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Early learning and childcare places

Apply for funded early learning: 3 and 4-year-olds

You can get up to 1140 hours of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) a year if your child is 3 or 4 years old. Find out more about funded hours.

Funding for places is not renewed automatically. It is important that you apply for a place each year or your funding may stop.

When children can get funded places

Children born between 19th August 2021 and 29th February 2024 are entitled to funded early learning and childcare in the 2026/27 school term.

If your child turns 3 by:

  • 31st August 2026, they are eligible to start from the August term 2026
  • 31st December 2026, they are eligible to start from the January term 2027
  • 28th February 2027, they are eligible to start from the April term 2027

Children must be 3 before they can get funded ELC, unless they meet the eligible 2-year-old criteria.

When to apply

2025/26 term

If you need to apply for a place for the 2025/26 term you can:

2026/27 term

Registration period for 2026/27 term: 8th to 19th December 2025

If you miss the deadline you can still apply after the registration period but we can’t guarantee that a place will be available. Your application won't be considered until the applications submitted during the admissions window have been processed.

How to apply

The way you apply for a nursery place depends on a type of nursery setting (council nursery or funded provider) you want your child to attend but you complete the same online form.

Council nurseries

To apply for a funded place in a council nursery, please complete the online application during the registration period. The dates can differ each year.

When completing your application, you will be asked to:

  • Choose three nursery settings - this is because we can't guarantee your first choice of nursery setting
  • Indicate the times you would prefer your child to attend - we will try to meet your preferences, but we can't guarantee your preferred times will be available

As the total amount of funding is up to 1140 hours per year, you will only be able to choose one of the following, up to a maximum of:

  • 30 hours per week if the setting is open during term time only
  • 25 hours per week if the setting is open for 50 weeks per year (in addition to the 2-week Christmas break children will be expected to take 4 additional holiday weeks to make sure they don't exceed their 1140 allocation

Please contact your first choice nursery or use the application booklet to confirm their opening times.

If you are applying using Safari browser on a Mac, please use Google Chrome instead.

Apply for a nursery place

Find out how we allocate and confirm places at council nurseries.

Funded providers

To apply for a place at a funded provider, please contact the funded provider (view our application booklet for contact details) of your choice first to find out:

  • if they are part of our funding agreement
  • when you should enrol your child as they have their own way of processing applications and allocating places

Once your place has been approved by the funded provider you can use our online form to apply for funding. Please enter the same details as your confirmed place as any differences can cause a delay in arranging payment to your funded provider.

If you are applying using Safari browser on a Mac, please use Google Chrome instead.

Apply for a nursery place

Contact us

If you would like more information or need help completing your application, please contact our Early Years team.