States nursery application deadline

10 January 2012

The deadline for applications for children starting at a States school nursery in September 2012 is Friday 13 January. This is the last date for parents to contact their chosen school.

Parents may request up to 3 school nurseries but must send their application to the school that is their first choice. Most places are allocated according to the date of the original application but specific needs of children are also taken into account.

Jim Westwater, Education, Sport and Culture’s head of planning and projects, explained: "Some people originally applied 3 years ago when their child was very small so we need parents to confirm that they still want to be considered for the place they originally requested.

"Not all primary schools have a nursery, so places are not allocated according to the catchment area. Parents are free to apply for a place at any of the 17 nursery units attached to States primary schools."

Nursery places in States primary schools are allocated according to a fixed set of criteria:

• children suspected of being at risk
• children with social, educational, physical or emotional needs (eg. medical conditions, disability or health needs)
• children from families with particular needs (eg siblings with special needs, multiple births, parental illness, night shift workers)
• children with brothers or sisters at the school
• time between date of birth and date of application
• nursery schools will write to all parents in March 2012 to offer places. Parents are asked to inform the school if, at any time, they no longer need the place they have been offered

High demand means late applications are less likely to be successful as the number of places in States nurseries is limited to about 600. Some parents decide to use private nurseries where they can also receive 20 hours of free nursery education a week during term time.

Mr Westwater added: "It’s also important to stress that getting a place in a States nursery school does not mean a child will have priority for that school's reception class the following year. Primary school admissions follow a separate process."

Children are eligible to start nursery in September 2012 if they are born between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009.

The 20 hours of free nursery education in the private sector is funded by the States through the Nursery Education Fund. It only applies to children aged between 3 and 4 (the year before they start formal schooling in a primary school reception class).