When do I apply for state nursery place in the uk?

[ListenToYourHeart]

Hello all,

I'm a bit confused my DD is 2.2 and I don't know when I should be applying for her state nursery place? Also a bit confused about what age she has to start nursery as she is my first.

I'm also abit worried as I'm currently living in London but due to cost of housing and the fact im currently living at my DM with my DP, we are planning to move out of London so what would happen if my DD was already in nursery and then we moved miles away?

Sorry if it all sounds stupid I'm just in a muddle with it all at the moment and have so much other stress I hadn't even thought that I might need to be applying for DD's nursery place soon.

I would apply as soon as possible as lots of nurseries have long, long waiting lists. Do a Google search of the nurseries in your local area and look round them before putting in an application (you do this directly with the nursery) as they vary enormously.

BTW your DD doesn't 'have' to go to nursery; it isn't compulsory. The disadvantage of that is if you move you will have to start at the bottom of the waiting lists in the new area and it could be months before she gets a place, if at all. If you know where you're going to move to then start looking at nurseries now and get her name on a list.

Private nurseries you just ring up and see if they have places. People move all the time so shouldn't be a problem moving - just check how many weeks notice you need to give.

Nurseries attached to state primary schools/faith schools, you need to check how it works in your area. Some places you apply via the council, where I live you applied direct to each nursery you are interested in. I filled in the forms last September and it was an October deadline IIRC.

We found out at Easter that DD was given a full-time place for September, so it's quite a wait!

Thanks for the replies!

I want her to go to nursery as I think it's a good opportunity for children so really hoping I get a place for her, I'm going to apply for nursery places for her around my DM area then whilst we are living there but at the moment can't apply for nurseries in another area as we don't really have a clue what area we could be moving too.

My DD is 3 in march 2013 so will she start nursery that September or will it be the following year?

Am I correct in thinking that if she is starting nursery in september 2013 we need to apply for her place latest September 2012?

Have looked on the council website and I think you have to directly apply to the nursery.

Thanks again for the help

My DC3 attends a private nursery. I put his name on the list when he was 10 months old. He is nearly 3 and started after Easter. This term I have to pay but from Sept I will get 15 hours free so he will increase his hours then.

She will be eligible for 15 hours funded place from the beginning of the summer term 2013. Nurseries vary. The nursery I work in offers places from the term after children are 3 meaning that some children do 5 terms. Some nurseries offer places only for the year before children start school, so they all do 3 terms.

Summer term means after Easter.

Oh ok thank you, i didn't know about the 15 hours funded thing! I Will put her name down asap then as I think it will do her good, just been a little worried about her losing out on a place as we're in a difficult situation with living/moving etc.. Thank you for all the help though.

I think the best thing would be for you to go and look around, and talk to the nurseries you are interested in. Find out what their process is for admissions, see whether you think your child would be happy there, and then make a decision. Good luck.