Council Nurseries

For more detailed information on Early Learning & Childcare services in Glasgow, please download this guide:  Parent Pack 2024/2025

Parent Guide to ELC 2024/2025

Most Council nurseries are now open all year round, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm and can offer a mix of full day and part day places.  Many offer places for children from 0-5 years or 2-5 years whilst others have places for children aged 3-5 years.

Here’s where to find details of the Council nurseries which are open all year round, 8am – 6pm : List of 50 week Council nurseries

A small number of Council nurseries are open term-time only, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm or, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm. These nurseries can also offer full day and part day places.

Our nursery classes are part of primary schools and are also open term-time only, 8.30am to 4.30pm but offer mainly part day places for children with only a small number able to stay for full days in some classes.

Here’s where to find details of the Council nurseries which are open term-time, 8am – 6pm or 8.30am to 4.30pm : List of 38 week Council nurseries

How do I apply for a Council nursery place?

You can get an application form directly from the nursery that you want your child to attend. Get in touch with the nursery and they will give you help and advice with the application process.

• Council nurseries use a priority admissions criteria to decide how to allocate places. The nursery will be able to give you more information on this or you can find it online here.

You can apply for a place at any time of year but if you are looking for a place to start from the new term in August, it is helpful if you can return your application form by 31^st March.

Your application will still be considered if you are later in submitting it but there may be fewer places available to offer you.

Children aged 3 or 4 years old and some 2 year olds are entitled to up to 1140 hours of funded nursery provision each year. This funded provision is known as Early Learning & Childcare or ELC. There is no charge for your funded nursery hours but any additional hours used must be paid for by you.

There is no entitlement to funded nursery provision (ELC) for most children under 3 years old so all hours must be paid for by you.

You can find more information on Eligibility 2's criteria and and GCC Nursery Fees criteria and hourly rates.

Other Nurseries

Many nurseries in Glasgow are run as either private businesses, by charities or voluntary groups or are part of independent fee paying schools. Our online search facility will tell you which organisation runs each nursery, what age groups they offer places to and what their opening hours are.

If you want a place in a private or voluntary sector nursery, you should contact the nursery directly to ask about their application process. Places in private nurseries are usually allocated on a first come first served basis but other criteria may apply in voluntary sector nurseries and independent schools.

If your child meets the eligibility criteria, you can also access your child's funded ELC entitlement of up to 1140 hours per year in a private or voluntary sector nursery or a nursery which is part of an independent school and this will be funded for you by the Council.

Any other hours or places for non-eligible children must be paid for by you.

Registered Childminders

Registered Childminders are self-employed and work within their own home to provide care for children from birth to 12 years old. They are regulated by the Care Inspectorate in the same way that all nurseries are regulated.

Some Registered Childminders who are part of the Glasgow ELC framework, also provide the funded ELC entitlement for eligible children aged 2, 3 or 4 years old and this will be funded for you by the Council. Any other hours or places for non-eligible children must be paid for by you.

If you want to use a Registered Childminder to provide care for your child / children, you should contact them directly to ask if they have places available and to discuss any costs.

If you want to access your child's ELC entitlement with a Registered Childminder, you should ask them if they are part of the Glasgow framework. They will be able to advise you on how to apply to access your child's funded ELC entitlement.

Deferred Entry Guidance for Parent and Carers

In Scotland currently, children normally start school in the year during which they have their 5^th birthday. This means they will start school between the ages of 4½ and 5½ years depending on when their birthday falls. 

If you do not want your child to start school at the expected date in August, you can apply to defer their start date and have another funded year in nursery.

Children due to start school in August each year are entitled to defer their entry to school and have another funded year in nursery, if their 5^th birthday will take place between the first day of term in August and the last day of February the following year.

You should speak to the head of the nursery or the childminder where you access your child’s ELC hours, to let them know you would like to defer your child’s entry to primary school. You are automatically entitled to defer and do not have to complete an application form but you do need to let us know your plans so we can make sure we keep a space for your child.

If you have already enrolled for school but later decide to defer entry, you should let the school know your child will not be coming in August. You will need to enrol for school again the following year.

If your child’s 5^th birthday takes place between the first day of March and the day before the first day of term in August, you are not automatically entitled to defer your child’s entry to school. You can still apply but this would normally only be agreed where there is some significant evidence that this would be of educational benefit to your child, for example, if s/he has additional support needs and it is anticipated that extra time in nursery would prepare them better to transition to school.

You should speak to the head of the nursery or the childminder where you access your child’s ELC hours, to let them know you would like to defer your child’s entry to primary school. You will need to complete an application form and provide evidence of your child’s needs. The head of the nursery or childminder will be able to offer further advice on this.

If your application is agreed but you have already enrolled for school, you should let the school know your child will not be coming in August. You will need to enrol for school again the following year.

Deferred Entry Information for Parents & Application form

TO BE COMPLETED BY PARENT/CARER IN DISCUSSION WITH HEAD OF NURSERY

The completed application for Deferred School Entry should be returned by the nursery to the ELC Team in City Chambers East, 40 John St, Glasgow G1 1JL