Nursery education
Most nursery education is provided through an extensive network of over 700 settings registered with Hampshire County Council’s Early Education and Childcare Unit. This includes some childminders (those in an accredited network), pre-schools, day nurseries, private nursery or independent schools as well as the Children’s Centres, nursery schools and classes provided by Hampshire County Council. Attendance at an early years setting, nursery school or unit cannot be taken into account when considering admission to any primary school.
The Early Years Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum
All settings offer a range of activities and opportunities based on the standards for learning, development and care within the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum guidance. This is designed for children from birth through to the end of the reception year in school. It also includes requirements to ensure children are safe, the adults and premises are checked and suitable and the setting is well managed and organised.
Learning occurs most naturally when children have the chance to explore a wide range of resources, indoors and out, in their own time and following their own interests. Through planning your child’s play, the staff will provide a balance between the six areas of learning:
• Personal, social and emotional
• Communication, language and literacy
• Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
• Knowledge and understanding of the world
• Physical development
• Creative development.
All children are entitled to free, part-time early learning and care from the start of the term following their third birthday. The key dates are 1 January, 1 April and 1 September. All the arrangements for claiming the funding are made through the setting your child attends.
Under the early years education scheme Hampshire County Council will pay for:
• sessions of 2.5 hours, up to five sessions a week (but this may increase to 15 hours a week pending further advice from the government – your early years setting will have the latest information)
• 38 weeks in a full year
but not if your child attends, or is due to attend, a nursery school, mainstream or special school (including nursery or special unit) in the same term. Your child is entitled to attend school for at least five sessions each week. Many schools will gradually increase the amount of time from the five sessions to full time. We expect that all children will be attending full time by January 2010, at the latest.
Children’s Information Service
The Children’s Information Service (CIS) can give you details of services registered to provide early learning and care in your local area. This includes information about all Ofsted registered childcare - childminders, pre-schools/playgroups, creches, day nurseries,after school clubs and holiday schemes.
Do you know...
As part of the Government's Extended Schools initiative, more schools are collaborating with each other and otherlocal community providers to offer a wide range of childcare services in their area.
And don't forget...
If you are a working parent, you may be able to receive financial support in paying for services that are Ofsted registered or approved through the Working Tax Credit or employer supported childcare vouchers.
For further details please contact the Children's Information Service on 0845 603 5620. You can also find more information on the website: www.hants.gov.uk/childcare.