Childcare and Education

Childcare

Arranging Childcare

For information about what childcare is available in your area, please contact your local authority’s Family Information Service.

Caring for children can be unpredictable at the best of times and there may be occasions when you need to arrange for your children to attend a childcare setting or activity-based programme

There is a range of registered or approved quality childcare services available across the country providing safe, caring play and educational environments for your children and offering opportunities for you to use them to support your family’s needs.

When might childcare be needed?

Parents/carers may be working, training, or may just need some time to themselves. However, emergencies crop up from time to time or parents might need a helping hand so there is a range of services to help. Childcare can broaden children's experiences by offering them a change in surroundings, the opportunity to play with different toys, games and activities, and socialise and interact with other children and adults.

What types of childcare are available?

There are many different types of childcare available: childminders, day nurseries, children centres, pre-schools, out of school care (before and after school), holiday play schemes and creches. There are also other options if care is required in the family home such as 'approved' child carers, nannies au pairs or babysitters.

Is it just for the under 5s?

No! Services across the country cater for children aged 0 -14 years. You can be sure Ofsted registered childcare providers are trained and are sensitive to the needs of individual children including those experiencing difficulties.

Can i afford it?

Your Local Authoritys Family Information Service can help you fnd different ways to pay for childcare

They can provide advice on free nursery places (including the new funded childcare for eligible working parents of children aged 9 months and over), and on support available for lone parents, teenage parents, working parents, or students.

They can also give information about schemes such as Universal Credit childcare support, Tax- Free Childcare, Care to Learn, and Working Tax Credit (for existing

Visit your Local Authoriyy website or the Childcare Choices website for more information.

Free Childcare for children under 5 years old

Eligible working parents will receive 15 hours of free childcare (for 38 weeks of the year) from the ages of 9 months to when their child starts school.

All 3 to 4 year olds are entitled to 570 hours of free childcare each year, this works out at 15 hours per week for 38 weeks each year, or you can take fewer hours over more weeks if you choose so. Some 3 to 4 years olds may be eligible for 30 hours free childcare a week if their parents meet certain income and criteria. To see if you are eligible visit www.gov.uk/check-eligible-freechildcare- if-youre-working

You may need to pay for extras such as meals, nappies or trips out.

From September 2025 eligible working parents will be able to claim for 30 hours of free childcare a week from 9 months up to their child starting school.

Education

Stages of Education

Pre-school Education is between the ages of 2 and 5 year olds.

Primary Education is between the ages of 5 to 11 year olds. Key Stage one is Infants 5 to 7 years and Key Stage Two is for juniors aged between 7 and 11 years.

Secondary School is from 11 years and compulsory until the last Friday in June of the year your child turned 16 years. If your child was born after September 1997 they must now stay in some form of education or training until they are 18 years old. This can be in either full time education at either school or college, an apprenticeship or trainee or in part-time education or training as well as being employed, selfemployed or volunteering for more than 20 hours per week.

Types of Early Years Settings

All Early Years settings in England are regulated by Ofsted, in Wales they are regulated by Care inspectorate Wales (CIS). In Scotland they are regulated by the Care inspectorate (CIS), unless the nursery is attached to an independent school then these are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Day Nurseries - These are run by private and not-for-profit, charitable organisations as well as the NHS and the local authority. They provide care and education for children from birth up to the age of five years old. They are open all year round from 8am - 5pm or even longer, some may even offer overnight care. Some nurseries provide all meals and some include formula milk for child under the age of 1 year.

They can vary in size and they are split up into separate rooms according to the child’s age. They offer a whole range of activities and they all follow the early years curriculum which is different depending on which part of the UK they are based.

Pre-Schools - These are run by voluntary parent led communities and charities, they provide care from the ages of 2 to 5 years. They also normally follow school opening hours and term times so they may not be open in school holidays.

Nursery School - These schools can either be independent, private or state funded.State funded nurseries are funded by local authorities and offer childcare to children from the ages of 2.5 to 5 years, these follow the school term times.

Independent and private nursery schools tend to be run by individuals or employers, they can offer extended opening hours and offer breakfast club and after school clubs.

Childrens Centres - These centres offer a range of support to families who have children under the age of 5 years, they offer courses and classes such as parenting courses, ante-natal and post-natal support, help with breastfeeding, first aid courses and baby massage classes.

Montessori Nursery – The Montessori approach to education is based on child centered learning, independence and self-directed activity with age-appropriate mixed classrooms. At nursery, children learn through play using specially designed Montessori toys and resources.

Types of Schools

All children in England and Wales between the ages of 5 to 16 years are entitled to a free place in a state school.

This is in Primary education, between the ages of 5 to 11 years and Secondary education from the ages of 11 to 16 years.

In some areas of the country there are also middle schools for the ages of 9 to 13 years old. Some secondary schools also have sixth forms for the ages of 16 to 18 year olds, other options after the age of 16 years is college and colleges of further education.

State Schools - All children in England and Wales between the ages of 5 and 16 years are entitled to a free place. State schools are funded by local authorities or direct from the government and have to follow the national curriculum.

Grammar Schools - These are state funded but they select pupils using the entrance exam 11-plus, which involves sections on Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

Private Schools - These are any institutes that do not receive any public funding, fees are charged to attend these schools or fees can be reduced through scholarships based on academic talents.

Independent Schools - These can be described as private or public schools that are overseen by a board of governors and trustees and is funded by fees paid by the pupils parents, contributions from supporting bodies and investments. These schools can set their own curriculum, but they must be registered with the Department of Education and are regularly inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. They fall into 2 categories, Pre-Prepatory for ages 2 to 7 years and Prepatory for up to 11 or 12 years.

Academies These schools are funded by the government and run by academy trusts, they can choose their own curriculum and can also choose their own terms dates and staffing.

Free Schools - These schools are types of Academies and they are funded by the government but not controlled by local authorities.

They are run on a not-for-profit basics and can be set up by charities, universities or independent schools.

Special Education Needs Schools - These schools specialise in special education needs such as communication and interaction, cognition and learning, sensory, emotional and mental health, and Sensory and physical needs. Section 216 of the Education Act 1996 states that a child with special education needs should be educated in a mainstream school, unless a parent indicates that they do not want their child educated in a mainstream school, or it is incompatible with the efficient education of other children.

Faith Schools or Faith Academies - Both teach religious studies, Faith School must follow the national curriculum, whereas Faith Academies do not need to follow the national curriculum, both have their own admission policies.

City Technology Colleges - These are funded partly by the government and partly by independent organisations, they offer a wide range of vocational qualifications alongside GCSE and A-levels for pupils ages 11 to 18 years. They teach the national curriculum but focus on vocational subjects such as science, mathematics and technology.

Montessori School - Primary and secondary schools provide individualised lessons and support based on each child where learning is more curriculum based and the child takes responsibility for their own tasks where teachers (also referred as Guides) act as facilitators and observers.