Apply for a part-time nursery place (3-year olds)

Page updated on: 23/04/2024

Access to 3 Year old Part-time Education

Children are entitled to receive up to 10/12.5 hours of education in Wales starting the term after the child’s 3rd birthday. Education hours can be accessed within approved childcare settings or within 3-11 age schools.

Approved Education settings offer up to 10 hours of education in approved settings, for example:

Cylch Meithrin
Registered Private Day Nurseries

Education - Carmarthenshire Family Information Service (gov.wales)

42 of the 94 Primary Carmarthenshire schools (3-11 age schools only) either offer 10 or 12.5 hours of part time education.

In addition to part time education hours, eligible working parents of children aged 3 to 4 years old may be entitled to access up to 20 hours of funded childcare through the Childcare Offer for Wales.

Childcare Offer for Wales - Carmarthenshire Family Information Service (gov.wales)

Please contact Family information Service for further information or follow the links  Education - Carmarthenshire Family Information Service (gov.wales). Please contact your local school and childcare provider for further information.

You can only apply for a part time nursery place at a 3-11 age school through this website page. Children allocated a part time nursery place will not be able to continue to full time education and must make a separate application. The allocation or attendance at a part time place within a school. is not considered for a full time place.

Only once you have made an application and had confirmation from us that your child has been accepted, can your child start school.

Important information: Children Born before 1st September 2021

Children born before the 1st of September 2021 can have up to 2 terms of education in a 3-11 age school.

Children Born on or after 1st September 2021

Children born on or after 1st September 2021 will be entitled to up to 3 terms of part time education in 3-11 age schools from the 1st September 2025, and eligible to start full time school in the term following their 4th birthday – a separate application must be made for a full time school place.

For more information on the change to full time education start dates Click here! (link to Primary full time page)

When to apply

Important information: Children Born before 1st September 2021

Children born before the 1st of September 2021 can have up to 2 terms of education in a 3-11 age school.

Children Born on or after 1st September 2021

For more information on the change to full time education start dates Click here! (link to Primary full time page)

Late applications

If you've missed the application deadline you can still make a late application, however it may affect your chances of getting a place.

Provision	Born between	School start date	Application deadline	Notification date
Part-time nursery education (3-years old)	1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021	January, April, September 2024	31 July 2023	October 2023

How to apply

We only accept applications for Carmarthenshire schools, and you can only apply online. You will need to provide the following information:

Parent / guardians name* and address
Parent / guardians email**
Childs name, address and date of birth
Choice of school – you can choose up to three schools in order of preference

* Anyone with parental responsibility must agree to this application before you submit it.
** If you don’t have an e-mail address you cannot apply. Please visit your local school and they will assist you with your online application.

What happens next?

Once we've received your application you will receive an e-mail acknowledgement of your application with a unique reference number for your application and a .pdf copy of your submission. All correspondence about your application will be sent via e-mail or post. If your application was on time, you will be notified in October the year before e.g. Term starts in 2024 you will be notified in October 2023.

If your application was late, it reduces your chances of getting a place and we can’t guarantee your child will start at the beginning of term. We will notify you as soon as possible but the application process takes up to eight weeks.

If you are offered a place, you must confirm that you accept the place by the deadline noted on the email/letter. If you don’t your place may be taken away. Once you’ve accepted your child’s place you must contact the school to agree a start date.

If your child is refused a nursery place to all of your chosen schools, there is no right to appeal, and you will need to inform us in writing if you wish your child's name to be kept on a waiting list until 30th September and if a place becomes available, we’ll let you know. You can make a late application for other schools.

Apply for a part-time nursery place (3-Year olds)

Education & Schools

Children's rights promise

Apply for a part-time nursery place (3-year olds)

Access to 3 Year old Part-time Education

Provision

Born between

School start date

Application deadline

Notification date

Part-time nursery education (3-years old)

1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021

January, April, September 2024

31 July 2023

October 2023

Family Information Service Carmarthenshire

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