Early years registration opens for nursery children

All three and four-year-old children - and eligible two-year-old children - in North Ayrshire are entitled to 1,140 hours of early years education per year.

The council, which held a series of information sessions last year to help guide parents and carers through the enrolment process, has now opened registration for the August intake, which will run until Friday January 31.

When registering, parents and carers will be asked to choose three suitable early years establishments, which can be close to their home or place of work.

There are no catchment areas for early years provisions. While the council makes every effort to accommodate parental preferences, it is not always possible for it to place children in the early years establishment of their choice.

Councillor Shaun Macaulay, cabinet member for education and young people, said: “We have a high-quality range of early years establishments across North Ayrshire, aiming to give our young people the best possible start in life.

“Last year, the vast majority of parents who registered their child early secured their first choice, so we would encourage parents to register their child or children as early as possible within the January registration period.”

If your child currently accesses early learning and childcare in North Ayrshire and you want to access a different provision in August, you should discuss this with staff at the establishment your child currently attends.

Full information on how to apply for early learning and childcare and the different models available can be found on the council’s early years webpage at www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/education-and-learning/admissions-and-enrolment/early-learning-and-childcare-enrolment