Nursery school or class
Local council maintained nursery schools and nursery classes are one type of childcare setting that provide free early learning and childcare for 2 to 5 year olds. For information on other types of childcare settings, please visit our page on types of childcare. Nursery schools may be based at Child and Family Centres or part of infant or primary schools. There are also nursery classes within some primary schools.
Key information
There are 7 maintained nursery schools and 19 maintained schools with nursery classes in Cambridgeshire. They all offer part-time early years education for children from the term after their third birthday. You can find your nearest nursery school or class, as well as other early education providers, on the Cambridgeshire Online Directory.
These nurseries offer provision for children who are not yet of statutory school age (and are optional). When children reach statutory school age they must apply for a school place in a reception class. Most children in Cambridgeshire start school in the September following their fourth birthday. Statutory school age (the legal age at which a child must be receiving an education) is from the term after their fifth birthday.
What you can do
Our early years funding page (for providers) has copies of the nursery application form and guidance notes.
