When to apply for a Nursery Place

[Nursery2023]

I was chatting to a friend and she had not realised when to apply for a Nursery place. This got me thinking, and made me want to highlight it to others. The Nursery attached to my local school accept application between January and the beginning of March for a September start.
Don't miss out! Check with you local Nursery their application window.

I think it depends on the nursery and if it is attached to a school or not. They will usually accept applications outside of that time if they have spaces as well. I applied for my DS to start nursery in June 2023, in September 2022 and one nursery was fully booked already.

In the area I live in they tell you get the name down at birth for when they start at 2.5 years!

Depends entirely and setting.

Here for private nursery as in daycare it's birth. We don't have nurseries attached to schools. Also need to get down at north for any of the playgroup the nurseries.

I’m in south east and my boy is at a private day nursery, not attached to the school. With my first child the nursery had been open a year and I registered at 8 months pregnant and nursery advised that was the right time due to waiting lists.

Currently pregnant with 2nd and told them informally at 6 weeks, and formally registered the day I had the 12 week scan.

absolutely no harm in registering early so you get the place you want.

yeah I agree @Nursery2023 - it can be so confusing when they’re all so different. Our local one attached to the school takes applications during February only. This is for all children turning 3 that year. So I’m applying next week for DSs funded hours place and we’ll be told his placement in the middle of April. But as he’s a November birthday, he doesn’t actually get to start until January 2024.

Registered (and paid to go on the waiting list) at 7 months pregnant… DD will have her place when she is between 2 and a half and 3. I have another secured for when she turns 1 which I secured when she was 3 weeks. I thought everyone knew you had to look into this early if you were reliant on childcare on certain preferred days/hours