Nursery Places for 3 and 4-year-olds
We offer Early Learning and Childcare to all 3 and 4-year-olds from the first intake after their qualifying birthday until they’re due to start school. This can be up to 1140 hours in most settings.
We’re offering different session times in these settings for 3 and 4-year-olds so you’ll have more choice.
Families may be able to share their 1140 funded hours between different nursery settings.
Session 2025/26
Applications for nursery sessions for 2025/26 will go live on 6th January 2025. To be included in the initial panel process, your application should have been submitted by 31st January 2025. Any applications received from 1st February 2025 will be considered late and processed from May 2025.
- Starting in August 2025: Your child must be three before 31 August 2025
- Starting in January 2026: Your child must be three before 31 December 2025
- Starting in April 2026: Your child must be three before the last day of February 2026
You’ll be contacted by the end of March 2025 to advise you of where your child has been offered a place.
Session 2024/25
Applications for nursery sessions for 2024/25 are still open if you would like to apply for a nursery place between January 2025 & July 2025.
- Starting in January 2025: Your child must be three before 31 December 2024
- Starting in April 2025: Your child must be three before the last day of February 2025
What are my options?
There are several different ways for families to access their entitlement. These include:
- In a private Early Learning Childcare setting that’s in partnership with Fife Council
- At a playgroup that’s in partnership with Fife Council
- With a childminder who’s in partnership with Fife Council
- Term time in a Fife Council Early Learning Childcare setting
- Across the whole year in a Fife Council Early Learning Childcare setting
What session types are available in a Fife Council setting?
- 6hrs Mon – Fri (Term Time)
- 4hrs 40 mins am Mon – Fri (49 weeks)
- 4hrs 40 mins pm Mon – Fri (49 weeks)
- 10hrs Mon and Tues, Wed am (46 weeks)
- Wed pm, 10hrs Thurs and Fri (46 weeks)
How do I apply for a Fife Council Early Learning and Childcare (Nursery) place?
Please complete an online application, which can be accessed at the top of this page. This is an easy process that can be done from your smartphone, iPad or laptop. You’ll be asked to create a mygov.scot ‘myaccount’ if you don’t already have one. You’ll need this account right the way through your child’s education.
Nursery Places for 2-year-olds – Session 2024/25
Fife Council provides early learning and childcare to eligible 2-year-old children in line with Scottish Government criteria.
Eligibility Criteria for 2-Year-Olds
Your child can also access 1140 hours of funded ELC at the eligible intake date after their 2nd birthday, if you meet one or more of the following criteria set by the Scottish Government:
- Income support
- Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- State Pension Credit
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (Support for Asylum Seekers)
If you receive tax credits or Universal Credit, then you can earn a certain amount of money and still be eligible. These income thresholds change annually.
From 1 April 2024, if you are on Child Tax Credit:
- but not Working Tax Credit, then your earnings can be £19,995 or less.
- and Working Tax Credit, then your earnings can be £9,552 a year or less.
If you are on Universal Credit, then your household take-home pay can be £796 a month or less.
Your child may also be eligible if they are looked after, under a kinship care or guardianship order. If this applies to you, please contact your Social Worker who will be able to refer you to our LAC Family Support team. This team provides extra support to make sure any placement meets your needs.
Your child may also be eligible if you have been looked after, under a kinship care or guardianship order as you were growing up. Please enquire at your local nursery offering two-year-old places for further details.
If your child has additional support needs or you feel your family needs extra support, then you may also be able to access some Early Learning and Childcare for your two-year-old child. Please discuss this with your Health Visitor, Social Worker, Family Nurse Practitioner or Educational Home Visitor who supports your family. They will be able to complete a separate referral form with you if they feel an application is appropriate. If spaces are available for your child, these must be accessed at Council nursery provision offering two-year-old places.
What are the benefits of a two-year-old place for my child?
Your child will have lots of opportunities to play indoors and outdoors. This will help support their development and learning.
Your child will have opportunities to interact with others. This will help to build their confidence and independence and help them learn how to share and take turns with others.
Your child will have lots of opportunities to develop their communication skills. This will help them improve their speech and language and support them to make their needs known.
You will have opportunities to be involved in your child’s learning. This will support you to develop further your child’s learning at home.
When can my child start?
Nursery intakes for eligible 2-year-olds happen three times during the academic year.
- If your child is eligible and turns 2 between 01/03/2024 and 31/08/2024, they will be eligible to access funded ELC from August 2024.
- If your child is eligible and turns 2 between 01/09/2024 and 31/12/2024, they will be eligible to access funded ELC from January 2025.
- If your child is eligible and turns 2 between 01/01/2025 and 28/02/2025, they will be eligible to access funded ELC from April 2025.
Applications for 2-year-old places can be made a maximum of 2 months before a child’s anticipated start date (excluding school holiday periods).
How do I apply?
Application forms are available from any Fife Council nursery or can be printed from the link below. These should be completed fully and handed into a Fife Council nursery offering 2-year-old provision, along with:
- up-to-date evidence of any benefits or tax credits you receive.
- your child’s birth certificate or passport
- proof of your current address
List of Early Learning and Childcare centres for 2-year-olds
Your application will be assessed at the next available Nursery Panel meeting. These meetings take place towards the end of each term to award places for the following term. If you are offered a place for your child in a Fife Council nursery, you will be notified in writing.
Please note that the place you are offered may not be at the nursery closest to your home.
What will be available?
There will be a number of different ways for families to access their 1140 hours entitlement. These will include:
- Term time in a Fife Council nursery
- Across the whole year in a Fife Council nursery
- In a private nursery that is in partnership with Fife Council
- At a playgroup that is in partnership with Fife Council
- With a childminder who is in partnership with Fife Council
It may be possible to share hours between different Early Learning & Childcare providers.
If you need some more support to cope with the ever-rising cost of living, please visit our.fife.scot/gethelp. You’ll find information there about Tax Free Childcare and other benefits. To see what else you could be entitled to, check out the Fife Benefits Checker
