Free education for under fives

All three and four year olds are entitled to a free early education place for up to six terms before they reach statutory school age (the beginning of the school term immediately following your child's fifth birthday).

Where can my child get a free place?

You can choose a free part-time early education place from a range of registered settings:

day nurseries, private nursery schools, maintained nursery schools and nursery classes attached to primary schools
primary school reception classes, where schools operate an early admission policy to admit four year olds
voluntary pre-schools and playgroups
a childminder’s home where the childminder is part of an approved childminding network
Early Years Centres

A free nursery education place includes no less than five two-and-a-half hour sessions (usually mornings or afternoons) per week for 33 weeks of the year. Although this service is free, you may be charged fees for any services which exceed the minimum entitlement.

When can my child get a free place?

The table below shows when your child will become eligible for the free place.

If your child is born between:	They are eligible for a free place from:
1 April and 31 August	1 September following their third birthday until statutory school age
1 September and 31 December	1 January following their third birthday until statutory school age
1 January and 31 March	1 April following their third birthday until statutory school age

This phase of education is called the Foundation Stage, the first phase of the National Curriculum. It focuses on the distinct needs of children aged three to five (end of the reception year) in primary school.

Standards for free early education providers

All those registered to provide free early education to three to five year olds must:

be registered with their local authority's 'Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership'
work towards the Early Learning Goals and other features of the Foundation Stage curriculum
be inspected on a regular basis by education inspectors appointed by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)