Moving to UK (Edinburgh) - advice on nurseries?

[SeventhRaccoon]

DH, DS and I will be moving to the UK for work soon before Christmas as DH has been offered a job in Edinburgh. DS will be three by the time we move, so I think he will be entitled to a free part-time place, judging from the information I found on the Edinburgh council website. Can anyone advise on how the applications process works, and how difficult it is to find a place in your preferred nursery if it is to start mid-year? Where we live now it is a very centralised process (application goes to the local council rather than your preferred nursery, and must be in by a deadline several months in advance; it's often very difficult to get a place at your preferred nursery if it is not to start at the beginning of the school year). I've been looking online but finding it quite hard to get a sense of how the system works in Scotland - super grateful for any knowledgeable people willing to advise!

Hopeful bump...

@SeventhRaccoon bumping for you - is it a school nursery or private nursery that you're hoping apply for?

You need to hop over to Scotsnet.

It varies from nursery to nursery as to how full they get. For example I work in a council nursery where we only have 20 spaces, so last year no one would get in after September but I know other local nurseries would.

Some nurseries do all day 8.30/9am to 3/3.30. Others still do am or pm sessions but are open all year round.

There are no catchment areas for nursery like school. But the majority of children will move on to the same school.

The council website isn't the most up to date when it comes to timings on the website.

You contact your preferred nursery to put them on the waiting list.

The way I understand it (although my DD doesn’t qualify for funded hours yet) you just check nurseries out, ask about places and make sure to ask if you can use your funded hours there. Some may charge slight top up fees for food and trips but it has to be reasonable costs.

www.gov.scot/policies/early-education-and-care/early-learning-and-childcare/ Have a read at this though as funding has been delayed due to covid.

Also make sure to check the care commission reports for the nursery which are available online. Assuming this is the same for England but maybe not.

Have you also got the account that you can pay into and get the 20% top up?

Thanks, this is all really helpful!

I found an application form on the council website which says you can list your top three choices, but I don't really understand how that works if you are applying directly to the nursery rather than the council. But maybe that is out of date? We were looking at both council and private nurseries, but I am assuming that we can't apply for a council place until we actually live in the country so private might have a higher chance of acceptance.

@SGChome20 I actually came across that link earlier but it looked to me as if the funding had been delayed from last year but was due to kick in from this August? I haven't come across any information about the account and 20% top up; do you by any chance have a link?

www.gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account

Have a look here. It’s the old childcare vouchers scheme and works more like a bank account and you need to pay nursery directly from it

But actually thinking about it you may not need to pay if you only use the funded hours for your child.

When I applied ( in England) a few months ago I needed mine and husband’s National insurance number. You might need that ( or maybe alternative if you’re not from the uk). I think you’d be best to ring the council and ask.

It's usually a birth certificate that needs to be seen. No NI numbers from my experience.