Choosing the right childcare

Choosing childcare, from day nurseries to childminders.

Pre-schools and nursery schools

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Pre-schools

Pre-schools provide part time sessional childcare in a setting for children aged 2 to 5 years.

Pre-schools can offer sessional care in the mornings and/or afternoons and are a good preparation for school as the sessions are shorter than full daycare. However, pre-schools are usually only open during school term time, so may not be suitable for working parents who need full time childcare. 

Nursery schools and nursery classes

A nursery school is a facility which usually accepts children for a period of 3 hours per day for 5 days per week. Some nursery schools offer a full-time session (6 hours).

Nursery classes are part of primary school, they accept children for a period of 3 hours per day for 5 days per week. Some nursery classes offer a full-time session (6 hours).

Application should be made direct to the nursery school or early years centre.