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Day Nurseries - a guide

  • Staff: At least half the staff must have a qualification which is recognised by the local authority.
 
  • Sessions: They usually offer daycare from 8am until 6pm and some nurseries may offer longer hours. Some day nurseries also offer part-time places. They are open all year, except possibly for a week or two in the summer and at Christmas.
 
  • Group size: There may be up to 26 children in one room. There will be one adult for every eight children aged from three to five.
 
  • Premises: The premises must meet local authority standards for space and safety based on national recommendations from the Children Act.
 
  • Inspection: Nursery education inspectors appointed by OFSTED will inspect and report on the quality of education.
 
  • The Children Act applies.
 
  • Meals: Children who are there full time receive at least one meal a day. They also have snacks. Meals must be varied and nutritious. The school should respect your wishes, and special meals should be provided for cultural and religious reasons. Meal and snack times should be special occasions with staff eating with small groups of children.
 
  • Age range: Children can start from three months. Children from around two up to five will be in small groups, probably of mixed ages.
 
  • Admissions: The local authority will have priorities for offering places to children in their nurseries. These are often based on their responsibility for children in need. Other nurseries have a written admissions policy. This will tell you their arrangements for giving places to children in day nurseries, including any policy of giving priority to children who will take a full-time place for the additional hours.
 
  • Continuity: Children must move on to full-time education from the term after their fifth birthday.
 
  • Cost: Four-year-olds are entitled to a free part-time place in any day nursery which is part of the local Early Years Development Plan, provided that a place is available. There may be a charge for extra childcare hours and during school holidays, but parents cannot be asked to pay this as a condition of being offered a free part-time education place for their four-year-old.