Thirteen of Swindon's schools have separate nursery classes which provide half day sessions for children up to one year prior to starting mainstream school. There are also sixteen privately run nurseries in Swindon, some of which are linked to major employers in the town.
For further information please contact the Education Department at Swindon Borough Council on 01793 463902.
The Wiltshire Pre-school Learning Alliance is a sub-committee of a national charity established 40 years ago to enhance the development and education of children under the statutory age and as such is committed to high quality childcare and pre-school education.
The Alliance can provide parents and carers with information about their local pre-school groups. The Alliance is active in helping to plan childcare for the under fives in the county. The Alliance firmly believes in learning through play and in the involvement of parents in the education of their children.
For further information please telephone the Pre-school Learning Alliance on 01380 726440, Monday to Friday 9.30am-2.30pm.
The Children's Information Service Swindon is an information service which provides free information to all parents and carers of all children in the Swindon area between the ages of 0 and 14 years.
The organisation aims to help you with any enquiry that you may have regarding your children, from information on child minders and day nurseries to information on funding for Early Years Education.
For further information telephone the Children's Information Service Swindon on 01793 541786 Monday to Friday 9.30am-4.30pm.
Funding for Four-year-olds and Rising Four-year-olds
The Early Years Nursery Education Grant has been set up to help parents towards costs for pre school and nursery education. Funding is now available across Swindon for all children in the term in which they have there fourth birthday. This Nursery Grant can pay for your child to attend pre-school, playgroup, nursery or accredited child minder with an approved network. (These must be on the Swindon Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership Nursery Education Provider Register.)
The funding provides up to five 2½ hour sessions a week for up to 33 weeks. If you have a child who attends a pre school or nursery already, your child's name should automatically be added to the headcount at the beginning of term by the provider, when your child becomes eligible. (please check your provider has the correct date of birth for your child.)
If your child does not already attend a registered pre-school education provider, but you would like them to attend when they become eligible for funding, please contact the provider directly and enrol your child for the term in which they become eligible.
Any parent wanting to gain funding must ensure their child is registered with the desired pre school/nursery/accredited child minder by the headcount date, once this date has past funding cannot be given. The headcount is usually two or three weeks into the beginning of term.
Funding is not available if your child is attending a local Education Authority School Nursery Class.
Some children may be eligible to apply for a grant the first term after their third birthday for the term prior to this funding, if they meet certain criteria. Funding will be awarded first to those who are considered to have the most need.
Parents meeting the criteria below can apply for up to five sessions funding the first term after their child’s third birthday, for the two terms prior to this funding. Parents will need to make an application to the Local Authority for grant funding and awards will be made on the basis of need according to the following agreed criteria:
This funding is not available for all children. Decisions will be made about allocating the grant according to identified needs, by a multi professional panel. Funding for three-year-olds is not available if your child is attending a local Education Authority School Nursery Class.
For further information please telephone Denise Stewart on 01793 463127, e-mail her atdlstewart@swindon.gov.uk, or visit the Early Years Partnership website at www.earlyyearschildcare.org.