursery to access your place. There is an application form here if you have not received a ticket but think that you are eligible.
Nursery places for three and four year olds
All 3 and 4 year old children are entitled to a maximum of 570 hours of funded childcare a year (15 hours a week for 38 weeks a year).
Funded childcare is an opportunity for your child to play and learn in a quality environment that will help to extend their skills and experiences, develop their confidence and prepare them for school.
Click here for more information and to apply for your child’s place
30 hours free childcare – Three and four year olds extended entitlement
Three and four year old children whose parent/parents are working may be entitled to an extra 15 hours a week of flexible free childcare entitling them to 30 hours a week for at least 38 weeks per year.
Click here for more information and to see if you are eligible
Funded Childcare for Working Parents
30 hours funded childcare – from September 2024 extended entitlements for children of working parents between the age of 9 months to under three years of age.
From 1 September eligible working parents whose children will be aged between 9 months old and 3 years old on 31st August 2024, can apply to receive 15 hours childcare funding. Applications must be made through the HMRC's Childcare Choices website. You can call them on 0300 123 4097 if you need support submitting your application.
From September 2025 Eligible working parents of children from 9 months to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week.
Funded childcare is an opportunity for children to join in play based activities in a quality environment to support their developmental learning journey and prepare them for school.
Click here to see if you are eligible
Tax-Free Childcare
Tax-Free Childcare is a Government scheme to help with the cost of childcare.
Parents can open an online childcare account which you can pay into to cover the cost of childcare with a registered provider and the government will add to the account.
Click here for more information