Clear advice about deadlines

[nicnic01]

Hi, my DD turned 2 at the end of September so will be 3 end of sept 2011. I presume she will be elligible for her free nursery place form Jan 2012. I am having real trouble finding out when I need to apply by. I have lots of decisions to make such as, do I want her to have a place before this for a day a week maybe as She is more that ready developmentally speaking but could do with developing her independence. In which case do I need to initiAlly rue out nurseries that attached to schools?
If anyone can point me in the direction of clear advice I would be hugely grateful. I class myself as a reasonably clever person but this seems to be fixing me!
The internet has so far failed me on this one, local gov websites have plenty of advice about schools but not nurseries.

Thanks

I don't think you'll find anything as straightforward as a set date by which you need to apply. IME you need to contact the nurseries you're interested in to arrange to look round, and find out from them what kind of waiting list they have, and what the application process is for them.

Not sure why you would need to discount nurseries attached to schools. Have a look around a few places , get a feel for them. Nurseries my girls went to applied for the ofsted funding