Applying for free nursery hours

[Iconfuseus]

Hello everyone,

Can anyone tell me how I go about applying for my free nursery hours for my son. I've been on the national website and my local councils website and I still can't find the information. I've emailed them to ask but I'm hoping you folks might be able to tell me what you did.

My son is 2.5 so according to the national website he will qualify for his free hours in January 2015.

He isn't currently at nursery at the moment and I don't want to send him there until we get the free hours.

So do we send apply to a nursery directly and get them to apply for our free hours?

Thank you for reading,

Confused in Leeds

[ilovepowerhoop]

in this area (Scotland) you pick up an application from one of the nurseries and fill it in detailing your 3 top choices

[milkjetmum]

My nursery sorts this out for me, I just have to sign the form. Also each nursery will probably have slightly different policies. Eg free hours are 5 x 3hr sessions a week. But my nursery does a 3hr 15 min session so have to pay a little extra. Plus they will vary on snack time contributions, packed lunch or cooked lunch provided that you pay for etc. So find the nursery that you like, tell them you want to use free hours and take itfrom there.

[Realitybitesyourbum]

You might not get a nursery place if you haven't put your name down yet! I had to put my dc name down when she was a few months old in order to get her a place at 2.5. Regarding the free funding, once you get a place at nursery, they just give you the form and you fill it in and then give it back to them, simples!

[ilovepowerhoop]

I had to apply when the dc's had not long turned 2 - we had to apply in the January after they were 2 (mine had october and november birthdays).

[Iconfuseus]

Thank you everyone for replying so quickly. It's really helpful.

I hadn't realised things were like that Realitybitesyourbum. Your username could not be more apt!!

Oh dear oh dear. I'd better get makings some phonecalls on Monday!

[fledermaus]

Depends if you want a private nursery or a state nursery/nursery class in a school.

You need to call local nursery schools, pre-schools, private nurseries etc and see what they say.