3 - 5 year old places

THREE AND FOUR YEAR
Four year olds
If your child’s date of birth is on or between 1 March 2018 and the 28 February 2019 he/she will be eligible for a funded early learning and childcare place from August 2021.
Three year olds
If your child’s date of birth is on or between 1 March 2019 and the 28 February 2020 he/she will be eligible for a funded place as set out below.
ADMISSION INTAKE TIMELINE |
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Birthday Dates |
Intake – first available Monday in the month |
1st March – 31st August (must be 3 years before they can start) |
August / September |
1st September – 30th September |
October |
1st October – 31st October |
November |
1st November – 30th November |
December |
1st December – 31st December |
January |
1st January – 31st January |
February |
1st February – last day February |
March |
Places are available from the first Monday of the month after the third birthday (Tuesday if there is a public holiday). However, staggered entry dates may be required due to the number of eligible children in any given month. Where this applies, early childhood centres and funded providers will admit all eligible children as quickly as possible.
Additional year of early learning and childcare
All children who are still four years old at the start of the school year can be deferred and start primary one the following year. Children with a birthday in January or February are automatically entitled to another year of funded early learning and childcare.
Should parents of children with a birthday between the school commencement date in August and the end of December choose to defer entry to primary school and start primary 1 the following year, local authorities have discretion over whether to provide additional early learning and childcare hours. This is based on an assessment of wellbeing informed by appropriate professionals. This will be subject to review.
How to apply
If you wish to consider deferring your child’s entry to school and wish an additional year of early learning and childcare for your child, you must register your child for school and apply for a deferred entry.
APPLYING FOR A 3 - 5 YEARS ELC PLACE
An application form must be completed and submitted to your first choice establishment along with proof of your residing address (in the form of council tax invoice) and proof of your child’s date of birth ( birth certificate or Passport). ELC establishments will not accept your application form if you do not produce the proof at the time of submission.
Forms must be submitted by the last day in February each year to be presented at the Annual Admissions Panel which sit around April / May. Any forms received after the last day in February will be classed as a late application and will be presented at the Post Admissions Panel in August.
APPLY FOR AN ENTITLED 3 - 5 YEARS EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE PLACE AFTER 2022/2023
The period for submitting applications will be changing. The application period for 3-5 years applications will start in the January of each year – application forms will only be available from this date. Forms must be submitted by the last day in February each year to be presented at the Annual Admission panel which sit around April / May. Any forms received after the last day in February will be classed as a late application and will be presented at the Post Admissions Panel in August.
DELIVERY MODELS FOR EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE
LOCAL AUTHORITY ESTABLISHMENTS ONLY
In Inverclyde Council, local authority establishment have 5 delivery models.
All models of delivery include the option to have a combination of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) between two centres or a blended model with a participating childminder who meet the National Standard.
Meals and snacks are provided with all models as part of a child’s entitlement.
EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE - LOCAL AUTHOPRITY MODEL TIMES SESSION 2022 – 2023 |
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DAYS |
TIMES |
OVER ACADEMIC YEAR |
MODEL 1 |
5 days Monday – Friday |
6 hours per day |
38 WKS (TERM TIME) |
MODEL 2 |
2 ½ days Monday & Tuesday full day Wednesday half day |
Monday & Tuesday 8:10am – 17:45pm Wednesday 8:10am – 13:05pm |
Extended year – with fixed end date |
MODEL 3 |
2 ½ days Wednesday half day Thursday & Friday full day |
Wednesday 13:30pm – 17:45pm Thursday & Friday 8:10am – 17:45pm |
Extended year – with fixed end date |
MODEL 4 |
5 x am Monday – Friday |
8:10 am – 12:55pm |
Extended year – with fixed end date |
MODEL 5 |
5 x pm Monday – Friday |
13:00 pm – 17:45pm |
Extended year – with fixed end date |
EACH YEAR THE MODEL DELIVERY TIMES ARE RECALCULATED AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Parents/carers can also access their child’s funded hours as a shared placement between an early year’s establishment and a funded provider (split placement) which includes childminders (blended model). Using a combination of time between two different settings provides a flexible service that gives parents/carers the choice of early learning and childcare that fit around their family’s needs. Parents/carers can also have the option to privately fund additional hours with those funded providers or childminders if their childcare needs exceed 1140 hours.
CHILDMINDERS
There are two options if you chose to take your child’s funded hours with a childminder.
Full time ELC or Blended Childcare
Full time ELC
This can only be with an approved funded provider (Childminder). You would contact the childminder directly to confirm if they are participating in this model.
When applying, you need to submit an application to the approved childminder. It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that the approved childminder has availability to meet their preference.
BLENDED CHILDCARE – (childminders)
A blended model of ELC is an option – this offers a combination of ELC with an approved registered childminder and either an early childhood centre or a funded provider. You would contact the childminder directly to confirm if they are participating in this model.
When applying for a blended model with a childminder, you need to submit an application to the approved childminder and also to your first choice establishment. It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that the approved childminder has availability to meet their preference.
For blended model; (i.e. some time with a participating childminder and in the early childhood centre (ECC) or funded provider (FP) each day) attendance of three hours at the ECC and FP is expected. This amount of time allows your child to settle in and become fully engaged in the opportunities available.
PARTNERSHIP NURSERIES - PRIVATE / VOLUNATARY / INDEPENDENT NURSERIES – MODELS AVAILABLE
The partnership nurseries will all operate differently and set their own service. You will need to contact the establishment directly to find out their operational hours and how they will deliver their early learning and childcare hours. Some funded providers will have their own application process. It would be up to you to contact them directly and find out this information before applying
Split placement between two centres
If you wish to apply for a split placement between two centres you will need to make an application to each setting.
Please be aware that although every effort will be made to meet your needs, there is no guarantee that it will be possible to offer split funded places in every case.
The allocation of split places will be dependent on both settings being able to offer the hours requested.
Deciding priorities for admission
Every effort will be made to meet your first choice of setting and preferred pattern of attendance however, this will be dependent on the number of places available and the priority given to applications in line with Inverclyde Council’s Early Years Admissions Policy.
Dates of birth or length of time on the register of applications does not affect priority to four year old children. Three year old children will be eligible for a place in the month after their third birthday according to set dates. Eligible two year olds can access a place the term after their second birthday.
All places for children aged 3 - 5 years are allocated to centres and funded providers through a central allocation process. This ensures that all eligible children have access to a place.
If a centre is oversubscribed, a ballot will take place to allocate places and/or pattern of hours.
Early Years use defined areas when allocating places based on the current residing address. Childcare arrangement that are in place cannot be considered as a residing address.
Please note: If your child is allocated a place in an Early Years establishment where there is an associated primary school,
- There is no higher priority for an ELC application for having a sibling who attends a Primary School that has a nursery class attached.
- There is no automatic right to a place in the primary school.
Ballot
A ballot may be necessary in some centres in the following circumstances:
- Oversubscription of applications for four year olds
- Oversubscription of applications for eligible three year olds
- Oversubscription for particular models of delivery
Each establishment is registered with the Care Inspectorate for a maximum number of places, therefore it is not possible to satisfy all requested models of attendance. You will be asked to state a preferred model of attendance when you complete the application form. Places and models of attendance will be allocated according to the allocation criteria set out in the Early Learning and Childcare Admissions Policy bandings.
If your application for a place is not allocated in the centre of your first choice, then your application will be considered for a place in the centre of your second choice.
If your second choice of centre cannot provide a place then you will be offered an alternative place for your child.
Offer / allocation letter release dates
ELC PLACES 2022 – 2023 INTAKE AND ALLOCATION OF RELEASE DATES |
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BIRTHDAY MONTH |
INTAKE MONTH |
RELEASE DATE OF ELC PLACES |
1st March – 31st March |
AUGUST |
11th MAY 2022 |
1st April – 30th April |
AUGUST |
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1st May – 31st May |
AUGUST |
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1st June – 30th June |
AUGUST |
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1st July – 31st July |
AUGUST |
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1st August – 31st August |
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER (must be 3 years before they start) |
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1st September – 30th September |
OCTOBER |
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1st October – 31st October |
NOVEMBER |
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BIRTHDAY MONTH |
INTAKE MONTH |
RELEASE DATE OF ELC PLACES |
1st November – 30th November |
DECEMBER |
16TH SEPTEMBER 2022 |
1st December – 31st December |
JANUARY |
|
1st January – 31st January |
FEBRUARY |
|
1st February – last day in February |
MARCH |
Late applications received will receive their allocation as soon as possible after the Post Admissions Panel is concluded.